Genesis 31:41
New International Version
It was like this for the twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times.

New Living Translation
Yes, for twenty years I slaved in your house! I worked for fourteen years earning your two daughters, and then six more years for your flock. And you changed my wages ten times!

English Standard Version
These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.

Berean Standard Bible
Thus for twenty years I have served in your household—fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks—and you have changed my wages ten times!

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Thus I have been in your house twenty years; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.

New American Standard Bible
For these twenty years I have been in your house; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you changed my wages ten times.

NASB 1995
“These twenty years I have been in your house; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flock, and you changed my wages ten times.

NASB 1977
“These twenty years I have been in your house; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you changed my wages ten times.

Legacy Standard Bible
These twenty years I have been in your house; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flock, and you changed my wages ten times.

Amplified Bible
These twenty years I have been in your house; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for [my share of] your flocks, and you have changed my wages ten times.

Christian Standard Bible
For twenty years in your household I served you—fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks —and you have changed my wages ten times!

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For 20 years I have worked in your household—14 years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks—and you have changed my wages 10 times!

American Standard Version
These twenty years have I been in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy flock: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

Contemporary English Version
I had to work 14 of these 20 long years to earn your two daughters and another 6 years to buy your sheep and goats. During that time you kept changing my wages.

English Revised Version
These twenty years have I been in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy flock: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I've been with your household 20 years now. I worked for you 14 years for your two daughters and 6 years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times.

Good News Translation
It was like that for the whole twenty years I was with you. For fourteen years I worked to win your two daughters--and six years for your flocks. And even then, you changed my wages ten times.

International Standard Version
I've lived in your house these 20 years—serving fourteen years for your two daughters and another six years for your flocks. During all that time you changed my wages ten times.

Majority Standard Bible
Thus for twenty years I have served in your household—fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks—and you have changed my wages ten times!

NET Bible
This was my lot for twenty years in your house: I worked like a slave for you--fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, but you changed my wages ten times!

New Heart English Bible
These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
This [is] to me twenty years in your house: I have served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock; and you change my hire ten times;

Young's Literal Translation
This is to me twenty years in thy house: I have served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy flock; and thou changest my hire ten times;

Smith's Literal Translation
Here to me twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy sheep; and thou wilt change my hire ten portions.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And in this manner have I served thee in thy house twenty years, fourteen for thy daughters, and six for thy flocks: thou hast changed also my wages ten times.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And in this way, for twenty years, I have served you in your house: fourteen for your daughters, and six for your flocks. You have also changed my wages ten times.

New American Bible
Of the twenty years that I have now spent in your household, I served you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flock, while you changed my wages ten times.

New Revised Standard Version
These twenty years I have been in your house; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Behold, I have been twenty years in your house; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock; and you have changed my wages ten times.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Behold I had twenty years in your house. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks and you changed my pay ten times.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
These twenty years have I been in thy house: I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy flock; and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
These twenty years have I been in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years among thy sheep, and thou didst falsely rate my wages for ten lambs.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Laban Pursues Jacob
40As it was, the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes. 41Thus for twenty years I have served in your household— fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks— and you have changed my wages ten times! 42If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, surely by now you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, and last night He rendered judgment.”…

Cross References
Genesis 29:20
So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her.

Genesis 30:26-30
Give 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.” / 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.” / And he added, “Name your wages, and I will pay them.” ...

Genesis 31:7
And although he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, God has not allowed him to harm me.

Genesis 31:38-40
I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flock. / I did not bring you anything torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for what was stolen by day or night. / As it was, the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes.

Exodus 1:14
and made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar, and with all kinds of work in the fields. Every service they imposed was harsh.

Exodus 2:23
After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery, and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God.

Leviticus 25:43
You are not to rule over them harshly, but you shall fear your God.

Deuteronomy 24:14-15
Do not oppress a hired hand who is poor and needy, whether he is a brother or a foreigner residing in one of your towns. / You are to pay his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and depends on them. Otherwise he may cry out to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin.

Job 7:1-3
“Is not man consigned to labor on earth? Are not his days like those of a hired hand? / Like a slave he longs for shade; like a hireling he waits for his wages. / So I am allotted months of futility, and nights of misery are appointed to me.

Job 14:14
When a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, until my renewal comes.

Psalm 39:5-6
You, indeed, have made my days as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing before You. Truly each man at his best exists as but a breath. Selah / Surely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away.

Psalm 90:10
The length of our days is seventy years—or eighty if we are strong—yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

Jeremiah 22:13
“Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms without justice, who makes his countrymen serve without pay, and fails to pay their wages,

Malachi 3:5
“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. And I will be a swift witness against sorcerers and adulterers and perjurers, against oppressors of the widowed and fatherless, and against those who defraud laborers of their wages and deny justice to the foreigner but do not fear Me,” says the LORD of Hosts.

Matthew 20:1-16
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. / He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. / About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. ...


Treasury of Scripture

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

fourteen.

Genesis 31:38
This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.

Genesis 29:18-30
And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter…

Genesis 30:33-40
So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me…

ten times.

Genesis 31:7
And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.

