Genesis 31 11

Genesis 31:11 kjv

And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.

Genesis 31:11 nkjv

Then the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, 'Jacob.' And I said, 'Here I am.'

Genesis 31:11 niv

The angel of God said to me in the dream, 'Jacob.' I answered, 'Here I am.'

Genesis 31:11 esv

Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, 'Jacob,' and I said, 'Here I am!'

Genesis 31:11 nlt

Then in my dream, the angel of God said to me, 'Jacob!' And I replied, 'Yes, here I am.'

Genesis 31 verses

Genesis 31 11 meaning

This verse establishes the divine origin and immediate nature of the message Jacob received concerning his departure and prosperity from Laban. It recounts how "the Angel of God" communicated directly with Jacob "in a dream," a common means of divine revelation in the biblical narrative. The striking repetition of Jacob's name, "Jacob, Jacob," functions as an urgent, personal, and deeply significant call, designed to capture his full attention and emphasize the profound importance of the message that follows. It underscores that God was actively involved in Jacob's circumstances, acknowledging his plight and preparing him for pivotal instructions.

Genesis 31 11 Context

Genesis 31:11 is part of Jacob's extensive conversation with his wives, Rachel and Leah, as he recounts the divine sanction for their imminent departure from Laban. Preceding this, Jacob had endured twenty years of service under his uncle Laban, who had repeatedly cheated him by changing his wages ten times and manipulating their agreement regarding the flock. Jacob had resorted to strategic breeding methods to increase his wealth, which would later be divinely affirmed. The immediate context of this verse is Jacob's justification for leaving Laban's household, explaining that his wealth accumulation was not due to trickery or human cunning alone, but was directly orchestrated and commanded by God Himself. This divine intervention serves to vindicate Jacob's actions and underscore God's faithfulness to His covenant promises of blessing and protection amidst Laban's injustices.

Genesis 31 11 Word analysis

• And: (ו - Ve) A simple conjunction that smoothly connects this crucial divine communication to the ongoing narrative, marking the introduction of a pivotal event in Jacob's journey.

• the angel of God: (מַלְאַךְ הָאֱלֹהִים - Mal'akh ha'Elohim) "Mal'akh" signifies a "messenger" or "representative," referring to both human and divine emissaries. "Elohim" is a plural Hebrew term for God, conveying His power and majesty. In biblical narratives, "the Angel of the Lord" or "Angel of God" is frequently depicted as a distinct divine manifestation, often interpreted as a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ (a Christophany), particularly when the figure speaks with the authority of God Himself, as is the case in Gen 31:13. This figure serves as God's personal envoy, directly conveying His will to Jacob.

• spake unto me: (וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי - vayyomer elay) This phrase indicates a direct and personal form of divine communication. The verb "spake" (from amar, to say or speak) suggests an authoritative declaration, leaving no doubt about the source of the message and its specific recipient.

• in a dream: (בַּחֲלוֹם - bachalom) Dreams were a prominent and legitimate means through which God communicated with individuals in the ancient Near East and throughout the Old Testament. This particular medium elevates the message beyond human insight, imbuing it with supernatural validity and making it an undeniable divine command for Jacob. It marks the revelation as genuine and spiritually discerned, providing direct divine instruction.

• saying: (לֵאמֹר - lemor) This serves as an introductory word, signifying that the direct speech of the divine messenger is about to be presented. It transitions from the description of the communication event to its precise content.

• Jacob, Jacob: (יַעֲקֹב יַעֲקֹב - Ya'akov Ya'akov) This vocative repetition of Jacob's name is a common literary device in biblical Hebrew. It signals emphasis, urgency, solemnity, or profound importance. It indicates a moment of intense divine focus and intimate engagement, demanding Jacob's complete attention for the crucial instructions that follow. It signifies that God is deeply aware of Jacob's situation and is personally intervening.

• And the angel of God spake unto me: This entire phrase emphatically points to the divine authority and origin of the forthcoming message. It removes any ambiguity that Jacob's actions were merely based on his cunning or intuition, positioning them squarely under God's explicit guidance and command.

• in a dream, saying: This group specifies both the supernatural channel and the direct verbal nature of the communication. It highlights that the message was precisely delivered and understood, not vaguely interpreted, thus lending absolute certainty to the divine instruction that followed concerning Jacob's flocks and his departure.

• Jacob, Jacob: This powerful doubled invocation acts as a direct divine summons, capturing Jacob's full spiritual and physical attention. It transforms the moment into one of profound significance and personal encounter, underscoring the deep care and purposeful intention of God toward His chosen servant, reinforcing the covenant relationship.

Genesis 31 11 Bonus section

• The "Angel of God" in this verse, who in the subsequent verses (Gen 31:12-13) identifies Himself as "the God of Bethel," strongly suggests a theophany or Christophany, indicating that God Himself, or His pre-incarnate Son, was the speaker. This underscores the highest level of divine authority backing Jacob's actions.
• The use of dreams as a mode of revelation allowed God to bypass external obstacles and reach Jacob's innermost being, imprinting the message with undeniable divine weight. It authenticated Jacob's subsequent actions in the eyes of his wives, Rachel and Leah, to whom he was recounting this dream.
• The specific instruction Jacob receives immediately following this call pertains to the patterned, speckled, and grisled rams (Gen 31:12). This direct divine guidance about animal breeding might appear unusual to a modern reader but would have profoundly validated Jacob's unusual and successful animal husbandry techniques that baffled Laban, showing they were not mere cleverness but divine providence.

Genesis 31 11 Commentary

Genesis 31:11 serves as the divine affirmation of Jacob's calling and impending departure from Laban. Through the medium of a dream, "the Angel of God"—a figure often understood as a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ—directly addressed Jacob. The powerful and insistent repetition of Jacob's name, "Jacob, Jacob," signifies not merely a call, but an urgent, solemn, and deeply personal summons from the Most High. This intimate address sets the tone for a crucial divine intervention, validating Jacob's strategy regarding the flocks (Gen 30) and providing him with explicit authorization and direction to leave Laban's service. The verse underlines God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant promises of blessing and protection, assuring Jacob that his prosperity and freedom were not results of human manipulation alone but were divinely ordained steps towards fulfilling God's greater plan. It demonstrates God's providential care for His chosen ones, even amidst deceitful and unjust circumstances.