Genesis 31:12 Look up,' he said, 'and see that all the males that are mating with the flock are streaked, spotted, or speckled; for I have seen all that Laban has done to you.

◄ Genesis 31:12 ►

New International Version
And he said, ‘Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.

New Living Translation
“The angel said, ‘Look up, and you will see that only the streaked, speckled, and spotted males are mating with the females of your flock. For I have seen how Laban has treated you.

English Standard Version
And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that mate with the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you.

Berean Standard Bible
‘Look up,’ he said, ‘and see that all the males that are mating with the flock are streaked, spotted, or speckled; for I have seen all that Laban has done to you.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
And He said, ‘Lift your eyes now and see, all the rams which leap on the flocks are streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted; for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you.

New American Standard Bible
He said, ‘Now raise your eyes and see that all the male goats that are mating are striped, speckled, or mottled; for I have seen everything that Laban has been doing to you.

NASB 1995
“He said, ‘Lift up now your eyes and see that all the male goats which are mating are striped, speckled, and mottled; for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.

NASB 1977
“And he said, ‘Lift up, now, your eyes and see that all the male goats which are mating are striped, speckled, and mottled; for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.

Legacy Standard Bible
He said, ‘Lift up now your eyes and see that all the male goats which are mating are striped, speckled, and mottled; for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.

Amplified Bible
He said, ‘Look up and see, all the rams which are mating [with the flock] are streaked, speckled, and spotted; for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.

Christian Standard Bible
And he said, ‘Look up and see: all the males that are mating with the flocks are streaked, spotted, and speckled, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
And He said, ‘Look up and see: all the males that are mating with the flocks are streaked, spotted, and speckled, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
and he said, "Notice that all the rams are either spotted or speckled. I know everything Laban is doing to you,

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

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He said, 'Look up and see that all the male goats which are mating are striped, speckled, or spotted, because I have seen everything that Laban is doing to you.

Good News Translation
'Look,' he continued, 'all the male goats that are mating are striped, spotted, and speckled. I am making this happen because I have seen all that Laban is doing to you.

International Standard Version
"'Look around!' he said. 'Go ahead, look! All the male goats have been mating with the flock, producing offspring that are streaked, speckled, and spotted, because I've been watching everything that Laban has done to you.

Majority Standard Bible
‘Look up,’ he said, ‘and see that all the males that are mating with the flock are streaked, spotted, or speckled; for I have seen all that Laban has done to you.

NET Bible
Then he said, 'Observe that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled, or spotted, for I have observed all that Laban has done to you.

New Heart English Bible
He said, 'Now lift up your eyes, and look, all the male goats which leap on the flock are streaked, speckled, and spotted, for I have seen all that Laban has done to you.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he said, Lift up now thy eyes and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ring-streaked, speckled, and grizzled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth to thee.

World English Bible
He said, ‘Now lift up your eyes, and behold, all the male goats which leap on the flock are streaked, speckled, and grizzled, for I have seen all that Laban does to you.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And He says, Now lift up your eyes and see [that] all the male goats which are going up on the flock [are] striped, speckled, and spotted, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you;

Young's Literal Translation
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;

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will say, Lift up now thine eyes and see all the he-goats ascending upon the sheep, banded, speckled and sprinkled with spots; for I saw all that Laban did to thee.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said: Lift up thy eyes, and see that all the males leaping upon the females, are of divers colors, spotted, and speckled. For I have seen all that Laban hath done to thee.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he said: ‘Lift up your eyes, and see that all the males climbing on the females are variegated, spotted, and also speckled. For I have seen all that Laban has done to you.

New American Bible
Then he said: ‘Look up and see. All the he-goats that are mating are streaked, speckled and mottled, for I have seen all the things that Laban has been doing to you.

New Revised Standard Version
And he said, ‘Look up and see that all the goats that leap on the flock are striped, speckled, and mottled; for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
Then he said, Lift up now your eyes, and see; all the rams that leap upon the sheep are speckled, spotted, and ringstreaked; for I have seen all that Laban has done to you.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he said to me, ‘Lift up your eyes and see all the goats mounting on the flock with white spotted foreheads, and spotted and speckled, because I have seen everything that Laban has done to you.

