Kejadian 31:10-13

31:10 “Once ¹  during breeding season I saw ²  in a dream that the male goats mating with ³  the flock were streaked, speckled, and spotted. 31:11 In the dream the angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ ‘Here I am!’ I replied. 31:12 Then he said, ‘Observe ⁴  that all the male goats mating with ⁵  the flock are streaked, speckled, or spotted, for I have observed all that Laban has done to you. 31:13 I am the God of Bethel, ⁶  where you anointed ⁷  the sacred stone and made a vow to me. ⁸  Now leave this land immediately ⁹  and return to your native land.’”

Kejadian 31:24

31:24 But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and warned him, ¹⁰  “Be careful ¹¹  that you neither bless nor curse Jacob.” ¹² 

[31:10]  ¹ tn The sentence begins with the temporal indicator, “and it happened at the time of.”

[31:10]  ² tn Heb “in the time of the breeding of the flock I lifted up my eyes and I saw.”

[31:10]  ³ tn Heb “going up on,” that is, mounting for intercourse.

[31:12]  ⁴ tn Heb “lift up (now) your eyes and see.”

[31:12]  ⁵ tn Heb “going up on,” that is, mounting for intercourse.

[31:13]  ⁶ map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[31:13]  ⁷ sn You anointed the sacred stone. In Gen 28:18 the text simply reported that Jacob poured oil on top of the stone. Now that pouring is interpreted by the Lord as an anointing. Jacob had consecrated the place.

[31:13]  ⁸ sn And made a vow to me. The second clause reminds Jacob of the vow he made to the Lord when he anointed the stone (Gen 28:20-22). God is now going to take him back to the land, and so he will have to fulfill his vow.

[31:13]  ⁹ tn Heb “arise, leave!” The first imperative draws attention to the need for immediate action.

[31:13]  sn Leave this land immediately. The decision to leave was a wise one in view of the changed attitude in Laban and his sons. But more than that, it was the will of God. Jacob needed to respond to God’s call – the circumstances simply made it easier.

[31:24]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “said to him.”

[31:24]  ¹¹ tn Heb “watch yourself,” which is a warning to be on guard against doing something that is inappropriate.

[31:24]  ¹² tn Heb “lest you speak with Jacob from good to evil.” The precise meaning of the expression, which occurs only here and in v. 29, is uncertain. Since Laban proceeded to speak to Jacob at length, it cannot mean to maintain silence. Nor does it seem to be a prohibition against criticism (see vv. 26-30). Most likely it refers to a formal pronouncement, whether it be a blessing or a curse. Laban was to avoid saying anything to Jacob that would be intended to enhance him or to harm him.