Genesis 31:20
in Genesis 31Moreover, Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was running away.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.
KJV
And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.
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This verse in Genesis 31
Commentary
3 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean
on Genesis 31:20-21
The Hebrew has Jacob stealing Laban's heart, the same verb used of Rachel and the idols one verse before. The Berean renders it deceived. He left without telling Laban he was going. He crossed the Euphrates and made for the hill country of Gilead.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Jacob stole away--The result showed the prudence and necessity of departing secretly; otherwise, Laban might have detained him by violence or artifice. LABAN PURSUES JACOB--THEIR COVENANT AT GILEAD.
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּגְנֹ֣ב | vaiyigno | and he stole | H1589 → | 40 times |
| יַעֲקֹ֔ב | yaako | Jacob | H3290 → | 350 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| לֵ֥ב | lev | [the] heart of | H3820 → | 595 times |
| לָבָ֖ן | lavan | Laban | H3837 → | 55 times |
| הָאֲרַמִּ֑י | haarami | the Aramean | H761 → | 11 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| בְּלִי֙ | beli | not | H1097 → | |
| הִגִּ֣יד | higid | he told | H5046 → | 370 times |
| ל֔וֹ | lo | to <the> him | ||
| כִּ֥י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| בֹרֵ֖חַ | voreach | [was] fleeing | H1272 → | 63 times |
| הֽוּא׃ | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
וַיִּגְנֹ֣בand he stole
vaiyignoH1589 →40 times
יַעֲקֹ֔בJacob
yaakoH3290 →350 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
לֵ֥ב[the] heart of
levH3820 →595 times
לָבָ֖ןLaban
lavanH3837 →55 times
הָאֲרַמִּ֑יthe Aramean
haaramiH761 →11 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
בְּלִי֙not
beliH1097 →
הִגִּ֣ידhe told
higidH5046 →370 times
ל֔וֹto <the> him
lo
כִּ֥יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
בֹרֵ֖חַ[was] fleeing
voreachH1272 →63 times
הֽוּא׃he
hu'H1931 →1879 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).