Genesis 31:3

3 And the LORD said unto Jacob, "Return unto the land of thy fathers and to thy kindred, and I will be with thee."

Genesis 31:3 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 31:3

And the Lord said unto Jacob
In answer to a prayer of his; or seeing what difficulties and discouragements Jacob laboured under, he appeared unto him for his encouragement and instruction how to proceed: return unto the land of thy fathers;
the land of Canaan, given to Abraham and Isaac by promise: and to thy kindred:
his father and mother, and brother, who all dwelt in the land of Canaan at this time, or as many as were living: or "to thy nativity" ^F23, the place where he was born, and to which he must have a natural desire to return: and I will be with thee;
to protect him from any injury that might be attempted to be done unto him, either by Laban or Esau.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 (Ktdlwml) "ad natale solum", Tigurine version; "ad nativitatem tuam", Vatablus, Drusius.

Genesis 31:3 In-Context

1 And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, "Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's; and from that which was our father's hath he gotten all this glory."

2 And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and behold, it was not toward him as before.

3 And the LORD said unto Jacob, "Return unto the land of thy fathers and to thy kindred, and I will be with thee."

4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,

5 and said unto them, "I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.