Genesis 30:27 But Laban replied, "If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you."

◄ Genesis 30:27 ►

New International Version
But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.”

New Living Translation
“Please listen to me,” Laban replied. “I have become wealthy, for the LORD has blessed me because of you.

English Standard Version
But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.

Berean Standard Bible
But Laban replied, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.”

King James Bible
And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake.

New King James Version
And Laban said to him, “Please stay, if I have found favor in your eyes, for I have learned by experience that the LORD has blessed me for your sake.”

New American Standard Bible
But Laban said to him, “If it pleases you at all, stay with me; I have determined by divination that the LORD has blessed me on your account.”

NASB 1995
But Laban said to him, “If now it pleases you, stay with me; I have divined that the LORD has blessed me on your account.”

NASB 1977
But Laban said to him, “If now it pleases you, stay with me; I have divined that the LORD has blessed me on your account.”

Legacy Standard Bible
But Laban said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, stay with me; I have interpreted an omen that Yahweh has blessed me on your account.”

Amplified Bible
But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, stay with me; for I have learned [from the omens in divination and by experience] that the LORD has blessed me because of you.”

Christian Standard Bible
But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor with you, stay. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, stay. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.”

American Standard Version
And Laban said unto him, If now I have found favor in thine eyes, tarry: for I have divined that Jehovah hath blessed me for thy sake.

English Revised Version
And Laban said unto him, If now I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have divined that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Laban replied, "Listen to me. I've learned from the signs I've seen that the LORD has blessed me because of you."

Good News Translation
Laban said to him, "Let me say this: I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.

International Standard Version
Then Laban responded, "If I've found favor in your sight, please stay with me, because I've learned through divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.

Majority Standard Bible
But Laban replied, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.”

NET Bible
But Laban said to him, "If I have found favor in your sight, please stay here, for I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me on account of you."

New Heart English Bible
Laban said to him, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, stay here, for I have learned by divination that God has blessed me for your sake."

Webster's Bible Translation
And Laban said to him, I pray thee, if I have found favor in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience, that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake.

World English Bible
Laban said to him, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, stay here, for I have divined that Yahweh has blessed me for your sake.”

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And Laban says to him, “Now if I have found grace in your eyes—I have observed diligently that YHWH blesses me for your sake.”

Young's Literal Translation
And Laban saith unto him, 'If, I pray thee, I have found grace in thine eyes -- I have observed diligently that Jehovah doth bless me for thy sake.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And Laban will say to him, If now I found grace in thine eyes, I prognosticated, and Jehovah will praise me because of thee.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
Laban said to him: Let me find favour in thy sight: I have learned by experience, that God hath blessed me for thy sake.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Laban said to him: “May I find grace in your sight. I have learned by experience that God has blessed me because of you.

New American Bible
Laban answered him: “If you will please! I have learned through divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.”

New Revised Standard Version
But Laban said to him, “If you will allow me to say so, I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you;

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And Laban said to Jacob, If I have found favor in your eyes, I have proven by experience that the LORD has blessed me for your sake.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Laban said to Yaquuv, “If I have found favor in your eyes, I have proven that LORD JEHOVAH blessed me because of you.”

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And Laban said unto him: 'If now I have found favour in thine eyes--I have observed the signs, and the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Laban said to him, If I have found grace in thy sight, I would augur well, for the Lord has blessed me at thy coming in.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Jacob Prospers
…26Give me my wives and children for whom I have served you, that I may go on my way. You know how hard I have worked for you.” 27But Laban replied, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.” 28And he added, “Name your wages, and I will pay them.”…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Genesis 39:3
When his master saw that the LORD was with him and made him prosper in all he did,

Genesis 26:24
and that night the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for the sake of My servant Abraham.”

Genesis 12:2-3
I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. / I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”

Genesis 24:35
“The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become rich. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, camels and donkeys.

Genesis 28:13-15
And there at the top the LORD was standing and saying, “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you now lie. / Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and east and north and south. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. / Look, I am with you, and I will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

Genesis 31:7-9
And although he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, God has not allowed him to harm me. / If he said, ‘The speckled will be your wages,’ then the whole flock bore speckled offspring. If he said, ‘The streaked will be your wages,’ then the whole flock bore streaked offspring. / Thus God has taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me.

Genesis 39:5
From the time that he put Joseph in charge of his household and all he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s household on account of him. The LORD’s blessing was on everything he owned, both in his house and in his field.

Exodus 23:25
So you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take away sickness from among you.

Deuteronomy 28:2-6
And all these blessings will come upon you and overtake you, if you will obey the voice of the LORD your God: / You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. / The fruit of your womb will be blessed, as well as the produce of your land and the offspring of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. ...

Numbers 24:9
He crouches, he lies down like a lion, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? Blessed are those who bless you and cursed are those who curse you.”

Psalm 1:3
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.

Psalm 128:1-2
A song of ascents. Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in His ways! / For when you eat the fruit of your labor, blessings and prosperity will be yours.

Proverbs 10:22
The blessing of the LORD enriches, and He adds no sorrow to it.

Isaiah 61:9
Their descendants will be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the LORD has blessed.

Malachi 3:10-12
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this,” says the LORD of Hosts. “See if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out for you blessing without measure. / I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your land, and the vine in your field will not fail to produce fruit,” says the LORD of Hosts. / “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight,” says the LORD of Hosts.

Treasury of Scripture

And Laban said to him, I pray you, if I have found favor in your eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD has blessed me for your sake.

favour.

Genesis 18:3
And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:

Genesis 33:15
And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me. And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my lord.

Genesis 34:11
And Shechem said unto her father and unto her brethren, Let me find grace in your eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I will give.

the Lord.

