Genesis 31:20

Genesis 31:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.
• New International Version (NIV)Moreover, Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him he was running away.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean, by not telling him that he intended to flee.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And Jacob stole away, unknown to Laban the Syrian, in that he did not tell him that he intended to flee.

Context of Genesis 31:20

18He put together all his animals and everything that he had received in Paddan Aram. He took them with him to go to the land of Canaan. He left to go back to his father Isaac. 19Before they left, Laban had gone to cut the wool from his sheep. While he was away from the house, Rachel took the idols that Laban worshipped in his house. Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean. He did not tell Laban that he was going away. 21Jacob went away quickly and he took all his things. He went across the Euphrates river. He went towards the hill country of Gilead. 22After three days, someone told Laban that Jacob had gone away.

Genesis 31:20 word by word

וַיִּגְנֹ֣ב יַעֲקֹ֔ב אֶת־לֵ֥ב לָבָ֖ן הָאֲרַמִּ֑י עַל־בְּלִי֙ הִגִּ֣יד ל֔וֹ כִּ֥י בֹרֵ֖חַ הֽוּא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
• stole awayגָּנַבgânab · to stealH1589
• unawaresלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• to Labanלָבָןlâbân · LabanH3837
• the Syrianאֲרַמִּי'ărammîy · ArameanH761
• in thatעַל‛al · uponH5921
• he toldנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
• him notבְּלִיbelîy · withoutH1097
• that he fledבָּרַחbârach · to fleeH1272

Cross-references for Genesis 31:20

• Genesis 31:27Why did you go away secretly? Yes, you have deceived me. You should have told me that you were leaving. Then I would have prepared a big meal. We would have been happy together, with songs and music.

Commentaries on Genesis 31:20

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-55Verses 1-55 - Jacob‘s Flight from Haran 19. תרפים terāpı̂ym Teraphim. This word occurs fifteen times in the Old Testament. It appears three times in this chapter, and nowhere else in the Pentateuch. It is always in the plural number. The root does not appear in Biblical Hebrew. It perhaps means “to live well,” intransitively (Gesenius, Roedig.), “to nourish,” transitively (Furst). The teraphim were symbols or representatives of the Deity, as Laban calls…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-20Rachel stole her father’s household idols: She might have wanted to recover some of the wealth Laban wasted. She may have also worshiped idols (compare 35:2–4). Having the idols might have meant claiming the family inheritance, as later customs indicate. Laban seemed to feel insecure without them. Whatever her reasons, Rachel's theft nearly caused disaster for the family when Laban overtook them. A wordplay shows that Rachel and Jacob were very…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. Jacob stole away--The result showed the prudence and necessity of departing secretly; otherwise, Laban might have detained him by violence or artifice.Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 31:20

• Haran
• Laban

In the dictionaries

• Jacob
• Laban
• Jacob, Israel
• Agate
• Aram
• Carry
• Discern
• Fear
• Gather
• Inheritance

Commentaries on Genesis 31

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings