Kejadian 31:3

31:3 The Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers ¹  and to your relatives. I will be with you.” ² 

Kejadian 31:13

31:13 I am the God of Bethel, ³  where you anointed ⁴  the sacred stone and made a vow to me. ⁵  Now leave this land immediately ⁶  and return to your native land.’”

[31:3]  ¹ tn Or perhaps “ancestors” (so NRSV), although the only “ancestors” Jacob had there were his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac.

[31:3]  ² sn I will be with you. Though Laban was no longer “with him,” the Lord promised to be.

[31:13]  ³ map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[31:13]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ 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.