Lexical Summary moneh: Number, count Original Word: מֹנֶה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance time From manah; properly, something weighed out, i.e. (figuratively) a portion of time, i.e. An instance -- time. see HEBREW manah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom manah Definition a counted number, time NASB Translation times (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs [מֹנֶה] noun [masculine] counted number, time; — only הֶחֱלִיף ֗֗֗ עֲשֶׂרֶת מֹנִים Genesis 31:7,41 changed ten times.. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Nuance מֹנֶה conveys the idea of a definite count or enumeration. In context it functions as “time” in the sense of “an instance that can be tallied.” The word therefore highlights the precision and certainty of the action it describes: each occasion is clearly marked and remembered. Scriptural Occurrences In both appearances the term is embedded in Jacob’s complaint to Laban: • Genesis 31:7 – “your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God has not allowed him to harm me.” The repetition underscores a sustained pattern of exploitation rather than a single lapse. Historical Setting Jacob served Laban in the pastoral economy of northern Mesopotamia, where wages were normally paid in portions of the flock’s increase. By repeatedly altering the agreed-upon terms, Laban violated the customary honor code that safeguarded shepherds from arbitrary treatment. Jacob’s record of each “time” signals meticulous bookkeeping in a culture where verbal agreements carried legal weight. Theological Significance 1. Divine Oversight of Justice Though Jacob was wronged “ten times,” the narrative foregrounds God’s protection: “God has not allowed him to harm me” (Genesis 31:7). The counted offenses magnify the faithfulness of the Lord, who balances every account even when human contracts are broken. 2. Completeness of Testing “Ten” often represents completion (Exodus 20; Numbers 14:22). Laban’s tenfold wage-changes form a complete cycle of trial through which Jacob’s character and faith are refined. 3. Memory and Accountability The counted instances become a testimony. Scripture models careful remembrance of wrongs, not for bitterness, but for honest testimony that vindicates the righteous (compare Nehemiah 5:15; James 5:4). Ministry and Discipleship Insights • Workplace Integrity: Employers are charged to honor clear agreements (Leviticus 19:13; Colossians 4:1). Employees, like Jacob, may petition God while maintaining diligence and integrity. Intertextual Reflections Job confronts friends who have “wronged me ten times” (Job 19:3), showing the idiom’s broader use for repeated offense. In the New Testament, Jesus’ call to forgive “seventy-seven times” (Matthew 18:22) overturns the cycle by urging limitless grace, while still acknowledging each offense as a real “count.” Summary מֹנֶה spotlights the counted occasions of Laban’s duplicity, framing Jacob’s experience as a measured test overseen by God. The word invites believers to trust divine justice, practice integrity, and, when wronged, keep truthful records that honor both God’s righteousness and the dignity of human labor. Forms and Transliterations מֹנִ֑ים מֹנִֽים׃ מנים מנים׃ mō·nîm moNim mōnîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 31:7 HEB: מַשְׂכֻּרְתִּ֖י עֲשֶׂ֣רֶת מֹנִ֑ים וְלֹֽא־ נְתָנ֣וֹ NAS: ten times; however, God KJV: ten times; but God INT: my wages ten times did not allow Genesis 31:41 2 Occurrences |
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