Genesis 30:26 kjv

Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee.

Genesis 30:26 nkjv

Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go; for you know my service which I have done for you."

Genesis 30:26 niv

Give me my wives and children, for whom I have served you, and I will be on my way. You know how much work I've done for you."

Genesis 30:26 esv

Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, that I may go, for you know the service that I have given you."

Genesis 30:26 nlt

Let me take my wives and children, for I have earned them by serving you, and let me be on my way. You certainly know how hard I have worked for you."

Genesis 30 verses

Genesis 30 26 Meaning

Genesis chapter 30 verse 26 captures Jacob's urgent appeal to Laban, asserting his right to depart with his family whom he acquired through 14 years of dedicated service. It represents a turning point where Jacob, having built a significant family and served his due time, claims what is rightfully his—his wives and children—and expresses his strong desire to return to his ancestral land, emphasizing Laban's undeniable knowledge of Jacob's faithfulness and arduous labor.

Genesis 30 26 Context

Genesis chapter 30 recounts Jacob's family life and his increasing prosperity through childbearing and flock management. Following years of striving between Leah and Rachel for children, and the births through their handmaidens Bilhah and Zilpah, Jacob has now accumulated eleven sons (before Joseph) and his daughter Dinah. This period marks Jacob completing the initial fourteen years of service for Laban for his two wives. His request in Gen 30:26 serves as a significant turning point, signifying Jacob's assertion of independence and desire to fulfill the divine mandate to return to Canaan (Gen 28:15). Historically and culturally, it reflects a time when wives were acquired through bride-price or labor service, and children were considered the patrimony of the husband and essential for lineage. Jacob's claim to his "wives and children" is a declaration of ownership based on his fulfilled contractual obligations, in preparation for the journey home, back to the land God promised his fathers and to him.

Genesis 30 26 Word Analysis

• "Give me" (תְּנָ֤ה - tĕnâ): A direct imperative, demonstrating Jacob's clear and resolute demand. It's a statement of entitlement based on fulfilled obligation, not a humble plea.
• "my wives" (נָשַׁי֙ - nashay): Plural, indicating Rachel and Leah, whom he acquired through service. The possessive pronoun signifies his legal right over them, having completed his bride-service (Gen 29:18-30). This reflects the societal custom where wives became part of the husband's household upon completion of the marital agreement.
• "and my children" (וִילָדַי֙ - viladay): Plural, refers to all his offspring (ten sons and one daughter Dinah at this point, before Joseph's birth). They are his biological legacy and his rightful inheritance. The term signifies children collectively, emphasizing his expanding family as the seed of the promised nation.
• "for whom" (אֲשֶׁר֙ - asher): A relative pronoun, connecting the wives and children directly to the reason for his demand: his arduous service.
• "I have served you" (עֲבַדְתִּ֧יךָ - avadtikha): From the root עָבַד ('avad), meaning "to work, serve, labor." This verb stresses the diligent and arduous nature of his service. It refers to the specific 14 years for Rachel and Leah (Gen 29:18, 29:27, 29:30). It underscores his moral and legal justification for demanding their release.
• "that I may go" (וְאֵלֵכָ֖ה - ve'elekah): Literally, "and I will go." Expresses his intent and strong desire to depart. This departure is not merely geographical but spiritual, returning to the sphere of God's direct covenant fulfillment.
• "for you know" (כִּי־אַתָּ֤ה יָדַ֙עְתָּ֙ - ki-atah yada'ta): A powerful rhetorical statement. Jacob appeals to Laban's inherent knowledge and conscience. "You know" implies Laban cannot deny the truth of Jacob's claims; it highlights Laban's self-awareness of Jacob's faithfulness (and implicitly, Laban's own manipulation).
• "my service" (אֶת־הָעֲבֹדָה֙ - et-ha'avodah): This is a noun derived from the same root as "served," reinforcing the concept of "the labor" or "the work" he performed. It's not just a general service, but a specific, demanding one.
• "which I have rendered you" (אֲשֶׁר־עֲבַדְתִּֽיךָ - asher-avadtikha): This repetition of "served you" emphasizes the comprehensive and faithful nature of Jacob's labor. It acts as a closing argument, making Laban's continued resistance seem unjustifiable. It signifies that Jacob had completely fulfilled his contractual obligations.

Word-Group Analysis:

• "Give me my wives and my children": This phrase asserts Jacob's family as the outcome and just reward of his labor. It's not a request for a favor, but a demand for what he earned through the social and contractual norms of the time. This group highlights Jacob's burgeoning family, central to God's promise of nationhood through him.
• "for whom I have served you, that I may go": This phrase establishes the contractual basis for his departure. His family is tied to his completed service, which, in turn, permits his exit. The link between his labor, family, and freedom to depart is foundational. This also foreshadows God's promise to Jacob (Gen 28:15) that He would bring him back to the land.
• "for you know my service which I have rendered you": This serves as a potent moral and legal appeal. Jacob directly confronts Laban with his integrity and Laban's awareness of it. It’s an ethical challenge, highlighting Jacob’s righteousness in his dealings compared to Laban’s deceitfulness, setting the stage for the coming dispute over future wages. This shows Jacob is not leaving subtly but with a clear, direct justification based on Laban’s own knowledge of his value.

Genesis 30 26 Bonus Section

This verse implicitly reveals Jacob's growing maturity. For years, he allowed Laban to dictate terms, sometimes to his disadvantage. Here, he takes a stand, articulating his rights and intentions. This assertiveness is key to his developing character and his role as the progenitor of the nation of Israel. It also foreshadows the Exodus narrative, where God's people, after years of serving under oppressive foreign rule, eventually "demand" their release to return to their promised land with their families and possessions. Jacob's faithful, even if imperfect, service to Laban serves as a divine preparation for him to manage and lead a large family, laying the foundation for the twelve tribes.

Genesis 30 26 Commentary

Genesis 30:26 marks a crucial juncture in Jacob's narrative, transitioning from passive endurance of Laban's deceptions to active assertion of his rights and divine calling. Jacob's direct appeal "Give me my wives and my children" is not a polite request but a forceful claim for his property, acquired through diligent, albeit protracted, labor. For fourteen years, he had fulfilled the terms of his marriage contracts, effectively "paying" for his family with his tireless service. His stated intent, "that I may go," aligns with God's earlier promise to return him to Canaan (Gen 28:15) and his natural desire to establish his own household independently.

The power of this verse lies in Jacob's ethical argument: "for you know my service which I have rendered you." This phrase places the moral burden squarely on Laban, appealing to a standard of integrity that Laban notoriously lacked. Jacob’s unwavering diligence, as later detailed in Gen 31:38-41, despite Laban’s changing wages and cunning, underscores his commitment to covenant and contract. This pivotal demand initiates the series of events that will lead to Jacob’s dramatic separation from Laban and his return to the Promised Land, facilitated not by cunning this time, but by God’s active intervention in the next phase of his journey. It’s a testament to the fact that faithful labor, even under oppressive circumstances, eventually yields its rightful fruit, with God overseeing the outcome for His purposes.