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And he said: Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the he-goats which leap upon the flock are streaked, speckled, and grizzled; for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he said, Look up with thine eyes, and behold the he-goats and the rams leaping on the sheep and the she-goats, speckled and variegated and spotted with ash-coloured spots; for I have seen all things that Laban does to thee.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Jacob Flees from Laban
…11In that dream the angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ And I replied, ‘Here I am.’ 12‘Look up,’ he said, ‘and see that all the males that are mating with the flock are streaked, spotted, or speckled; for I have seen all that Laban has done to you. 13I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and made a solemn vow to Me. Now get up and leave this land at once, and return to your native land.’ ”…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Exodus 3:7-8
The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings. / I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

Exodus 3:16
Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—has appeared to me and said: I have surely attended to you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt.

Exodus 4:31
and they believed. And when they heard that the LORD had attended to the Israelites and had seen their affliction, they bowed down and worshiped.

Exodus 14:19-20
And the angel of God, who had gone before the camp of Israel, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from before them and stood behind them, / so that it came between the camps of Egypt and Israel. The cloud was there in the darkness, but it lit up the night. So all night long neither camp went near the other.

Exodus 23:20-23
Behold, I am sending an angel before you to protect you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. / Pay attention to him and listen to his voice; do not defy him, for he will not forgive rebellion, since My Name is in him. / But if you will listen carefully to his voice and do everything I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes. ...

Deuteronomy 11:12
It is a land for which the LORD your God cares; the eyes of the LORD your God are always on it, from the beginning to the end of the year.

Deuteronomy 26:7-9
So we called out to the LORD, the God of our fathers; and the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, toil, and oppression. / Then the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror, signs, and wonders. / And He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.

Psalm 34:15
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their cry.

Psalm 121:3-4
He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber. / Behold, the Protector of Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

Isaiah 41:10
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Isaiah 43:1-2
But now, this is what the LORD says—He who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine! / When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze.

Jeremiah 1:12
“You have observed correctly,” said the LORD, “for I am watching over My word to accomplish it.”

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope.

Matthew 28:20
and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Luke 1:78-79
because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Dawn will visit us from on high, / to shine on those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

Treasury of Scripture

And he said, Lift up now your eyes, and see, all the rams which leap on the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and spotted: for I have seen all that Laban does to you.

Lift up.

Genesis 30:37-43
And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods…

I have seen.

Genesis 31:42
Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.

Exodus 3:7,9
And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; …

Leviticus 19:13
Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.

Jump to Previous

Banded Cattle Coloured Eyes Flock Goats Grizzled He-Goats Lift Male Marked Mating Rams Ringstraked Ringstreaked Ring-Streaked Speckled Spotted Streaked Striped

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Banded Cattle Coloured Eyes Flock Goats Grizzled He-Goats Lift Male Marked Mating Rams Ringstraked Ringstreaked Ring-Streaked Speckled Spotted Streaked Striped

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.

Berean Study Bible

Look up
The phrase "look up" is a call to attention and awareness. In Hebrew, the word used here is "nasa," which means to lift or carry. This is not just a physical action but a spiritual one, urging Jacob to lift his eyes from his immediate circumstances and see the divine intervention at work. It is a reminder that God is actively involved in the lives of His people, guiding and providing for them even when they are unaware.

and see
The Hebrew word for "see" is "ra'ah," which implies more than just physical sight; it suggests understanding and perceiving with insight. God is inviting Jacob to perceive His hand in the situation, to recognize the fulfillment of His promises. This is a call to faith, to trust in God's provision and plan, even when it is not immediately visible.

that all the male goats mating with the flock
This phrase highlights the specific and miraculous nature of God's provision. The male goats, which are crucial for the continuation and growth of the flock, are under God's control. In the ancient Near Eastern context, livestock was a primary measure of wealth and prosperity. God's intervention here is a direct response to Jacob's need and Laban's unjust treatment, ensuring Jacob's prosperity despite human manipulation.

