The Meaning of Genesis 31:10 Explained

Genesis 31:10

KJV: And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.

YLT: And it cometh to pass at the time of the flock conceiving, that I lift up mine eyes and see in a dream, and lo, the he-goats, which are going up on the flock, are ring-streaked, speckled, and grisled;

Darby: And it came to pass at the time of the ardour of the flocks, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and behold, the rams that leaped upon the flocks were ringstraked, speckled, and spotted.

ASV: And it came to pass at the time that the flock conceive, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the he-goats which leaped upon the flock were ringstreaked, speckled, and grizzled.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it came to pass at the time  that the cattle  conceived,  that I lifted up  mine eyes,  and saw  in a dream,  and, behold, the rams  which leaped  upon the cattle  [were] ringstraked,  speckled,  and grisled. 

What does Genesis 31:10 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 31:1-21 - Jacob Leaves Laban
Jacob was a remarkable mixture. He had an eminently religious nature, and had intimate dealings with God. Note Genesis 31:3; Genesis 31:5; Genesis 31:7; Genesis 31:18. But he grossly misrepresented God's dealings with him when he gave his wives the reasons on which he proposed flight. Note Genesis 31:9; Genesis 31:13. So the flesh and spirit struggle for mastery within us all, and only as the grace of God enters our hearts can we come into the absolute supremacy of the spiritual and divine, Galatians 5:17. The secret departure was very undignified and unworthy of the heir of the promises. The command to return was of God, and what He commands He becomes responsible for. Besides, had not the Almighty promised to keep him in all places? See Genesis 28:15. When we are on God's plan, we may reckon on Him absolutely. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 31

1  Jacob, displeased with the envy of Laban and his sons, departs secretly
19  Rachel steals her father's household gods
22  Laban pursues after him, and complains of the wrong
34  Rachel's plan to hide the images
36  Jacob's complaint of Laban
43  The covenant of Laban and Jacob at Galeed

What do the individual words in Genesis 31:10 mean?

And it came to pass at the time conceived when the flocks that I lifted my eyes and saw in a dream and behold the rams which leaped upon the flocks [were] streaked speckled and spotted
וַיְהִ֗י בְּעֵת֙ יַחֵ֣ם הַצֹּ֔אן וָאֶשָּׂ֥א עֵינַ֛י וָאֵ֖רֶא בַּחֲל֑וֹם וְהִנֵּ֤ה הָֽעַתֻּדִים֙ הָעֹלִ֣ים עַל־ הַצֹּ֔אן עֲקֻדִּ֥ים נְקֻדִּ֖ים וּבְרֻדִּֽים

וַיְהִ֗י  And  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בְּעֵת֙  at  the  time 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, common singular
Root: עֵת  
Sense: time.
יַחֵ֣ם  conceived 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: יָחַם  
Sense: to be hot, conceive.
הַצֹּ֔אן  when  the  flocks 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
וָאֶשָּׂ֥א  that  I  lifted 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
עֵינַ֛י  my  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cdc, first person common singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
וָאֵ֖רֶא  and  saw 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
בַּחֲל֑וֹם  in  a  dream 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲלֹום  
Sense: dream.
וְהִנֵּ֤ה  and  behold 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
הָֽעַתֻּדִים֙  the  rams 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: עַתּוּד  
Sense: ram, he-goat, chief one.
הָעֹלִ֣ים  which  leaped 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
עַל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הַצֹּ֔אן  the  flocks 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
עֲקֻדִּ֥ים  [were]  streaked 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: עָקֹד  
Sense: streaked, striped.
נְקֻדִּ֖ים  speckled 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: נָקֹד  
Sense: speckled, marked with points.
וּבְרֻדִּֽים  and  spotted 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: בָּרֹד  
Sense: spotted, marked.