And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob has taken away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's has he gotten all this wealth.
All Commentaries on Genesis 31:1 Go To Genesis 31
John Chrysostom
AD 407
See how envy drove them to ingratitude, and not only them but also Laban himself. “Jacob saw Laban’s attitude to him,” the text goes on, remember, “and, lo, it was not as it had previously been.” You see, his sons’ words deranged his mind and made him forget what he had said some time before in conversation with Jacob, “God has blessed me in your coming.” After thanking the Lord for making his wealth increase through the arrival of the good man, he was now disturbed in mind under the influence of his sons and inflamed with envy, perhaps because he saw the good man’s fortunate circumstances, and so he was not prepared to behave toward him in the same way.
