Gen 30:31 | NETfull | STEP | So Laban asked, “What should I give you?” “You don’t need to give me a thing,” Jacob replied, “but if you agree to this one condition, I will continue to care for your flocks and protect them:

Genesis 30:31

31 So Laban asked, ^{▼▼ Heb “and he said.” The referent (Laban) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} “What should I give you?” “You don’t need to give me a thing,” ^{▼▼ The negated imperfect verbal form has an obligatory nuance.} Jacob replied, ^{▼▼ The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.} “but if you agree to this one condition, ^{▼▼ Heb “If you do for me this thing.”} I will continue to care for ^{▼▼ Heb “I will return, I will tend,” an idiom meaning “I will continue tending.”} your flocks and protect them: