Thus God has taken away …: Thus, which translates the common Hebrew connective, is used to show this statement to be a consequence of the events in Gen 31.8. Or it may have the meaning of “In this way.” Note that Good News Translation does not use a special marker. Taken away translates a verb form that has the sense of snatch away, like prey taken from the mouth of an animal in 1 Sam 17.35 (“delivered”); Amos 3.12 (“rescues”). In reference to property and wives, it is used in 1 Sam 30.18, 22 (“recovered”). Speiser gives it the sense of “salvaged” and translates “reclaimed,” as does also New Jerusalem Bible. Most English versions are similar to Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation.

Cattle translates the Hebrew term that refers to all kinds of livestock or domestic animals, not only cows. See 4.20. Cattle of your father means the animals or flocks that belonged to your father.

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 .