are streaked, speckled, and spotted
These specific markings on the goats are significant because they were the agreed-upon wages for Jacob's labor. The Hebrew words used here describe distinct patterns that were less common, making the increase in such animals a clear sign of divine intervention. This serves as a testament to God's faithfulness and His ability to bless His people in ways that defy natural expectations.

for I have seen
The phrase "I have seen" is a powerful assurance from God. The Hebrew word "ra'ah" is used again, emphasizing God's awareness and understanding of Jacob's plight. It reassures Jacob that God is not distant or indifferent but is intimately aware of his struggles and injustices. This is a comforting reminder that God sees the injustices His people face and is actively working to rectify them.

all that Laban has done to you
This phrase acknowledges the specific wrongs Jacob has suffered at the hands of Laban. It is a reminder that God is just and will not allow wrongdoing to go unnoticed or unaddressed. In the broader biblical narrative, this reflects the theme of divine justice and the assurance that God will ultimately vindicate His people. It encourages believers to trust in God's timing and justice, even when faced with adversity and unfair treatment.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(12) Grisled.--That is, covered with spots like hailstones, the word "grisled" being derived from the French grele, hail. Others derive the word from gris, grisaille, grey.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 12. - And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled. Since all the parti-colored animals had already been removed (Genesis 30:35), this vision must have been intended to assure him that the flocks would produce speckled and spotted progeny all the same as if the ringstraked and grisled rams and he-goats had not been removed from their midst (cf. Kurtz, § 78). To insist upon a contradiction between this account of the increase of Jacob's flocks and that mentioned in Genesis 30:37 is to forget that both may be true. Equally arbitrary does it seem to be to accuse Jacob of fraud in adopting the artifice of the pilled rods (Kalisch). Without resorting to the supposition that he acted under God s guidance (Wordsworth), we may believe that the dream suggested the expedient referred to, in which some see Jacob's unbelief and impatience (Kurtz, Gosman in Lange), and others a praiseworthy instance of self-help (Keil). For I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee. If the preceding clause appears to imply that the vision was sent to Jacob at the beginning of the six years' service, the present clause scents to point to the end of that period as the date of its occurrence; in which case it would require to be understood as a Divine intimation to Jacob that his immense wealth was not to be ascribed to the success of his own stratagem, but to the blessing of God (Delitzsch). The difficulty of harmonizing the two views has led to the suggestion that Jacob here mixes the accounts of two different visions accorded to him, at the commencement and at the close of the period of servitude (Nachmanides, Rosenmüller, Kurtz,- ' Speaker's Commentary,' Murphy, Candlish).

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

‘Look up,’
שָׂא־ (śā-)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

He said,
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘and see
וּרְאֵה֙ (ū·rə·’êh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

that all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the males
הָֽעַתֻּדִים֙ (hā·‘at·tu·ḏîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6260: Prepared, full grown, of he-goats, leaders of the people

that are mating
הָעֹלִ֣ים (hā·‘ō·lîm)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

with
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the flock
הַצֹּ֔אן (haṣ·ṣōn)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 6629: Small cattle, sheep and goats, flock

are streaked,
עֲקֻדִּ֥ים (‘ă·qud·dîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 6124: Striped, streaked

spotted,
וּבְרֻדִּ֑ים (ū·ḇə·rud·dîm)
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 1261: Spotted, marked

or speckled;
נְקֻדִּ֖ים (nə·qud·dîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 5348: Speckled

for
כִּ֣י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

I have seen
רָאִ֔יתִי (rā·’î·ṯî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7200: To see

all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

that
אֲשֶׁ֥ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

Laban
לָבָ֖ן (lā·ḇān)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3837: Laban -- father-in-law of Jacob

has done
עֹ֥שֶׂה (‘ō·śeh)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

to you.
לָּֽךְ׃ (lāḵ)
Preposition | second person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew

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OT Law: Genesis 31:12 He said 'Now lift up your eyes (Gen. Ge Gn)