The Meaning of Genesis 28:7 Explained

Genesis 28:7

KJV: And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padanaram;

YLT: that Jacob hearkeneth unto his father and unto his mother, and goeth to Padan-Aram --

Darby: and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padan-Aram.

ASV: And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Paddan-aram.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And that Jacob  obeyed  his father  and his mother,  and was gone  to Padanaram; 

What does Genesis 28:7 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 28:1-9 - Jacob Sent Away From Home
Esau deferred the execution of his murderous purpose, because of the near approach, as he supposed, of his father's death. But Isaac lived for forty years after this. His secret purpose, however, became known to Rebekah. See Proverbs 29:11. The ostensible reason for Jacob's expatriation which Rebekah gave her husband was not the real one. He was sent to Haran, not primarily for a wife, but to escape his brother. Does not this constant duplicity explain the reason of Rebekah's heart-weariness? It seems probable that she never saw her favorite son again. The benediction already pronounced on Jacob was repeated with greater amplitude and tenderness as he left his father's tent. Sad as he was in the inevitable wrench, the star of hope shone in the sky, beckoning him onward. It was necessary that he should be taken from under his mother's influence into that greater world, where, through pain and disappointment, he should become a prince with God. Often our nest is broken up that we may learn to fly. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 28

1  Isaac blesses Jacob, and sends him to Padan-aram
6  Esau marries Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael
10  Jacob journeys, and has a vision of a ladder
18  The stone of Bethel
20  Jacob's vow

What do the individual words in Genesis 28:7 mean?

that had obeyed Jacob - his father and his mother and had gone - to Padan Aram
וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע יַעֲקֹ֔ב אֶל־ אָבִ֖יו וְאֶל־ אִמּ֑וֹ וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ פַּדֶּ֥נָֽה אֲרָֽם

וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע  that  had  obeyed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
יַעֲקֹ֔ב  Jacob 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעֲקֹב  
Sense: son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 2 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel.
אֶל־  - 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אָבִ֖יו  his  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
אִמּ֑וֹ  his  mother 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֵם  
Sense: mother.
וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ  and  had  gone 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
פַּדֶּ֥נָֽה  - 
Parse:
אֲרָֽם  to  Padan  Aram 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: פַּדָּן 
Sense: a plain or tableland in northern Mesopotamia in Aram, a region of Syria.