Genesis 31 · Verse 3

Genesis 31:3

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, King James Version

Genesis 31:3 in other translations

BSBThen the LORD said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”
WEBThe LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers, and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”
ASVAnd Jehovah said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.
YLTAnd Jehovah saith unto Jacob, ‘Turn back unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred, and I am with thee.'
DARBYAnd Jehovah said to Jacob, Return into the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.
BBEThen the Lord said to Jacob, Go back to the land of your fathers, and to your relations, and I will be with you.
WebsterAnd the LORD said to Jacob, Return to the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.

What does Genesis 31:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. the Lord said ... Return unto the land of thy fathers--Notwithstanding the ill usage he had received, Jacob might not have deemed himself at liberty to quit his present sphere, under the impulse of passionate fretfulness and discontent. Having been conducted to Haran by God (Ge 28:15) and having got a promise that the same heavenly Guardian would bring him again into the land of Canaan, he might have thought he ought not to leave it, without being clearly persuaded as to the path of duty. So ought we to set the Lord before us, and to acknowledge Him in all our ways, our journeys, our settlements, and plans in life.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return - and I will be with thee - I will take the same care of thee in thy return, as I took of thee on thy way to this place. The Targum reads, My Word shall be for thy help, see Gen 15:1. A promise of this kind was essentially necessary for the encouragement of Jacob, especially at this time; and no doubt it was a powerful means of support to him through the whole journey; and it was particularly so when he heard that his brother was coming to meet him, with four hundred men in his retinue, Gen 32:6. At that time he went and pleaded the very words of this promise with God, Gen 32:9.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 31:1-21

The affairs of these families are related very minutely, while (what are called) the great events of states and kingdoms at that period, are not mentioned. The Bible teaches people the common duties of life, how to serve God, how to enjoy the blessings he bestows, and to do good in the various stations and duties of life. Selfish men consider themselves robbed of all that goes past them, and covetousness will even…

Read the full comment on Genesis 31:1-21 →

Genesis 31:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
יְהוָה֙Yah.wehYahwehH3068
אֶֽל\־'el-toH413
יַעֲקֹ֔בya.'a.KoJacobH3290
שׁ֛וּבshuvreturnH7725
אֶל\־'el-toH413
אֶ֥רֶץ'E.retz[the] land ofH776
אֲבוֹתֶ֖יךָ'a.vo.Tei.khafathers yourH1
וּלְמוֹלַדְתֶּ֑ךָu.le.mo.lad.Te.khaand to kindred yourH4138
וְאֶֽהְיֶ֖הve.'eh.Yehso I may beH1961
עִמָּֽךְ\׃'i.Makhwith youH5973

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 31:3

  • Genesis 28:15

    And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

  • Hebrews 13:5

    Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

  • Genesis 32:9

    And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:

  • Genesis 31:13

    I am the God of Beth–el, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.

  • Psalms 50:15

    And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

  • Isaiah 41:10

    Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

  • Genesis 21:22

    And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:

  • Genesis 26:3-5

    Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

  • Genesis 35:1

    And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Beth–el, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.

  • Psalms 46:1

    To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

  • Genesis 13:15

    For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

  • Genesis 28:13

    And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Return.
28:15,20,21-29:15; 32:9; 35:1; 46:2,3; 50:24; Ps 46:1; 50:15; 90:15
land.
13,18; 13:15; 26:3-5; 28:4,13,15; 30:25
with thee.
21:22; 26:24; 28:15; 32:9; Isa 41:10; Heb 13:5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 31:2

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

  • Genesis 31:3

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

  • Genesis 31:4

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

Read all of Genesis 31

Genesis 31:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
También Jehová dijo á Jacob: Vuélvete á la tierra de tus padres, y á tu parentela; que yo seré contigo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et l’ Éternel dit à Jacob: Retourne au pays de tes pères et vers ta parenté, et je serai avec toi.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und Jehova sprach zu Jakob: Kehre zurück in das Land deiner Väter und zu deiner Verwandtschaft, und ich will mit dir sein.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
maxime dicente sibi Domino: Revertere in terram patrum tuorum, et ad generationem tuam, eroque tecum.