Genesis 31 · Verse 40

Genesis 31:40

Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.
Genesis 31:40, King James Version

Genesis 31:40 in other translations

BSBAs it was, the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes.
WEBThis was my situation: in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from my eyes.
ASVThus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from mine eyes.
YLTI have been thus: in the day consumed me hath drought, and frost by night, and wander doth my sleep from mine eyes.
DARBYThus it was with me: in the day the heat consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from mine eyes.
BBEThis was my condition, wasted by heat in the day and by the bitter cold at night; and sleep went from my eyes.
WebsterThus I was; in the day the drouth consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from my eyes.

What does Genesis 31:40 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
40. in the day the drought ... and the frost by night--The temperature changes often in twenty-four hours from the greatest extremes of heat and cold, most trying to the shepherd who has to keep watch by his flocks. Much allowance must be made for Jacob. Great and long-continued provocations ruffle the mildest and most disciplined tempers. It is difficult to "be angry and sin not" [Ep 4:26]. But these two relatives, after having given utterance to their pent-up feelings, came at length to a mutual understanding, or rather, God influenced Laban to make reconciliation with his injured nephew (Pr 16:7).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 40 In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night - The being exposed to the heat by day, and frost by night, is made part of the heaviest punishment of Promethus by Aeschylus. Σταθευτος δ' ἡλιου φοιβῃ φλογι, Χροιας αμευψεις· ασμενῳ δε σοι Ἡ ποικιλεμων νυξ αποκρυψει φαος· Παχνην θ' ἑῳαν ἡλιος σκεδᾳ παλιν. Aeschyl. Prom. Vinc., v. 22. Opposed to the sun's most fervid beam, The hue of beauty changed; till parch'd by heat The night with spangled stole shall hide its light From thee rejoicing, but again the sun Chases the hoar frost from thy harass'd form - J. B. B. C.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 31:36-42

If Jacob were willingly consumed with heat in the day, and frost by night, to become the son-in-law of Laban, what should we refuse to endure, to become the sons of God? Jacob speaks of God as the God of his father; he thought himself unworthy to be regarded, but was beloved for his father's sake. He calls him the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac; for Abraham was dead, and gone to that world where perfect love…

Read the full comment on Genesis 31:36-42 →

Genesis 31:40 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.

הָיִ֧יתִיha.Yi.tiI wasH1961
בַיּ֛וֹםvai.Yomin the dayH3117
אֲכָלַ֥נִי'a.kha.La.niit consumed meH398
חֹ֖רֶבCho.revheatH2721
וְקֶ֣רַחve.Ke.rachand frostH7140
בַּלָּ֑יְלָהba.La.ye.lahin the nightH3915
וַתִּדַּ֥דva.ti.Dadand it fledH5074
שְׁנָתִ֖יshe.na.Tisleep myH8142
מֵֽעֵינָֽי\׃Me.'ei.Naifrom eyes myH5869

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

Cross references for Genesis 31:40

  • Psalms 78:70-71

    He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

  • Luke 2:8

    And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

  • Exodus 2:19-22

    And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock. And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread. And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.

  • John 21:15-17

    So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

  • Hebrews 13:7

    Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.

  • Hosea 12:12

    And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.

  • Exodus 3:1

    Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.

  • 1 Peter 5:2-4

    Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ex 2:19-22; 3:1; Ps 78:70,71; Ho 12:12; Lu 2:8; Joh 21:15-17
Heb 13:7; 1Pe 5:2-4

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

Context

  • Genesis 31:39

    That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.

  • Genesis 31:40

    Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.

  • Genesis 31:41

    Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

Read all of Genesis 31

Genesis 31:40 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		De día me consumía el calor, y de noche la helada, y el sueño se huía de mis ojos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		J’en étais là, que, de jour, la sécheresse me dévorait, et de nuit, la gelée; et mon sommeil fuyait mes yeux.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Es war mit mir also: des Tages verzehrte mich die Hitze und der Frost des Nachts, und mein Schlaf floh von meinen Augen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		die noctuque æstu urebar, et gelu, fugiebatque somnus ab oculis meis.