Bible Strands
Genesis 31:17
Then Jacob got up and put his children and his wives on camels,
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Jacob acts immediately after Rachel and Leah declare that God has transferred their father’s wealth to them. He initiates the family’s departure from Paddan-aram toward the land of Canaan.
The words — וַ/יָּ֖קָם (va/i.Ya.kom) translates literally as "and he arose," and וַ/יִּשָּׂ֛א (va/i.yi.Sa') means "and he lifted up." These verbs record Jacob physically standing and placing his children and wives onto camels.
The thread — The movement of family members on camels parallels the migration accounts in Genesis 24:10 and Genesis 24:61. The narrative continues in Genesis 31:18 as Jacob drives his livestock to reunite with his father Isaac.
Why it lands — The verse documents a concrete logistical action without moral commentary or theological explanation. It requires the reader to track the physical execution of the family’s decision to claim their inheritance and leave Laban.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;
Cross-references
- Genesis 24:10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all manner of good things from his master in hand. And he set out for Nahor’s hometown in Aram-naharaim.
- Genesis 24:61 Then Rebekah and her servant girls got ready, mounted the camels, and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.
- 1 Samuel 30:17 And David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day. Not a man escaped, except four hundred young men who fled, riding off on camels.