Genesis 31:15

KJV

Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.

KJV (with Strong's)

Are we not counted {H2803} of him strangers {H5237}? for he hath sold {H4376} us, and hath quite {H398} devoured {H398} also our money {H3701}.

Complete Jewish Bible

and he considers us foreigners, since he has sold us; moreover, he has consumed everything he received in exchange for us.

Berean Standard Bible

Are we not regarded by him as outsiders? Not only has he sold us, but he has certainly squandered what was paid for us.

American Standard Version

Are we not accounted by him as foreigners? for he hath sold us, and hath also quite devoured our money.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Genesis 31:15 records the poignant declaration of Rachel and Leah, Jacob's wives, expressing their profound alienation and resentment towards their father, Laban. They assert that Laban has treated them as strangers, effectively "sold" them by appropriating Jacob's wages which should have constituted their inheritance, and thus "devoured" their rightful money. This statement not only validates Jacob's decision to depart from Laban's household but also underscores the deep familial injustice and exploitation they endured, solidifying their allegiance to Jacob.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is a pivotal moment in the narrative of Jacob's departure from Laban. It immediately follows Jacob's revelation to Rachel and Leah of God's command for him to return to the land of his fathers ([Genesis 31:3](/genesis/31-3 "God's Command to Jacob to Return Home")). Their response in [Genesis 31:14-16](/genesis/31-14-16 "Rachel and Leah's Response to Jacob") is crucial, as it provides the moral and familial justification for Jacob's secret departure from Laban, ensuring that his wives are fully on board with the plan. Their words echo Jacob's own grievances against Laban's deceit and exploitation, establishing a united front against their manipulative father.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In the ancient Near East, a daughter's marriage typically involved a *mohar* (dowry payment) from the groom to the bride's family, compensating them for the loss of her labor and signifying the family's investment in her. While the *mohar* was paid to the father, it often served as a foundation for the daughter's financial security or inheritance within her new household. Laban, however, manipulated Jacob's service, effectively appropriating the value of two dowries (fourteen years of labor) without providing his daughters any portion or inheritance from their paternal household, a stark violation of customary expectations and familial duty. This context highlights Laban's extreme greed and his treatment of his daughters as mere commodities.
* **Key Themes:** [Genesis 31](/genesis/31 "Genesis 31 - Jacob's Departure from Laban") is rich with themes of divine providence amidst human deceit, the struggle for family legacy, and the consequences of exploitation. Rachel and Leah's lament contributes directly to the theme of **Laban's exploitation**, illustrating his character through the eyes of his own daughters. It also underscores the theme of **shifting loyalties**, as the wives definitively align with Jacob against their biological father. Furthermore, their statement implicitly supports the theme of **God's faithfulness** in protecting Jacob and his family, even orchestrating their return to the promised land by turning Laban's injustice into a catalyst for their departure, as seen in [Genesis 31:42](/genesis/31-42 "God's Protection of Jacob from Laban").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **counted (Hebrew, _châshab'_):** From H2803, meaning to compute, reckon, regard, or value. Here, it conveys the idea of being considered or esteemed. Rachel and Leah declare that Laban has *reckoned* them as strangers, implying a deliberate devaluation of their status from beloved daughters to mere outsiders or even property.
* **sold (Hebrew, _mâkar'_):** From H4376, meaning to sell, literally (as merchandise, a daughter in marriage, into slavery), or figuratively (to surrender). This word forcefully expresses their feeling of being treated as commodities. Laban's appropriation of Jacob's wages, which should have been their dowry or inheritance, is tantamount to selling them without providing them the customary familial share or security.
* **devoured (Hebrew, _ʼâkal'_):** From H398, meaning to eat, consume, or burn up. This vivid verb metaphorically describes Laban's complete absorption and consumption of their rightful financial portion. It signifies not just taking, but utterly consuming and leaving nothing behind, highlighting his insatiable greed and leaving them without any provision from their paternal home.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Are we not counted of him strangers?"**: This rhetorical question expresses the deep emotional and relational breach between Rachel and Leah and their father, Laban. Despite being his biological daughters, Laban's actions—specifically his refusal to provide them with a dowry or inheritance from Jacob's wages—made them feel utterly alienated and disinherited, treated as if they had no familial claim or belonging.
* **"for he hath sold us,"**: This clause reveals the core of their grievance regarding their marital arrangements. In ancient Near Eastern culture, a dowry (mohar) was typically given by the groom to the bride's family, often intended to benefit the bride. Jacob served Laban for fourteen years for his wives ([Genesis 29:20](/genesis/29-20 "Jacob's first seven years for Rachel") and [Genesis 29:27](/genesis/29-27 "Jacob's second seven years for Leah")), effectively paying a significant price. By appropriating all of Jacob's earnings, Laban effectively "sold" his daughters without providing them any customary portion or security, treating them as mere assets for his own profit.
* **"and hath quite devoured also our money."**: This final clause emphasizes Laban's greed and the total deprivation experienced by his daughters. The "money" refers to Jacob's wages, which, by custom, should have included a portion for Rachel and Leah as their inheritance or provision. Laban's "devouring" of this money signifies his complete consumption of their rightful economic share, leaving them with nothing from their paternal household and underscoring his complete disregard for their well-being and future.

