Genesis 31:12
in Genesis 31‘Look up,’ he said, ‘and see that all the males that are mating with the flock are streaked, spotted, or speckled; for I have seen all that Laban has done to you.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see: all the he-goats which leap upon the flock are ringstreaked, speckled, and grizzled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.
KJV
And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.
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This verse in Genesis 31
Commentary
5 notes on this verseGrisled - ברדים beruddim; ברד barad signifies hail, and the meaning must be, they had white spots on them similar to hail. Our word grisled comes from the old French, gresl, hail, now written gràle; hence greslé, grisled, spotted with white upon a dark ground.
This site's exposition
I saw in a dream
on Genesis 31:10-12
Chapter 30 told this from the outside, with peeled branches in the troughs and no word from God. Here a dream shows him the flock already marked. The angel of God spoke to him in it and named what Laban had done to him. Calvin reads the increase as God's work and the branches as Jacob's own device.
This site's exposition
I have seen all that Laban has done
Look up is the Hebrew lift up your eyes, spoken to Abram at Genesis 13:14 when God showed him the land. God's seeing of Laban's dealings uses the verb Leah used at 29:32, when the LORD saw her affliction. Reuben's name is built on that verb.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
We learn from this that whenever we bear people's wrongdoing meekly and mildly, we enjoy help from on high in a richer and more abundant measure. Accordingly, far from resisting those bent on abusing us, let us bear it nobly in the knowledge that the Lord of all will not forget us, provided we ourselves give evidence of our good will. "Vengeance is mine," Scripture says, remember, "I will repay, says the Lord." Hence Jacob also said, "God did not allow him to do me harm." I mean, since he actually intended to deprive me of payment for my work, he is saying, the Lord gave evidence of his care for us in such marvelous abundance as to transfer all his substance to us. He has shown such care for us, aware that I performed his service with good grace, whereas Laban was not kindly disposed to me. For proof that I do not idly say this or with any intention of accusing him without rhyme or reason, I even have God as my witness to what has been done to me by your father. "I have observed all that Laban has been doing to you," God says, remember—not only that he has deprived you of your wage but as well, instead of being disposed toward you as he was previously, he has a completely distorted attitude.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And he said, lift up now thine eyes, and see,....
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Jacob related to his wives all that G-d’s angel had told him in the dream, all this serving to persuade them to go with him. However, what he told did not consist of one dream. The statement, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the he-goats.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֗אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| שָׂא־ | sa'- | lift up | H5375 → | 656 times |
| נָ֨א | na' | please | H4994 → | 404 times |
| עֵינֶ֤יךָ | ʾeineikha | eyes your | H5869 → | 887 times |
| וּרְאֵה֙ | ureeh | and see | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָֽעַתֻּדִים֙ | haatudim | the male goats | H6260 → | |
| הָעֹלִ֣ים | haolim | which are going up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הַצֹּ֔אן | hatzon | the flock | H6629 → | 274 times |
| עֲקֻדִּ֥ים | ʾakudim | [are] striped | H6124 → | 7 times |
| נְקֻדִּ֖ים | nekudim | speckled | H5348 → | 9 times |
| וּבְרֻדִּ֑ים | uverudim | and mottled | H1261 → | |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| רָאִ֔יתִי | raiti | I have seen | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| אֵ֛ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לָבָ֖ן | lavan | Laban | H3837 → | 55 times |
| עֹ֥שֶׂה | ʾoseh | [is] doing | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לָּֽךְ׃ | lakh | to <the> you |
וַיֹּ֗אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
שָׂא־lift up
sa'-H5375 →656 times
נָ֨אplease
na'H4994 →404 times
עֵינֶ֤יךָeyes your
ʾeineikhaH5869 →887 times
וּרְאֵה֙and see
ureehH7200 →1300 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הָֽעַתֻּדִים֙the male goats
haatudimH6260 →
הָעֹלִ֣יםwhich are going up
haolimH5927 →890 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הַצֹּ֔אןthe flock
hatzonH6629 →274 times
עֲקֻדִּ֥ים[are] striped
ʾakudimH6124 →7 times
נְקֻדִּ֖יםspeckled
nekudimH5348 →9 times
וּבְרֻדִּ֑יםand mottled
uverudimH1261 →
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
רָאִ֔יתִיI have seen
raitiH7200 →1300 times
אֵ֛ת<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
לָבָ֖ןLaban
lavanH3837 →55 times
עֹ֥שֶׂה[is] doing
ʾosehH6213 →2628 times
לָּֽךְ׃to <the> you
lakh
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 12:5“For the cause of the oppressed and for the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will bring safety to him who yearns.”
it leads to
- Psalms 34:6
This poor man called out, and the LORD heard him; He saved him from all his troubles.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- James 5:4
Look, the wages you withheld from the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 14:31
Whoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him.
- Psalms 146:7–8
He executes justice for the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free,
- Micah 7:8–9
Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will arise; though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.
- Psalms 34:6
Through
Exodus 3:7The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.
it leads to
- Psalms 145:19
He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them.
- Psalms 106:44
Nevertheless He heard their cry; He took note of their distress.
- Exodus 2:23–25
After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery, and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God.
- Psalms 145:19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Genesis
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on Genesis; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 57.13; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.