In the Hebrew Bible verse 55 is the first verse of chapter 32. The Handbook places it here to keep in line with the verse numbering of Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. The Hebrew chapter and verse numbers will be included within square brackets for those translators who need to follow that alternative system.

Early in the morning Laban arose: arose probably means he got up from sleeping. However, it may also have been used here to mean that he got ready to leave.

Kissed his grandchildren and his daughters: in verse 28 Laban complained to Jacob that he had been denied this pleasure when Jacob fled. In some languages it is necessary to express a transition that moves Laban from where he got up to the place where he kissed them. For example, it may be necessary to say “Early the next morning Laban got up and went to his grandchildren and daughters and kissed them good-bye.”

Blessed them: here the verb occurs as part of the farewell ceremony. This word is sometimes used when people meet each other and when they part. For its use as a greeting, see 1 Sam 13.10; 25.14. In the context of verse 55, blessed them is a parting gesture that we may translate as “said farewell to them” or “told them good-bye.” In 32.29 when Jacob’s opponent takes leave of him before daylight, it will be said “there he blessed him.”

Then he departed and returned home: the text mentions only Laban as the principal character, but the sense is “Laban and his men.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Thus I was; by day the heat consumed me: Revised Standard Version‘s sentence structure is awkward. See Good News Translation. Consumed translates the Hebrew, which means “ate” or “devoured.” Jacob means that he suffered from the daytime heat. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy also uses a figurative expression: “By day I was dying from the heat and by night I was dying from the cold.”

And the cold by night: this phrase is elliptic; that is, the verb consumed serves for both day and night. Cold is literally “frost” and refers to the formation of dew, which freezes at 0 degrees Celsius, 32 degrees Fahrenheit. It is usually not advisable to use a long descriptive phrase to speak of the cold. Since heat and cold are relative terms, a pair of opposites is normally adequate.

And my sleep fled from my eyes: this expression is figurative. Note how Good News Translation translates it nonfiguratively.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

These twenty years I have been in your house: Jacob reminds Laban again of the many years of service he gave him. See verse 38. The repetition is rhetorical and it emphasizes Jacob’s anger. We may translate “For twenty long years I was part of your family” or “For twenty years I was member of your family.” Good News Translation and New Jerusalem Bible relate this statement closely to what Jacob has just been saying: “It was like that for the whole twenty years I was with you.” We may also say “For twenty long years in your family you have treated me like that.” This is further emphasized in some translations by adding “It was always the same; it never changed.”

I served you fourteen years for your two daughters: for served see 29.18, 30. For your two daughters must often be expressed as “to be allowed to marry your two daughters” or “so I could marry … daughters.”

And six years for your flock: the expression for your … makes this clause parallel to the previous clause. The verb served is the verb for both clauses. For your flock means “I worked six years for these animals, which you gave me as my pay” or “in order to get animals for myself from your flocks.” See the agreement reached with Laban in 30.31 and 32.

Changed my wages ten times: see Gen 31.7. The meaning may be expressed as “all the time you kept changing my pay.” This statement and the following verse are of special significance. As Westermann says, “In the ears of the listeners this was a very serious accusation. From the Book of the Covenant, through the Deuteronomic law to the prophets and into the New Testament, it was a particularly serious crime for the employer not to allow the employee to receive the wages due him (immediately after the work). It is here that Laban’s real culpability lies.”

In the Hebrew this statement is introduced by the common Hebrew connective, but its force in this context is more than a mere coordination or addition. A more adequate rendering than Revised Standard Version is something like “What is more” or “To make matters worse.” See also Good News Translation.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

And Laban said to Jacob: in verse 25 we were told that the two groups camped in the same mountains; and now in verse 26 they suddenly begin speaking to each other. In some languages a transition will be required to bring these two men together. Accordingly Laban said to Jacob may need to be adjusted to say, for example, “When they met each other Laban asked Jacob,” or “[The next day] Laban went to Jacob and said.”

What have you done, that you have cheated me…? Revised Standard Version follows the literal form of the Hebrew question. In many languages this will need to be restructured to say, for example, “Why have you cheated me?” The tone of Laban’s voice is angry and accusing, and the form of the question should reflect that.

Laban’s question refers to Jacob’s departure with his daughters, and so the full question is “Why have you cheated me and taken away my daughters?” In some languages it will be more natural to express this as a rhetorical question; for example, “Am I someone to deceive so you can steal my daughters?”

Cheated me is literally “stole my heart,” as discussed in verse 20. Carried away translates a form of the verb meaning to “take” or “lead away.”

Like captives of the sword: sword here represents a battle or war. The full expression refers to enemies who are captured and carried off as captives by the victor in a battle. Laban condemns Jacob for sneaking away secretly from Haran. In normal practice the departure of Leah and Rachel would be the occasion for a farewell feast with blessings in songs and poetry. Note the case of Abraham’s servant departing with Rebekah in 24.54-61.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

To emphasize his point Laban repeats his question in slightly different form.

Why did you flee secretly…?: for flee see verses 20, 21, and 22. Secretly means “without telling anyone.”

Cheat me translates the verb “stole” as in verse 26, but it is not used in the idiomatic expression as there. The sense is, however, to “deceive,” “dupe,” or “trick.”

So that I might have sent you away with mirth and songs: Laban claims he would have given a farewell party if Jacob had not gone off without telling him. We may restructure this statement to say, for example, “If you had not gone like that, I would have sent you off with…,” or “If you…, I would have given a farewell feast with….” To avoid the contrary-to-fact condition, we may say something like “I wanted to send you off with…, but I could not because you….” In many languages the celebration feast given at the departure of the bride for her husband’s village has a special name. In societies in which husbands move to the bride’s family, a special note may be required. If the note is given only once, it may be better to place it at 24.58.

In some languages the construction sent you away with … is not natural and must be replaced with something like “I would have called in the people who play … and made a feast to send you off in the proper way.”

With mirth and songs: mirth translates a word meaning “gladness,” “rejoicing,” “gaiety.” The word expresses the sort of rejoicing experienced and expressed in a happy celebration. Songs in this context refers to songs or singing accompanied by the tambourine and lyre. Tambourine translates the Hebrew word tof, which is a type of small hand-held drum. Sound is produced by holding the instrument in one hand and striking the skin head with the palm or fingers of the other hand. The lyre is a stringed instrument similar to a harp. For further information and illustrations, see 4.21.

In translation it is often possible to use local equivalent instruments such as bells and guitar. Translators should note that Laban is not calling attention to the nature of these instruments. If no equivalent instruments are known, it may be best to say, for example, “I would have given a farewell feast with lots of fun, and singing with musical instruments.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Laban pursues his line of questions.

And why did you not permit me to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell?: translators may find that it is more natural to shift to an emphatic statement for reasons of style. See Good News Translation. We may also translate “I did not even have a chance to kiss … good-bye.”

For kiss see 27.26. To kiss … farewell may need to be restructured to say, for example, “to kiss … and say good-bye” or “to kiss … when they left.”

My sons represents the Hebrew text, but that word refers here to Leah and Rachel’s children. A more suitable translation is perhaps “grandchildren.”

Now you have done foolishly is literally “Now you have been foolish to do [this].” The thought expressed is that Jacob acted foolishly by fleeing secretly and depriving Laban of his rights as father and grandfather. Good News Translation offers a good translation model.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .