The Meaning of Genesis 31:50 Explained

Genesis 31:50

KJV: If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee.

YLT: if thou afflict my daughters, or take wives beside my daughters -- there is no man with us -- see, God is witness between me and thee.'

Darby: if thou shouldest afflict my daughters, or if thou shouldest take wives besides my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness between me and thee!

ASV: If thou shalt afflict my daughters, and if thou shalt take wives besides my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

If thou shalt afflict  my daughters,  or if thou shalt take  [other] wives  beside  my daughters,  no man  [is] with us; see,  God  [is] witness  betwixt me and thee. 

What does Genesis 31:50 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 31:43-55 - The Covenant Between Jacob And Laban
In our time covenants are engrossed on parchment, so that there may be written documentary evidence accessible, to prove that certain transactions have taken place. The same object was conserved, where the art of writing was confined to the few, by the erection of monuments, whose existence was associated with the agreements into which men had entered with one another. Though these two men were far below the Christian ideal of character, it is evident that they lived in an habitual recognition of God and the eternal sanction of His presence. The Lord was to watch between them. God was to be witness and judge. The third generation looked back on the days of Terah with reverential awe and loyalty, and commemorated their grandfather Terah's God. [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 31:50 mean?

If you afflict - my daughters or if you take [other] wives besides [although] no man [is] with us see God [is] witness between me and you
אִם־ תְּעַנֶּ֣ה אֶת־ בְּנֹתַ֗י וְאִם־ תִּקַּ֤ח נָשִׁים֙ עַל־ אֵ֥ין אִ֖ישׁ עִמָּ֑נוּ רְאֵ֕ה אֱלֹהִ֥ים עֵ֖ד בֵּינִ֥י וּבֵינֶֽךָ

תְּעַנֶּ֣ה  you  afflict 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָנָה 
Sense: (Qal) to be occupied, be busied with.
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.
בְּנֹתַ֗י  my  daughters 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: בַּת  
Sense: daughter.
וְאִם־  or  if 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
תִּקַּ֤ח  you  take 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
נָשִׁים֙  [other]  wives 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
עַל־  besides 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
אֵ֥ין  [although]  no 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
אִ֖ישׁ  man  [is] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
עִמָּ֑נוּ  with  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
רְאֵ֕ה  see 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֱלֹהִ֥ים  God  [is] 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
עֵ֖ד  witness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵד  
Sense: witness.
בֵּינִ֥י  between  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
וּבֵינֶֽךָ  and  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.