23
He tookוַיִּקַּחhis brothersאֶת אֶחָיוwith himעִמּוֹand pursuedוַיִּרְדֹּףhimאַחֲרָיוa journeyדֶּרֶךְof sevenשִׁבְעַתdays,יָמִיםand caught upוַיַּדְבֵּקwith himאֹתוֹin the hill countryבְּהַרof Gilead.הַגִּלְעָד
Genesis 31:23
Study it in the app“He took his brothers with him and pursued him a journey of seven days, and caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 31:23, word by word
- He tookיִּקַּחyikach
fetch
To take someone along, or go and fetch something.
Where else “yikach” appears- his brothersאֶחָיechay
relative
A close relative of the same family, like a nephew.
Where else “echay” appears- and pursuedיִּרְדֹּףyirdof
pursue
To go after someone to catch them.
Where else “yirdof” appears- a journeyדֶּרֶךְderech
journey
The stretch one covers going from place to place, and how long it takes.
Where else “derech” appears- of sevenשִׁבְעַתshivat
seven
Seven, the number of fullness; also "seven times".
Where else “shivat” appears- daysיָמִיםyamim
day
The day, the hours of light, or a whole day.
Where else “yamim” appears- and caught upיַּדְבֵּקyadbek
overtake
To pursue someone closely, right behind, until catching up.
Where else “yadbek” appears- in the hill countryהַרhar
hill country
A whole region of high ground, like that of Ephraim or Judah.
Where else “har” appears- of Gileadגִּלְעָדgilad
Gilead
See it on the mapWhere else “gilad” appears
Places in this verse
Gilead
Today: northern Jordan, east of the Jordan River
A hill region east of the Jordan River, in present-day Jordan.
Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh settled there (Num 32:1, 33). Jephthah was from Gilead (Judg 11:1). Jeremiah spoke of its balm (Jer 8:22).
The context
22It was told to Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled.
23 · This verse (above)
24But Elohim came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night and said to him, “Be careful not to speak with Jacob either good or bad.”
To study Genesis 31 in a group
1. What it says
Why did Jacob leave Laban’s house, and what did Elohim say to Laban in a dream (vv. 3, 24)?
2. What it means
What does the heap of stones mean as a witness between Jacob and Laban (vv. 44-50)?
3. How I live it
How can you close a conflict with someone in a clear and peaceful way?