Genesis 31 · Verse 26

Genesis 31:26

And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword?
Genesis 31:26, King James Version

Genesis 31:26 in other translations

BSBThen Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? You have deceived me and carried off my daughters like captives of war!
WEBLaban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword?
ASVAnd Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters as captives of the sword?
YLTAnd Laban saith to Jacob, ‘What hast thou done that thou dost deceive my heart, and lead away my daughters as captives of the sword?
DARBYAnd Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast deceived me, and hast carried away my daughters as captives of war?
BBEAnd Laban said to Jacob, Why did you go away secretly, taking my daughters away like prisoners of war?
WebsterAnd Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword?

What does Genesis 31:26 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 31:26-30
26-30. Laban said ... What hast thou done?--Not a word is said of the charge (Ge 31:1). His reproaches were of a different kind. His first charge was for depriving him of the satisfaction of giving Jacob and his family the usual salutations at parting. In the East it is customary, when any are setting out to a great distance, for their relatives and friends to accompany them a considerable way with music and valedictory songs. Considering the past conduct of Laban, his complaint on this ground was hypocritical cant. But his second charge was a grave one--the carrying off his gods--Hebrew, "teraphim," small images of human figures, used not as idols or objects of worship, but as talismans, for superstitious purposes.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 31:22-35

God can put a bridle in the mouth of wicked men, to restrain their malice, though he do not change their hearts. Though they have no love to God's people, they will pretend to it, and try to make a merit of necessity. Foolish Laban! to call those things his gods which could be stolen! Enemies may steal our goods, but not our God. Here Laban lays to Jacob's charge things that he knew not. Those who commit their cause…

Read the full comment on Genesis 31:22-35 →

Genesis 31:26 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
לָבָן֙la.VanLabanH3837
לְיַעֲקֹ֔בle.ya.'a.Koto JacobH3290
מֶ֣הmehwhat?H4100
עָשִׂ֔יתָ'a.Si.tahave you doneH6213
וַתִּגְנֹ֖בva.tig.Noand you have stolenH1589
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
לְבָבִ֑יle.va.Viheart myH3824
וַתְּנַהֵג֙va.te.na.Hegand you have led awayH5090
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
בְּנֹתַ֔יbe.no.Taidaughters myH1323
כִּשְׁבֻי֖וֹתkish.vu.Yotlike captives ofH7617
חָֽרֶב\׃Cha.rev[the] swordH2719

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 31:26

  • 1 Samuel 30:2

    And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way.

  • Genesis 4:10

    And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.

  • Genesis 31:36

    And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?

  • 1 Samuel 17:29

    And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

  • Genesis 2:24

    Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

  • Joshua 7:19

    And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.

  • Genesis 34:29

    And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house.

  • Genesis 20:9-10

    Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done. And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?

  • Genesis 3:13

    And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

  • Genesis 26:10

    And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.

  • Genesis 31:16

    For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children’s: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.

  • Genesis 12:18

    And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
What.
36; 3:13; 4:10; 12:18; 20:9,10; 26:10; Jos 7:19; 1Sa 14:43; 17:29
Joh 18:35
carried.
16; 2:24; 34:29; 1Sa 30:2

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 31:25

    Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.

  • Genesis 31:26

    And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword?

  • Genesis 31:27

    Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp?

Read all of Genesis 31

Genesis 31:26 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y dijo Labán á Jacob: ¿Qué has hecho, que me hurtaste el corazón, y has traído á mis hijas como prisioneras de guerra?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Laban dit à Jacob: Qu’as-tu fait de m’avoir trompé, et d’avoir emmené mes filles comme des captives de guerre.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Laban sprach zu Jakob: Was hast du getan, daß du mich hintergangen und meine Töchter wie Kriegsgefangene weggeführt hast?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et dixit ad Jacob: Quare ita egisti, ut clam me abigeres filias meas quasi captivas gladio?