Question 1

What does Genesis 31:15 mean?

Accepted Answer

Genesis 31:15 shows Rachel and Leah asking if they are not treated like foreigners by their father Laban, since he has sold them and used up the money that should have been theirs. They are expressing that Laban has not valued them as daughters, but more like outsiders whose rights have been ignored. Rachel and Leah are speaking to Jacob about their father Laban’s actions. In the story, Jacob wants to leave Laban’s household, and the sisters agree because they feel mistreated. The verse highlights how Laban treated his daughters more like property to be traded than family, using up whatever benefit he received from marrying them off.

Question 2

The Hebrew behind Genesis 31:15

Accepted Answer

counted (חָשַׁב, chashav): This word means to be regarded or considered. Rachel and Leah are saying Laban does not even think of them as his own daughters anymore. strangers (נָכְרִי, nokhri): This word refers to foreigners or outsiders. The sisters feel alienated and unprotected in their own family. sold (מָכַר, makar): This word means to sell, often used for selling goods or even people. Rachel and Leah accuse Laban of treating them like something to be sold for profit. devoured (אָכַל, akhal): This word means to eat or consume. Here, it is used figuratively to say Laban has completely used up their "money" or dowry, leaving them with nothing. money (כֶּסֶף, keseph): This word means silver or money. It refers to the wealth or dowry that should have belonged to Rachel and Leah, but which Laban has spent.

Question 3

Why Genesis 31:15 matters

Accepted Answer

Genesis 31:15 clears up that Rachel and Leah fully support Jacob’s decision to leave Laban, showing their sense of injustice and loss. The verse reveals the strained family relationships and the lack of care Laban showed toward his own daughters, which helps explain their willingness to leave with Jacob. This verse connects to the wider passage by showing that the decision to leave was not just Jacob’s idea; Rachel and Leah also felt wronged and were ready to break ties with their father.

Genesis 31:15 (KJV)