Genesis 31:17

17 So Jacob put his children and his wives on camels,

Genesis 31:17 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 31:17

Then Jacob rose up
And went with them to Laban's house, where his children were, as is plain from Rachel's theft, ( Genesis 31:19 ) : and set his sons and his wives upon camels;
which were his own, see ( Genesis 30:43 ) ; creatures fit for travelling; on these he set his wives, Rachel and Leah, and his concubine wives, Bilhah and Zilpah; for these went with him, as appears from ( Genesis 33:6 ) ( 35:22 ) ; and "his sons", or rather "his children": for they were not all sons, there was one daughter, and they were all young; his eldest son Reuben could not be much more than twelve years of age, and his youngest son Joseph about six.

Genesis 31:17 In-Context

15 He has treated us like strangers. He sold us to you, and then he spent all of the money you paid for us.

16 God took all this wealth from our father, and now it belongs to us and our children. So do whatever God has told you to do."

17 So Jacob put his children and his wives on camels,

18 and they began their journey back to Isaac, his father, in the land of Canaan. All the flocks of animals that Jacob owned walked ahead of them. He carried everything with him that he had gotten while he lived in Northwest Mesopotamia.

19 While Laban was gone to cut the wool from his sheep, Rachel stole the idols that belonged to him.