Genesis 31:3-5

31:3 The Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers ¹  and to your relatives. I will be with you.” ²  31:4 So Jacob sent a message for Rachel and Leah ³  to come to the field ⁴  where his flocks were. ⁵  31:5 There he said to them, “I can tell that your father’s attitude toward me has changed, ⁶  but the God of my father has been with me.

[31:3]  ¹ tn Or perhaps “ancestors” (so NRSV), although the only “ancestors” Jacob had there were his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac.

[31:3]  ² sn I will be with you. Though Laban was no longer “with him,” the Lord promised to be.

[31:4]  ³ tn Heb “sent and called for Rachel and for Leah.” Jacob did not go in person, but probably sent a servant with a message for his wives to meet him in the field.

[31:4]  ⁴ tn Heb “the field.” The word is an adverbial accusative, indicating that this is where Jacob wanted them to meet him. The words “to come to” are supplied in the translation for clarification and stylistic reasons.

[31:4]  ⁵ tn Heb “to his flock.”

[31:5]  ⁵ tn Heb “I see the face of your father, that he is not toward me as formerly.”