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 .