Genesis 31:20

Study note

Setting — The narrator describes Jacob’s secret departure at the moment Laban leaves to shear sheep. The account marks the transition from Jacob’s long residence in Paddan-aram to his flight toward Gilead.

The words — וַ/יִּגְנֹ֣ב (va/yig.ṇōḇ) literally means “and he stole,” here describing Jacob’s concealment of his plans. לֵ֥ב (lēḇ) means “heart,” forming the idiom “stole the heart of Laban” to denote secret deception.

The thread — The concealment of departure is paired with Rachel’s theft of the household idols in Genesis 31:19. The immediate physical result appears in Genesis 31:21 as Jacob crosses the Euphrates toward Gilead.

Why it lands — The text records that Jacob hid his departure rather than seeking Laban’s permission. The reader must observe how the narrative treats secrecy as a factual event before drawing moral conclusions about the act.

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.