Genesis 31:3

3 Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”

Genesis 31:3 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
3 And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.
English Standard Version (ESV)
3 Then the LORD said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you."
New Living Translation (NLT)
3 Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your father and grandfather and to your relatives there, and I will be with you.”
The Message Bible (MSG)
3 That's when God said to Jacob, "Go back home where you were born. I'll go with you."
American Standard Version (ASV)
3 And Jehovah said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
3 Then the LORD said to Jacob, "Go back to the land of your ancestors and to your relatives, and I will be with you."
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
3 Then the Lord said to him, "Go back to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you."
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
3 Then the LORD spoke to Jacob. He said, "Go back to your father's land and to your relatives. I will be with you."

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.


FOOTNOTES:

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

Genesis 31:3 In-Context

1 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, “Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.”
2 And Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude toward him was not what it had been.
3 Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”
4 So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Leah to come out to the fields where his flocks were.
5 He said to them, “I see that your father’s attitude toward me is not what it was before, but the God of my father has been with me.

Cross References 2

  • 1. ver 13; Genesis 32:9; Deuteronomy 30:3; Isaiah 10:21; Isaiah 35:10; Jeremiah 30:3; Jeremiah 42:12
  • 2. S Genesis 21:22; S Genesis 26:3; Genesis 28:15
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