The Meaning of Genesis 31:12 Explained

Genesis 31:12

KJV: And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.

YLT: And He saith, Lift up, I pray thee, thine eyes, and see -- all the he-goats which are going up on the flock are ring-streaked, speckled, and grisled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to thee;

Darby: And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see: all the rams that leap upon the flock are ringstraked, speckled, and spotted; for I have seen all that Laban does to thee.

ASV: And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the he-goats which leap upon the flock are ringstreaked, speckled, and grizzled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he said,  Lift up  now thine eyes,  and see,  all the rams  which leap  upon the cattle  [are] ringstraked,  speckled,  and grisled:  for I have seen  all that Laban  doeth  unto thee. 

What does Genesis 31:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 31:1-21 - Jacob Leaves Laban
Jacob was a remarkable mixture. He had an eminently religious nature, and had intimate dealings with God. Note Genesis 31:3; Genesis 31:5; Genesis 31:7; Genesis 31:18. But he grossly misrepresented God's dealings with him when he gave his wives the reasons on which he proposed flight. Note Genesis 31:9; Genesis 31:13. So the flesh and spirit struggle for mastery within us all, and only as the grace of God enters our hearts can we come into the absolute supremacy of the spiritual and divine, Galatians 5:17. The secret departure was very undignified and unworthy of the heir of the promises. The command to return was of God, and what He commands He becomes responsible for. Besides, had not the Almighty promised to keep him in all places? See Genesis 28:15. When we are on God's plan, we may reckon on Him absolutely. [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 31:12 mean?

And He said Lift now your eyes and see all the rams which leap on the flocks [are] streaked speckled and spotted for I have seen - that Laban is doing to you
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר שָׂא־ נָ֨א עֵינֶ֤יךָ וּרְאֵה֙ כָּל־ הָֽעַתֻּדִים֙ הָעֹלִ֣ים עַל־ הַצֹּ֔אן עֲקֻדִּ֥ים נְקֻדִּ֖ים וּבְרֻדִּ֑ים כִּ֣י רָאִ֔יתִי אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָבָ֖ן עֹ֥שֶׂה לָּֽךְ

וַיֹּ֗אמֶר  And  He  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
שָׂא־  Lift 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
נָ֨א  now 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
עֵינֶ֤יךָ  your  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cdc, second person masculine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
וּרְאֵה֙  and  see 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
הָֽעַתֻּדִים֙  the  rams 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: עַתּוּד  
Sense: ram, he-goat, chief one.
הָעֹלִ֣ים  which  leap 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
הַצֹּ֔אן  the  flocks 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
עֲקֻדִּ֥ים  [are]  streaked 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: עָקֹד  
Sense: streaked, striped.
נְקֻדִּ֖ים  speckled 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: נָקֹד  
Sense: speckled, marked with points.
וּבְרֻדִּ֑ים  and  spotted 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: בָּרֹד  
Sense: spotted, marked.
רָאִ֔יתִי  I  have  seen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֵ֛ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
לָבָ֖ן  Laban 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: לָבָן 
Sense: son of Bethuel, brother of Rebekah, and father of Leah and Rachel.
עֹ֥שֶׂה  is  doing 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
לָּֽךְ  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person feminine singular