The Meaning of Genesis 31:28 Explained

Genesis 31:28

KJV: And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.

YLT: and hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? -- now thou hast acted foolishly in doing so;

Darby: and hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now thou hast acted foolishly.

ASV: and didst not suffer me to kiss my sons and my daughters? now hast thou done foolishly.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And hast not suffered  me to kiss  my sons  and my daughters?  thou hast now done foolishly  in [so] doing. 

What does Genesis 31:28 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 31:22-42 - The Dispute Between Laban And Jacob
These chapters afford a remarkable insight into God's forbearance. He knew what was in Jacob's heart, and could see all its weakness and deceit. There was not a thought in his heart or a word on his tongue, but He knew them altogether. Yet God cast the mantle of forgiveness and defense around this most unworthy soul, bidding Laban not to speak to him either good or bad. Indeed, in a later book, we are told, "He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath He seen perverseness in Israel." Not that the holy God was unaware of the evil traits in His child, but that He refused to dwell on them, or to allow himself to be turned away from His purposes of grace. Rachel secretly carried with her the teraphim, which wrought evil throughout the home in after-years, as we shall see. The "fear of Isaac" was on Jacob's lips, but too little of it in his character and surroundings! [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 31

1  Jacob, displeased with the envy of Laban and his sons, departs secretly
19  Rachel steals her father's household gods
22  Laban pursues after him, and complains of the wrong
34  Rachel's plan to hide the images
36  Jacob's complaint of Laban
43  The covenant of Laban and Jacob at Galeed

What do the individual words in Genesis 31:28 mean?

and not you did allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters now you have done foolishly in [so] doing
וְלֹ֣א נְטַשְׁתַּ֔נִי לְנַשֵּׁ֥ק לְבָנַ֖י ؟ וְלִבְנֹתָ֑י עַתָּ֖ה הִסְכַּ֥לְתָּֽ עֲשֽׂוֹ

וְלֹ֣א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
נְטַשְׁתַּ֔נִי  you  did  allow  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: נָטַשׁ  
Sense: to leave, permit, forsake, cast off or away, reject, suffer, join, spread out or abroad, be loosed, cease, abandon, quit, hang loose, cast down, make a raid, lie fallow, let fall, forgo, draw.
לְנַשֵּׁ֥ק  to  kiss 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: נָשַׁק 
Sense: to put together, kiss.
לְבָנַ֖י  my  sons 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
؟ וְלִבְנֹתָ֑י  and  my  daughters 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, feminine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: בַּת  
Sense: daughter.
עַתָּ֖ה  now 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
הִסְכַּ֥לְתָּֽ  you  have  done  foolishly 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: סָכַל  
Sense: to be foolish, be a fool.
עֲשֽׂוֹ  in  [so]  doing 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.