Genesis 31:7 Made Simple

KJV ORIGINAL

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

Close to the original. Clear modern English.

✦ MADE SIMPLE

Your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, but God didn't let him harm me.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

Jacob is telling his wives that despite their father Laban's repeated attempts to cheat him out of fair wages, God protected him from real harm.

📚 Historical Context

In the biblical narrative of Genesis, Jacob had fled from his brother Esau and went to live with his uncle Laban in Haran, where he worked as a shepherd in exchange for wages and the promise of marriage. Laban repeatedly changed Jacob's agreed-upon wages out of greed and deceit, attempting to undermine Jacob's prosperity despite their familial ties. This reflects the cultural dynamics of ancient Near Eastern societies, where family-based labor agreements were common but often fraught with betrayal and divine intervention.

Explore Similar Verses

Ezekiel 23:37

They've been completely unfaithful to me, and there's blood on their hands. They cheated on me with their fake gods, and then, this is the worst part, they sacrificed their own children in the fire to those same idols. The children I gave them.

Luke 15:21

The son looked at his dad and said, 'Dad, I messed up big time, against God and against you. I don't even deserve to be called your son anymore.'

John 8:41

You're acting just like your father. They shot back at him, 'We weren't born from some sketchy situation, we have one Father, and that's God.'

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