Genesis 31:55 · Bible study
Genesis 31:55 Commentary: Laban's Blessing Overcomes His Harm
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Study Genesis 31:55: Laban rises early, kisses and blesses his family despite earlier threats. Discover how God turns intended curses into blessings.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Laban departs in peace after blessing his family, showing God’s sovereignty over human conflict.
- Key words: “kissed” (affection, covenant), “blessed” (invocation of divine favour), “returned to his place” (end of Laban’s role).
- Main debate: Whether Laban’s blessing was sincere or merely a formality; nearly all commentators see at least a genuine cultural act overruled by God.
- Theological theme: God’s ability to turn curses into blessings; the remnant knowledge of God in the wicked.
- Best use: Sermon on God’s sovereignty or forgiveness; small group on conflict resolution; study of Jacob’s journey.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Early the next morning, Laban got up and kissed his grandchildren and daughters and blessed them. Then he left to return home.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Early in the morning, Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. Laban departed and returned to his place.
KJV King James Version 1769
And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and Laban riseth early in the morning, and kisseth his sons and his daughters, and blesseth them; and Laban goeth on, and turneth back to his place.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And Laban rose early in the morning, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them; and Laban went and returned to his place.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But Laban arose in the night, and kissed his sons and daughters, and blessed them: and returned to his place.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y levantóse Labán de mañana, y besó sus hijos y sus hijas, y los bendijo; y retrocedió y volvióse á su lugar.
E levantou-se Labão de manhã, beijou seus filhos e suas filhas, e os abençoou; e retrocedeu e voltou a seu lugar.
Laban se leva de bon matin, baisa ses fils et ses filles, et les bénit. Ensuite il partit pour retourner dans sa demeure.
[32:1] Des Morgens aber stand Laban früh auf, küßte seine Kinder und Töchter und segnete sie und zog hin und kam wieder an seinen Ort.
En Laban stond des morgens vroeg op, en kuste zijn zonen, en zijn dochteren, en zegende hen; en Laban trok heen, en keerde weder tot zijn plaats.
La mattina, Labano si levò di buon’ora, baciò i suoi figliuoli e le sue figliuole, e li benedisse. Poi Labano se ne andò, e tornò a casa sua.
Potem Laban wstawszy bardzo rano, pocałował syny swoje i córki swe, i błogosławił im; a odszedłszy, wrócił się Laban na miejsce swoje.
И встал Лаван рано утром и поцеловал внуков своих и дочерей своих, и благословил их. И пошел и возвратился Лаван в свое место.
拉班 清早 起來，與他外孫 和女兒 親嘴，給他們 祝福， 回 往自己的地方 去了。
And early in the morning Laban, after kissing and blessing his daughters, went on his way back to his country.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this closing verse marks a peaceful end to a tense confrontation. Adam Clarke observes that Laban came ‘having bound himself by a vow to God to do them some injury’ (see 31:29), yet he departed with a kiss and a blessing. ‘Thus God turned his intended curse into a blessing.’ Calvin notes the irony: Laban, ‘who had lapsed from true piety, and was a man of unholy and wicked manners, yet retained the habit of giving his blessing.’ This shows that principles of divine knowledge remain even in the wicked, so that they cannot escape acknowledging God as the source of all good. Cambridge Bible and Gill confirm that ‘sons and his daughters’ includes Jacob’s children (Laban’s grandsons and granddaughter Dinah) as well as Leah and Rachel. The kiss and blessing were customary acts of farewell. God’s sovereignty over human intentions is the central chord: what Laban meant for harm, God overruled for peace.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Laban blessed his family before departing; his earlier intent to harm Jacob was overruled by God, demonstrating divine sovereignty over human conflict.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of 'sons and daughters' | Commentators agree Laban kissed his daughters (Rachel, Leah) and his grandchildren (Jacob's children). | Some translations render the phrase directly as 'grandchildren and daughters' (BSB), but the Hebrew term spans both generations; no substantial disagreement. |
| Sincerity of Laban's blessing | Most see the blessing as a genuine act, at least in cultural form, consistent with his earlier complaint that he could not kiss them (31:28). | Clarke emphasises that God turned Laban's intended curse into a blessing, implying a change of heart. Calvin sees it as a leftover habit from fallen piety, not necessarily a personal conversion. |
| Spiritual state of Laban | All agree Laban is not part of the covenant line in the same way Jacob is; he retains some knowledge of God. | Reformed tradition (Calvin, Matthew Henry) sees the blessing as evidence of common grace and the ineradicable sense of God. Others may view it as empty ritual without saving faith. |
| God's sovereignty over evil intent | All affirm that God overruled Laban's plan to harm Jacob (31:29) and brought about a peaceful departure. | No debate on this point; it is the clear teaching of the passage. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Genesis 31:55 closes a cycle that began with Jacob’s flight from Laban (31:17, 21) and escalated into a pursuit marked by accusation and near-violence (31:22, 42). The night before this verse, the two men made a covenant at a heap of stones named Galeed and Mizpah, invoking God as a witness (31:44, 53). Jacob then offered a sacrifice and hosted a shared meal on the mountain (31:54). In the ancient Near East, such a covenant meal sealed a binding agreement; eating together signified peace and mutual obligation.
Laban’s farewell ritual, rising early, kissing, and blessing, reflects customary family leave-taking. In 31:28 he had complained to Jacob, ‘You didn’t allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters.’ Now that offering is freely given. The phrase ‘sons and his daughters’ (WEB) is inclusive: Jacob’s eleven sons (all but Benjamin were born by now) and his daughter Dinah, plus Rachel and Leah. Laban calls these grandchildren his ‘sons and daughters,’ a typical Semitic usage that extends family terms to the second generation.
