Genesis 31:15 kjv

Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.

Genesis 31:15 nkjv

Are we not considered strangers by him? For he has sold us, and also completely consumed our money.

Genesis 31:15 niv

Does he not regard us as foreigners? Not only has he sold us, but he has used up what was paid for us.

Genesis 31:15 esv

Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and he has indeed devoured our money.

Genesis 31:15 nlt

He has reduced our rights to those of foreign women. And after he sold us, he wasted the money you paid him for us.

Genesis 31 verses

Genesis 31 15 Meaning

Rachel and Leah express a profound sense of abandonment and exploitation by their father, Laban. They assert that he has treated them as "strangers" or foreign commodities rather than as daughters, essentially selling them and consuming their rightful "dowry" or marital earnings, leaving them nothing. Their declaration underscores their unified resolve with Jacob against Laban's injustice.

Genesis 31 15 Context

Genesis 31:15 occurs at a pivotal moment when Jacob prepares to depart from Laban, his father-in-law. After twenty years of service (fourteen for his wives and six for his flock), Jacob has accumulated significant wealth through divine favor, despite Laban's repeated attempts to change his wages and exploit him (Gen 31:7). God has recently instructed Jacob to return to Canaan (Gen 31:3). In verses 4-13, Jacob recounts Laban's injustices and God's intervention to his wives, Rachel and Leah. This verse, Gen 31:15, is their joint and impassioned response, showing their full support for Jacob's decision to leave. Their deep-seated grievances against their father—who had continually manipulated and exploited their marriages for his own financial gain—reveal why they readily agree to abandon their paternal household. Culturally, a "dowry" or "bride-price" (mohar) was usually paid by the groom to the bride's family, often meant to benefit the bride directly or indirectly. Laban had evidently appropriated this for himself, treating his daughters not as kin but as commodities, echoing the deeper cultural theme of patriarchal power dynamics and economic transactions.

Genesis 31 15 Word analysis

• "Are we not accounted" (הֲלוֹא נֶחְשַׁבְנוּ - ha'lo neḥšavnu):
  • ha'lo: Rhetorical question ("Is it not true...?"). It expects an obvious "yes" and emphasizes the sisters' conviction and the profound injustice.
  • neḥšavnu: (from חָשַׁב - hashav): "we have been reckoned," "we have been considered." It denotes a formal categorization or assessment of their value. The implication is they are categorized unjustly.
• "of him" (לוֹ - lo):
  • A dative preposition "to him" or "for him." It precisely points to Laban as the agent of this unjust reckoning.
• "strangers" (נָכְרִיּוֹת - nokhriyot):
  • Feminine plural of נָכְרִי (nokhrī), meaning "foreigner," "alien," "outsider." This is a powerful accusation from daughters to a father. In ANE society, family kinship provided primary protection and identity. To be treated as a stranger by one's own father was to be stripped of familial rights, care, and inheritance. This violates the implicit familial bonds and the commands of the Law regarding care for strangers.
• "for" (כִּי - ki):
  • A conjunction introducing the reason or justification for their being accounted as strangers.
• "he hath sold us" (מְכָרָנוּ - m'kharanu):
  • From מָכַר (makhar), "to sell." This implies that Laban treated them as mere property for transaction, not as cherished daughters. While a bride-price was customary, the phrase "sold us" implies he retained the full benefit, essentially liquidating their value and severing their claim to family wealth or protection that would come with their marriage. This challenges the concept of mohar as a benefit for the bride.
• "and hath quite devoured also" (וַיֹּאכַל גַּם אָכַל - vayyo'khal gam akhal):
  • An emphatic construction, literally "and he ate, yes, he ate" or "and he even utterly ate/devoured."
  • akhal (אָכַל): "to eat," "consume." Used metaphorically, it indicates complete appropriation and dissipation of their funds without anything left for them. It underscores Laban's greed and the total loss experienced by his daughters.
• "our money" (כַּסְפֵּנוּ - kaspenu):
  • Literally "our silver." This refers to the mohar (מֹהַר), or bride-price/dowry, paid by Jacob for his wives' hand in marriage, specifically for his twenty years of service. This money or wealth was typically intended as a form of security for the bride, often managed by her husband, or as part of her inheritance. Laban's appropriation of this for himself, rather than for his daughters' welfare, was an act of profound economic injustice against them.

Words-group analysis:

• "Are we not accounted of him strangers?": This rhetorical question highlights the central grievance. They are not accusing him of making them strangers physically but of treating them as if they have no filial rights or relationship, severing kinship ties emotionally and legally by his actions.
• "for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money": This phrase details the two primary abuses. The "selling" indicates their commodification, while the "devouring of our money" highlights the financial exploitation and total appropriation of their value, leaving them without any marital or inherited security. These actions demonstrate Laban's systematic self-enrichment at the expense of his own daughters.

Genesis 31 15 Bonus section

• The Power of Women's Voices: It's significant in a patriarchal society that Rachel and Leah articulate their grievances so forcefully and with such clarity. Their unanimous agreement and moral indignation confirm Jacob's testimony and validate his decision to leave Laban. Their agency is evident, making them active participants in the unfolding narrative, not mere passive objects.
• Economic Injustice: The verse profoundly critiques economic exploitation, especially within family relationships. Laban's actions highlight how material gain can corrupt even the closest bonds, transforming human relationships into transactional opportunities. This runs contrary to biblical principles of equitable treatment and care for family.
• Theological Implication: The Lord had promised to be with Jacob and bring him back (Gen 28:15; 31:3). Laban's unjust actions, while stemming from his sin, are divinely permitted and ultimately contribute to God's purpose, pushing Jacob and his growing family away from Mesopotamia and back toward the Promised Land, free from Laban's manipulating influence. God can even use human exploitation to further His sovereign plans.

Genesis 31 15 Commentary

Genesis 31:15 captures the indignant voices of Rachel and Leah, revealing their deep-seated betrayal by their own father, Laban. They align completely with Jacob, not just because he is their husband, but because they share his fundamental grievances against Laban's oppressive nature. Their statement acts as a powerful confirmation of Laban's exploitative character, substantiating Jacob's prior accusations (Gen 31:6-7). By stating that Laban "sold" them and "devoured" their money (their rightful bride-price), they expose his pervasive greed, which superseded filial affection and patriarchal duty. This economic injustice stripped them of any independent financial security that a mohar usually provided for a woman in ancient society. Their lament underscores the complete breakdown of their paternal relationship, leaving them feeling as though they were disposable, alienated outsiders within their own family. This betrayal serves as a strong catalyst for their full support of Jacob's exodus, empowering them to sever ties with their dishonest lineage and look solely towards the new family God is building through Jacob. It also foreshadows God's judgment on Laban, ensuring Jacob and his family are not sent away empty.