The Meaning of Genesis 31:21 Explained

Genesis 31:21

KJV: So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.

YLT: and he fleeth, he and all that he hath, and riseth, and passeth over the River, and setteth his face toward the mount of Gilead.

Darby: And he fled with all that he had; and he rose up and passed over the river, and set his face toward mount Gilead.

ASV: So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the River, and set his face toward the mountain of Gilead.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

So he fled  with all that he had; and he rose up,  and passed over  the river,  and set  his face  [toward] the mount  Gilead. 

What does Genesis 31:21 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 31:21 mean?

So fled he and with all that he had and He arose and crossed - the river and set his face [toward] the hill country of Gilead
וַיִּבְרַ֥ח הוּא֙ וְכָל־ אֲשֶׁר־ ל֔וֹ וַיָּ֖קָם וַיַּעֲבֹ֣ר אֶת־ הַנָּהָ֑ר וַיָּ֥שֶׂם פָּנָ֖יו הַ֥ר הַגִּלְעָֽד

וַיִּבְרַ֥ח  So  fled 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּרַח 
Sense: to go through, flee, run away, chase, drive away, put to flight, reach, shoot (extend), hurry away.
וְכָל־  and  with  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
אֲשֶׁר־  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
ל֔וֹ  he  had 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
וַיָּ֖קָם  and  He  arose 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
וַיַּעֲבֹ֣ר  and  crossed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַנָּהָ֑ר  the  river 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָהָר  
Sense: stream, river.
וַיָּ֥שֶׂם  and  set 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
פָּנָ֖יו  his  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
הַ֥ר  [toward]  the  hill  country 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
הַגִּלְעָֽד  of  Gilead 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: גִּלְעָד  
Sense: a mountainous region bounded on the west by the Jordan, on the north by Bashan, on the east by the Arabian plateau, and on the south by Moab and Ammon; sometimes called ‘Mount Gilead’ or the ‘land of Gilead’ or just ‘Gilead’.