Bible Strands
Genesis 31:4
So Jacob sent word and called Rachel and Leah to the field where his flocks were,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jacob acts immediately after the Lord commands him to return to his homeland. He summons his wives, Rachel and Leah, to the pasture field where his flocks graze.
The words — The verb וַיִּשְׁלַח (va-yishlach) literally means “he sent” or “he dispatched,” marking Jacob as the initiator. The verb וַיִּקְרָא (va-yiqra) translates as “he called” or “he summoned,” establishing his direct authority over his household.
The thread — This summons to a field for covenant-related discussion parallels Genesis 28:10-12 and 31:3, where patriarchs meet God or family in open pasture settings. The structural pattern of gathering kin before major transitions recurs in Genesis 12:1 and 28:1.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to note Jacob’s shift from passive recipient of divine instruction to active household administrator. It demands attention to how practical steps in family and economic life follow directly on revealed commands.
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
And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,