Genesis 31:25

31:25 Laban overtook Jacob, and when Jacob pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead, Laban and his relatives set up camp there too. 1 

Genesis 31:30

31:30 Now I understand that 2  you have gone away 3  because you longed desperately 4  for your father’s house. Yet why did you steal my gods?” 5 

1 tn Heb “and Jacob pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban pitched with his brothers in the hill country of Gilead.” The juxtaposition of disjunctive clauses (note the pattern conjunction + subject + verb in both clauses) indicates synchronism of action.

2 tn Heb “and now.” The words “I understand that” have been supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

3 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the perfect verbal form to emphasize the certainty of the action.

4 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the perfect verbal form to emphasize the degree of emotion involved.

5 sn Yet why did you steal my gods? This last sentence is dropped into the speech rather suddenly. See C. Mabee, “Jacob and Laban: The Structure of Judicial Proceedings,” VT 30 (1980): 192-207, and G. W. Coats, “Self-Abasement and Insult Formulas,” JBL 91 (1972): 90-92.