Genesis 30:30
For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the LORD hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?

Genesis 12:3
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Genesis 26:24
And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.

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Account Allow Bless Blessed Diligently Discovered Divination Divined Experience Eyes Favor Favour Found Good Grace Laban Observed Please Pleases Sake Signs Tarry

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Genesis 30

1. Rachel, in grief for her barrenness, gives Bilhah her maid unto Jacob.
5. Bilhah bears Dan and Naphtali.
9. Leah gives Zilpah her maid, who bears Gad and Asher.
14. Reuben finds mandrakes,
15. with which Leah buys her husband's company of Rachel.
17. Leah bears Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah.
22. Rachel bears Joseph.
25. Jacob desires to depart.
27. Laban detains him on a new agreement.
37. Jacob's policy, whereby he becomes rich.

Berean Study Bible

“But Laban replied”
The phrase introduces Laban's response to Jacob's desire to leave. Laban, Jacob's uncle and father-in-law, is a complex character often seen as self-serving. His reply indicates a negotiation, a common practice in ancient Near Eastern cultures where familial and business relationships were intertwined. The Hebrew root for "replied" (עָנָה, 'anah) suggests a response or answer, often in a dialogical context, highlighting the ongoing negotiation between Laban and Jacob.

“If I have found favor in your eyes”
This phrase is a customary expression of humility and respect in ancient Semitic cultures. The Hebrew word for "favor" (חֵן, chen) implies grace or kindness, often used in contexts where one seeks goodwill or approval. Laban's use of this phrase suggests a recognition of Jacob's value and an attempt to persuade him to stay, acknowledging the benefits Jacob's presence has brought.

“please stay”
Laban's plea for Jacob to remain is both personal and economic. The Hebrew word for "stay" (יָשַׁב, yashab) means to dwell or settle, indicating Laban's desire for a continued relationship and the prosperity it brings. This reflects the agrarian society's dependence on skilled labor and familial alliances for success and survival.

“I have learned by divination”
The mention of "divination" (נַחַשׁ, nachash) reveals Laban's reliance on pagan practices to discern the future or gain insight. This practice, common in the ancient Near East, contrasts with the biblical narrative's emphasis on direct communication with God. Laban's admission underscores his recognition of a supernatural element in Jacob's success, albeit through non-Israelite means.

“that the LORD has blessed me”
Here, Laban acknowledges the source of his prosperity as "the LORD" (יְהוָה, Yahweh), the covenant name of God. This acknowledgment is significant, as it shows Laban's awareness of the true God, despite his pagan practices. The Hebrew word for "blessed" (בָּרַךְ, barak) conveys a sense of divine favor and abundance, highlighting the impact of God's covenantal promises through Jacob.

“because of you”
Laban attributes his blessings directly to Jacob's presence, recognizing the patriarch's role as a conduit of God's favor. This phrase underscores the biblical theme of God's blessings extending to others through His chosen people. It reflects the Abrahamic covenant's promise that through Abraham's descendants, all nations would be blessed (Genesis 12:3), illustrating the broader impact of God's covenantal relationship with His people.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(27) I have learned by experience.--Heb., I have divined. The verb means, to speak between the teeth; to mutter magical formul?. Others wrongly suppose that it signifies "to divine by omens taken from serpents;" and some imagine that Laban had consulted his teraphim. Words of this sort lose, at a very early date, their special signification, and all that Laban means is--"I fancy," I conjecture." His answer is, however, most Oriental. It is courtly and complimentary, but utterly inconclusive. "If now I have found favour in thine eyes, I have a feeling that God hath blessed me for thy sake." It, of course, suggests that he would be glad if Jacob would remain with him. In Genesis 30:28 Laban comes to the point, but probably this was reached by many circuitous windings.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 27. - And Laban said unto him (having learnt by fourteen years' acquaintance with Jacob to know the value of a good shepherd), I pray thee, if I have found favor in thine eyes (the clause is elliptical, the A. V. rightly supplying), tarry: for (this word also is not in the original), I have learned by experience - literally, I have divined (נִחַשְֹׁתִּי, from נָחַשׁ, to hiss as a serpent, hence to augur); not necessarily by means of serpents (Gesenius, Wordsworth, 'Speaker's Commentary'), or even by consulting his gods (Delitzsch, Kalisch), but perhaps by close observation and minute inspection (Murphy, Bush). The LXX. render οἰωνισάμην; the Vulgate by experimento didici - that the Lord - Jehovah. Nominally a worshipper of the true God, Laban was in practice addicted to heathen superstitions (cf. Genesis 31:19, 32) - hath blessed me (with material prosperity) for thy sake.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

But Laban
לָבָ֔ן (lā·ḇān)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3837: Laban -- father-in-law of Jacob

replied,
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“If
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

I have found
מָצָ֥אתִי (mā·ṣā·ṯî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present

favor
חֵ֖ן (ḥên)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2580: Graciousness, subjective, objective

in your eyes,
בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ (bə·‘ê·ne·ḵā)
Preposition-b | Noun - cdc | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

please stay.
נָ֛א (nā)
Interjection
Strong's 4994: I pray', 'now', 'then'

I have learned by divination
נִחַ֕שְׁתִּי (ni·ḥaš·tî)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 5172: To hiss, whisper a, spell, to prognosticate

that the LORD
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

has blessed
וַיְבָרֲכֵ֥נִי (way·ḇā·ră·ḵê·nî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular
Strong's 1288: To kneel, to bless God, man, to curse

me because of you.”
בִּגְלָלֶֽךָ׃ (biḡ·lā·le·ḵā)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1558: A circumstance, on account of

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OT Law: Genesis 30:27 Laban said to him If now (Gen. Ge Gn)