Jump to Previous
Cattle Changed Changest Daughters Flock Flocks Fourteen Hire House Household Kept Payment Servant Served Six Ten Times Twenty Wages Worked
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Cattle Changed Changest Daughters Flock Flocks Fourteen Hire House Household Kept Payment Servant Served Six Ten Times Twenty Wages Worked
Genesis 31
1. Jacob, displeased with the envy of Laban and his sons, departs secretly.
19. Rachel steals her father's household gods.
22. Laban pursues after him, and complains of the wrong.
34. Rachel's plan to hide the images.
36. Jacob's complaint of Laban.
43. The covenant of Laban and Jacob at Galeed.














Thus for twenty years
The phrase "Thus for twenty years" marks a significant period in Jacob's life, emphasizing the long duration of his service. In Hebrew, the word for "twenty" is "עֶשְׂרִים" (esrim), which often symbolizes a complete cycle or a period of testing. Jacob's twenty years in Laban's household were indeed a time of trial and growth, reflecting the perseverance and endurance required to fulfill God's promises.

I have served
The Hebrew word for "served" is "עָבַד" (avad), which means to work or labor. This word is often used in the context of servitude or worship, indicating a sense of dedication and commitment. Jacob's service was not merely laborious but also an act of faithfulness, as he worked diligently under challenging circumstances, trusting in God's ultimate plan for his life.

in your household
The term "household" refers to the family and property of Laban. In ancient Near Eastern culture, a household was a central unit of society, encompassing family members, servants, and livestock. Jacob's integration into Laban's household signifies his role and responsibility within this extended family structure, highlighting the relational dynamics and obligations he navigated during his time there.

fourteen years for your two daughters
Jacob's fourteen years of service for Laban's daughters, Leah and Rachel, underscores the cultural practice of bride service, where a man worked for a prospective father-in-law to earn the right to marry his daughters. This period reflects Jacob's deep love and commitment to Rachel, as well as the complexities of his relationship with Leah, illustrating the personal sacrifices and challenges he faced in fulfilling his marital obligations.

and six years for your flocks
The additional six years Jacob spent tending Laban's flocks highlight his role as a shepherd and his expertise in animal husbandry. This work was crucial for the prosperity of Laban's household and demonstrates Jacob's skill and diligence. The Hebrew word for "flocks" is "צֹאן" (tson), which often symbolizes wealth and blessing in biblical texts, indicating the material success Jacob brought to Laban through his labor.

and you have changed my wages ten times!
The phrase "changed my wages ten times" reveals the ongoing deceit and manipulation Jacob experienced under Laban's authority. The number ten in Hebrew, "עֶשֶׂר" (eser), can signify completeness or fullness, suggesting the extent of Laban's unfair treatment. Despite these injustices, Jacob's faith in God's provision and justice remained steadfast, serving as a testament to his resilience and trust in divine faithfulness.

(41) Thus have I been . . . --Heb., This for me twenty years in thy house, but taken in connection with the preceding this, in Genesis 31:38, the meaning is "During the one twenty years that I was with thee, thy ewes, &c.," upon which follows "During the other twenty years that were for me in thy house, I served thee, &c." (See Note on Genesis 29:27, and Excursus on the Chronology of Jacob's Life.)



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Thus
זֶה־ (zeh-)
Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

for twenty
עֶשְׂרִ֣ים (‘eś·rîm)
Number - common plural
Strong's 6242: Twenty, twentieth

years
שָׁנָה֮ (šā·nāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8141: A year

I have served
עֲבַדְתִּ֜יךָ (‘ă·ḇaḏ·tî·ḵā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5647: To work, to serve, till, enslave

in your household—
בְּבֵיתֶךָ֒ (bə·ḇê·ṯe·ḵā)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1004: A house

fourteen
אַרְבַּֽע־ (’ar·ba‘-)
Number - feminine singular
Strong's 702: Four

years
שָׁנָה֙ (šā·nāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8141: A year

for your two
בִּשְׁתֵּ֣י (biš·tê)
Preposition-b | Number - fdc
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)

daughters
בְנֹתֶ֔יךָ (ḇə·nō·ṯe·ḵā)
Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1323: A daughter

and six
וְשֵׁ֥שׁ (wə·šêš)
Conjunctive waw | Number - feminine singular construct
Strong's 8337: Six (a cardinal number)

years
שָׁנִ֖ים (šā·nîm)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 8141: A year

for your flocks—
בְּצֹאנֶ֑ךָ (bə·ṣō·ne·ḵā)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6629: Small cattle, sheep and goats, flock

and you have changed
וַתַּחֲלֵ֥ף (wat·ta·ḥă·lêp̄)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 2498: To slide by, to hasten away, pass on, spring up, pierce, change

my wages
מַשְׂכֻּרְתִּ֖י (maś·kur·tî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 4909: Wages, a reward

ten
עֲשֶׂ֥רֶת (‘ă·śe·reṯ)
Number - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6235: Ten

times!
מֹנִֽים׃ (mō·nîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4489: Something weighed out, a portion of time, an instance


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OT Law: Genesis 31:41 These twenty years I have been (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 31:40
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