Bible Strands
Genesis 31:28
But you did not even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. Now you have done a foolish thing.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Laban confronts Jacob after his secret departure, accusing him of fleeing without a proper farewell.
The words — The verb נְטַשְׁתַּנִי (netaštanî) means "you allowed [me]," negated by the preceding וְלֹא (ve./lo') "and not," while הִסְכַּלְתָּ (hiskalta) "you have behaved foolishly" directly charges Jacob's actions.
The thread — This farewell motif echoes in Genesis 31:55 where Laban later kisses his family, Ruth 1:14 with Orpah’s goodbye, and 1 Kings 19:20 where Elisha requests a similar parting.
Why it lands — The text records a broken familial protocol and a direct moral charge, requiring the reader to recognize how secret departures fracture trust and invite divine correction.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.
Cross-references
- Genesis 31:55 Early the next morning, Laban got up and kissed his grandchildren and daughters and blessed them. Then he left to return home.
- Ruth 1:14 Again they wept aloud, and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her.
- 1 Kings 19:20 So Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and then I will follow you.” “Go on back,” Elijah replied, “for what have I done to you?”
- Acts 20:37 They all wept openly as they embraced Paul and kissed him.
- Genesis 29:13 When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran out to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, where Jacob told him all that had happened.
- Genesis 31:3 Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”
- Genesis 31:13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and made a solemn vow to Me. Now get up, leave this land at once, and return to your native land.’”
- Genesis 31:24 But that night God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream and warned him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”
- Exodus 4:27 Meanwhile, the LORD had said to Aaron, “Go and meet Moses in the wilderness.” So he went and met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him.
- Ruth 1:9 May the LORD enable each of you to find rest in the home of your new husband.” And she kissed them as they wept aloud