‘Returned to his place’ uses the same formula as Genesis 18:33, where Abraham returned to his place after communing with God, and Numbers 24:25. It marks the end of Laban’s role in the story. He fades into the background, returning to Haran. Jacob now moves toward Esau, and the next verse (32:1) opens with angels meeting him. The departure is not just geographical; it is theological. God, who warned Laban in a dream (31:24), has turned a would-be enemy into a man who blesses before leaving.
Textual Notes
Reception History
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God overrules human intentions. Laban set out to harm Jacob (31:29), but the chapter ends with a kiss and a blessing. God’s power does not depend on human willingness; He turns the intended curse into a blessing.
- The ineradicable knowledge of God. As Calvin notes, even the wicked retain principles of divine knowledge. Laban blesses because he still knows, however dimly, that God alone is the source of good. This leaves no excuse for ignorance, but also shows God’s grace at work in unexpected places.
- The power of a parting blessing. This act seals the covenant and allows Jacob to move forward in peace. A blessing given at the end of a conflict can be more powerful than words spoken in anger.
Five-point outline
- Early morning ritual: Laban rises early, showing urgency to complete the farewell.
- Inclusive family: The kiss covers grandchildren and daughters, extending grace to the whole household.
- The act of blessing: Despite prior hostility, Laban invokes divine favour. The blessing is not a treaty clause; it is a personal, relational act.
- The return home: Laban disappears from the narrative after this verse. His departure leaves Jacob ready for the next chapter.
- The sovereignty of God: Every detail shows that God worked through flawed, conflicted people to accomplish His purpose for Jacob.
Illustration hooks
- A workplace scenario: a supervisor who fought your every promotion finally writes you a letter of recommendation when you leave.
- A family estrangement: at a tense goodbye after years of conflict, the older relative offers a genuine blessing before you walk away.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does Laban’s blessing mean he was saved, or is it just a cultural habit?
- How can God use someone who intended harm to be a channel of blessing?
- How should I respond when someone who has wronged me offers a blessing, do I receive it?
Leading a Discussion
This quiet verse closes a tense chapter. Laban, who pursued Jacob with intent to harm, instead kisses and blesses his family. What changed? How does this shape our understanding of God’s work through flawed people? As you discuss, remember that the gospel often comes through messy, human channels.
Discussion questions
- What does Laban do in this verse, and how does it contrast with his earlier words and actions in the chapter? (See 31:26, 30, 31:43.)
- Why do you think Laban blessed his family after all that happened? What motives might he have had?
- In 31:24, God warned Laban in a dream. How does that warning connect to the blessing here? What does it say about God’s invisible work?
- Calvin says the wicked retain ‘principles of divine knowledge.’ Where else in Scripture do we see people who do not follow God but still bless or pray in His name?
- How does this story help us when we face conflict with someone who seems to hold power over us? Where is God in that conflict?
- If you have ever received an unexpected blessing from an opponent, how did you respond? How does this verse encourage you to bless others even after hurt?
- What does Laban’s return ‘to his place’ (Gen 18:33) teach us about endings? How do we know when a conflict is truly over?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 18:33 | Yahweh went his way as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place. |
| Genesis 24:60 | They blessed Rebekah, and said to her, “Our sister, may you be the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let your offspring possess the gate of those who hate them.” |
| Genesis 28:1 | Isaac called Jacob, blessed him, and commanded him, “You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. |
| Genesis 30:25 | When Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own place, and to my country. |
| Genesis 31:28 | and didn’t allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now you have done foolishly. |
| Genesis 31:43 | Laban answered Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine! What can I do today to these my daughters, or to their children whom they have borne? |
| Genesis 33:4 | Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, fell on his neck, kissed him, and they wept. |
| Numbers 23:5 | Yahweh put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights how God overruled Laban's earlier vow to harm Jacob, turning his intended curse into a heartfelt blessing on Jacob's children. He then sharply condemns covetousness as a vice that destroys love for God and others, warning that money-lovers are on the broad road to destruction.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin notes that Laban, though a man of unholy and wicked manners who had lapsed from true piety, still kept the habit of giving his blessing. This shows that even the wicked retain some principles of divine knowledge, leaving them without excuse for ignorance, since they are compelled to acknowledge that all good comes from God alone.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator clarifies that "sons and daughters" here includes grandchildren along with the two daughters, and "unto his place" refers specifically to his home in Haran.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Bible highlights the finality of Jacob’s departure through Laban’s morning ritual of kissing his children and blessing them before leaving for his own home. This act underscores a respectful, if strained, parting where familial ties are acknowledged even as the household divides permanently. The note emphasizes that Laban returns to his place, marking the end of their shared life together.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that this departure marks Laban's final appearance in the biblical narrative. After kissing and blessing his family and returning to Haran, Laban is never again recorded as acting in his own life; only his name is mentioned once later by Jacob.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange interprets Rachel’s theft of the teraphim as an act of strategic cunning rather than religious reform, suggesting she took them to prevent Laban from using them as oracles during his pursuit. He views this deception as fitting for Laban’s daughter and notes that Jacob initially tolerated such household idols before stricter Mosaic laws later rooted them out from Israel.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry notes that Laban and Jacob gave the covenant memorial different names—one in Syriac, one in Hebrew—yet both words mean the same thing, showing that even when cultures and languages differ, God’s witness binds both parties. He also points out that Mizpah is not a watchtower but a solemn appeal to God to watch over absent loved ones when no human eye can.