Genesis 31 · Verse 27

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?
Genesis 31:27, King James Version

Genesis 31:27 in other translations

BSBWhy did you run away secretly and deceive me, without even telling me? I would have sent you away with joy and singing, with tambourines and harps.
WEBWhy did you flee secretly, and deceive me, and didn’t tell me, that I might have sent you away with mirth and with songs, with tambourine and with harp;
ASVWherefore didst thou flee 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;
YLTWhy hast thou hidden thyself to flee, and deceivest me, and hast not declared to me, and I send thee away with joy and with songs, with tabret and with harp,
DARBYWhy didst thou flee away covertly, and steal away from me, and didst not tell me, that I might have conducted thee with mirth and with songs, with tambour and with harp;
BBEWhy did you make a secret of your flight, not giving me word of it, so that I might have sent you away with joy and songs, with melody and music?
WebsterWhy 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?

What does Genesis 31:27 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…

Read the full comment on Genesis 31:26-30 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 27 I might have sent thee away with mirth - בשמחה, besimchah, with rejoicing, making a feast or entertainment on the occasion; and with songs, בשרים beshirim, odes either in the praise of God, or to commemorate the splendid acts of their ancestors; with tabret, בתף bethoph, the tympanum used in the east to the present day, and there called diff, a thin broad wooden hoop, with parchment extended over one end of it, to which are attached small pieces of brass, tin, etc., which make a jingling noise; it is held in the air with one hand, and beat on with the fingers of the other. It appears to have been precisely the same with that which is called the tambourine and which is frequently to be met with in our streets. And with harp, בכנור bekinnor, a sort of stringed instrument, a lute or harp; probably the same as the Greek κινυρα kinura, a harp; the name being evidently borrowed from the Hebrew. These four things seem to include all that was used in those primitive times, as expressive of gladness and satisfaction on the most joyous occasions.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · 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 31:27 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.

לָ֤מָּהLa.mah<to> why?H4100
נַחְבֵּ֙אתָ֙nach.Be.tadid you hide yourselfH2244
לִבְרֹ֔חַliv.Ro.achto fleeH1272
וַתִּגְנֹ֖בva.tig.Noand did you steal?H1589
אֹתִ֑י'o.Ti<obj.> meH853
וְלֹא\־ve.lo'-and notH3808
הִגַּ֣דְתָּhi.Gad.tadid you tell?H5046
לִּ֔יLito <the> me
וָֽאֲשַׁלֵּחֲךָ֛va.'a.sha.le.cha.Khaand I sent away youH7971
בְּשִׂמְחָ֥הbe.sim.Chahwith gladnessH8057
וּבְשִׁרִ֖יםu.ve.shi.Rimand with songsH7892
בְּתֹ֥ףbe.Tofwith tambourineH8596
וּבְכִנּֽוֹר\׃u.ve.khi.Norand with harpH3658

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

Cross references for Genesis 31:27

  • Exodus 15:20

    And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.

  • Genesis 31:3-5

    And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee. And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock, And said unto them, I see your father’s countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.

  • Proverbs 26:23-26

    Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross. He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart. Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.

  • Job 21:11-14

    They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance. They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ. They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave. Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

  • Genesis 31:20-21

    And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled. So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.

  • Genesis 4:21

    And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.

  • Genesis 24:59-60

    And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his men. And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.

  • Judges 6:27

    Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the Lord had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father’s household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.

  • Genesis 31:31

    And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Wherefore.
3-5,20,21,31; Jud 6:27
steal away from me. Heb. hast stolen me.
20; *marg:
that I.
Pr 26:23-26
with mirth.
24:59,60; Job 21:11-14
tabret.
Ex 15:20

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

Context

  • 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?

  • Genesis 31:28

    And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.

Read all of Genesis 31

Genesis 31:27 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¿Por qué te escondiste para huir, y me hurtaste, y no me diste noticia, para que yo te enviara con alegría y con cantares, con tamborín y vihuela?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Pourquoi t’es-tu enfui en cachette, et t’es-tu dérobé d’avec moi, et ne m’as-tu pas averti? Et je t’aurais renvoyé avec joie, et avec des chants, avec le tambourin et avec la harpe.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Warum bist du heimlich geflohen und hast mich hintergangen und hast es mir nicht kundgetan, -ich hätte dich ja begleitet mit Freude und mit Gesängen, mit Tamburin und mit Laute, -
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		cur ignorante me fugere voluisti, nec indicare mihi, ut prosequerer te cum gaudio, et canticis, et tympanis, et citharis?