#### Literary Devices
The language of [Genesis 31:15](/genesis/31-15 "Genesis 31:15 - Rachel and Leah's Complaint") employs several powerful literary devices to convey the depth of Rachel and Leah's indignation. The opening **Rhetorical Question**, "Are we not counted of him strangers?", immediately draws the listener into their plight, highlighting the profound irony and injustice of their situation. Despite being Laban's own flesh and blood, his actions have rendered them outsiders. The phrase "he hath sold us" functions as a potent **Metaphor**, equating Laban's appropriation of Jacob's wages to a literal sale of his daughters, emphasizing their commodification and the violation of familial bonds. This is further intensified by the **Hyperbole** of "hath quite devoured also our money," which vividly portrays Laban's insatiable greed and the complete consumption of their rightful inheritance, leaving them utterly destitute from their paternal home. The use of such strong, evocative language underscores the profound betrayal and injustice they feel.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Rachel and Leah's lament in [Genesis 31:15](/genesis/31-15 "Genesis 31:15 - Rachel and Leah's Complaint") offers profound insights into the corrosive effects of greed, the violation of familial duty, and the divine response to injustice. Laban's actions represent a stark example of human exploitation, where personal gain supersedes all familial and ethical obligations. The sisters' declaration of being "counted as strangers" and "sold" highlights the tragic breakdown of kinship bonds when avarice takes root, treating individuals not as beloved family members but as economic assets. Their unified voice against Laban signals a crucial shift in loyalty, affirming the formation of a new, God-ordained family unit with Jacob, built on shared experience and mutual support. Ultimately, this episode, driven by Laban's injustice, becomes a catalyst for God's larger redemptive plan, enabling Jacob and his family to return to the promised land, demonstrating how divine providence can work through human sin and suffering to achieve righteous ends.

* [Deuteronomy 24:7](/deuteronomy/24-7 "Deuteronomy 24:7 - Prohibition against selling a person")
* [Proverbs 28:25](/proverbs/28-25 "Proverbs 28:25 - Greed stirs up strife")
* [Malachi 3:5](/malachi/3-5 "Malachi 3:5 - God's Judgment on Oppressors")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The poignant words of Rachel and Leah in [Genesis 31:15](/genesis/31-15 "Genesis 31:15 - Rachel and Leah's Complaint") resonate deeply, offering timeless lessons about the destructive power of greed and the importance of integrity within all relationships, especially familial ones. For us today, this narrative serves as a powerful reminder that true family is not merely defined by blood ties but by mutual respect, love, and equitable treatment. Laban's exploitation of his own daughters and son-in-law underscores how unchecked avarice can corrupt even the most fundamental human bonds, leading to profound alienation and injustice. As believers, we are called to embody fairness and generosity, reflecting the character of our Heavenly Father who champions the oppressed and provides for His children. This passage encourages us to be discerning, to stand in solidarity with those who are being exploited, and to trust that God, in His perfect timing and wisdom, will bring justice and restoration, just as He orchestrated Jacob's departure and protected him from Laban's schemes ([Genesis 31:42](/genesis/31-42 "God's Protection of Jacob from Laban")).

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How do Rachel and Leah's feelings of being "counted as strangers" challenge our understanding of family and belonging?**
* **In what ways might we, consciously or unconsciously, "devour" or withhold what is rightfully due to others, whether in family, work, or community?**
* **How does this passage encourage us to trust in God's providence even when facing exploitation or injustice from those closest to us?**

### FAQ
**Why do Rachel and Leah feel like strangers to Laban?**

Answer: Rachel and Leah feel like strangers because Laban, their father, treated them not as beloved daughters with inherent rights but as commodities to be leveraged for his own gain. He withheld their rightful inheritance and used their marriages to Jacob solely for his own financial benefit, alienating them from their paternal family and denying them the care and respect due to kin, effectively making them feel like outsiders in their own home.

**What does "he hath sold us" imply in this context?**

Answer: This phrase refers to the ancient Near Eastern custom of a dowry (*mohar*), typically paid by the groom to the bride's family. While not a literal sale into slavery, Rachel and Leah felt "sold" because Laban appropriated all of Jacob's fourteen years of labor, which constituted their dowry and should have been their portion or inheritance. He profited entirely from their marriages without providing them any familial share or security, treating them as mere objects of transaction rather than as daughters.

**What is the "money" that Laban "devoured"?**

Answer: The "money" refers to Jacob's wages, earned through his twenty years of service to Laban. According to custom, a portion of these earnings, particularly those related to the dowry for his wives, should have been allocated to Rachel and Leah as their inheritance or provision from their paternal household. Laban's actions of keeping all of Jacob's earnings demonstrated his extreme greed and his complete disregard for his daughters' economic security and familial rights, metaphorically "devouring" what was rightfully theirs.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The poignant lament of Rachel and Leah, feeling alienated and "sold" by their own father, finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the New Covenant. Humanity, estranged from God due to sin, was indeed counted as **_strangers and foreigners_** ([Ephesians 2:19](/ephesians/2-19 "Paul's teaching on Gentiles being fellow citizens with the saints")), without hope and without God in the world ([Ephesians 2:12](/ephesians/2-12 "Paul's teaching on humanity's former state")). Yet, Christ, through His sacrificial death, **_bought us with a price_** ([1 Corinthians 6:20](/1_corinthians/6-20 "Paul's teaching on being bought with a price")), not by exploiting us, but by offering Himself as the ultimate payment for our redemption. He did not "devour our money" but poured out His own life, granting us an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for us ([1 Peter 1:4](/1_peter/1-4 "Peter's teaching on an imperishable inheritance")). Through Him, we are no longer alienated but are brought near to God, adopted into His family as beloved sons and daughters ([Galatians 4:5-7](/galatians/4-5-7 "Paul's teaching on adoption as sons")), receiving a spiritual inheritance far greater than any earthly portion, and experiencing perfect justice and unwavering love from our Heavenly Father.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Genesis 29:15

¶ And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou [art] my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what [shall] thy wages [be]?

Genesis 29:20

And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him [but] a few days, for the love he had to her.

Genesis 29:27

Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.

Genesis 29:30

And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

Nehemiah 5:8

And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing [to answer].

Exodus 21:7

And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do.

Exodus 21:11

And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money.