Genesis 31:19 kjv

And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's.

Genesis 31:19 nkjv

Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen the household idols that were her father's.

Genesis 31:19 niv

When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father's household gods.

Genesis 31:19 esv

Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father's household gods.

Genesis 31:19 nlt

At the time they left, Laban was some distance away, shearing his sheep. Rachel stole her father's household idols and took them with her.

Genesis 31 verses

Genesis 31 19 Meaning

Genesis 31:19 narrates that while Laban was engaged in the multi-day activity of shearing his sheep, Rachel took advantage of his absence to steal her father's teraphim, which were his household gods. This action set the stage for a tense confrontation between Laban and Jacob, intertwining themes of family, inheritance, pagan beliefs, and divine leading. Rachel's motivations for this theft remain unstated in the text but are subjects of theological discussion, ranging from asserting property claims to clinging to ancestral religious practices or even seeking protection for their journey.

Genesis 31 19 Context

Genesis chapter 31 marks a critical turning point in Jacob's life, as he decides to leave Laban's household after twenty years of service. Years of Laban's manipulative dealings and changing wages, combined with divine instruction (Gen 31:3) and his wives' support (Gen 31:14-16), finally compel Jacob to depart secretly. The verses leading up to verse 19 describe Jacob's clandestine preparations, highlighting his mistrust of Laban. Within this atmosphere of tension and secret departure, the text then reveals Laban's specific absence and Rachel's hidden act. Historically and culturally, in the ancient Near East, "household gods" or teraphim (תרפים) were often considered valuable family possessions, sometimes used for divination, and in some contexts, could symbolize or even secure inheritance rights. Their possession by a son-in-law could be interpreted as a claim to the father-in-law's estate, making Rachel's action fraught with potential legal and relational implications within that cultural framework.

Genesis 31 19 Word analysis

• Now Laban (וַיֵּלֶךְ לָבָן - Vayyeleḵ Lāḇān): "And Laban went" or "Now Laban had gone." The Hebrew waw consecutive plus imperfect indicates sequential action or a past completed action setting the scene. Laban, Jacob's deceitful uncle and father-in-law, is the focus, and his planned absence creates a crucial opportunity for Rachel's actions.
• had gone to shear his sheep (לִגְזֹז אֶת־צֹאוֹנוֹ - liḡzōz ’eṯ-ṣō’ōw-nōw): Liḡzōz (לגזז) means "to shear," referring to the cutting of wool. Sheep-shearing was a significant annual agricultural event in the ancient world (e.g., Gen 38:12, 1 Sam 25:2, 2 Sam 13:23). It was typically a festive, labor-intensive activity that often required the owner's prolonged absence from home, providing a perfect window for Rachel's secret deed. This detail is not merely incidental but contextually vital.
• and Rachel stole (וַתִּגְנֹב רָחֵל - wattiggnōḇ Rāḥēl): WaTTiḡnōḇ (ותגנב) is "and she stole," from the root ganav (גנב), meaning "to steal" or "to carry off by stealth." Rachel, one of Jacob's beloved wives, acts secretly. Her motivation is left ambiguous in the text, allowing for various interpretations. The verb emphasizes the surreptitious nature of the act.
• her father's household gods (אֶת־הַתְּרָפִים אֲשֶׁר לְאָבִיהָ - ’eṯ-haTtərāfîm ’ăšer lĕ’āḇî-hā):
  • הַתְּרָפִים (haTtərāfîm): "The teraphim." This is a key plural noun, denoting images or figures, often relatively small. While the exact form and etymology are debated, teraphim appear throughout the Old Testament with varied uses, including objects for divination (Ezek 21:21, Zech 10:2), protective figures, or symbols of authority/inheritance (like in some Mesopotamian legal traditions, where possession of them could indicate a right to inherit a household estate). Biblically, they are consistently portrayed as false gods or idols (1 Sam 15:23), objects of pagan worship (Judg 17:5; 2 Kgs 23:24), or things to be avoided by true worshippers of Yahweh (Gen 35:2-4; Hos 3:4). Laban's concern for them ("Why did you steal my gods?" Gen 31:30) confirms their religious and personal significance to him, though the biblical narrative immediately underscores their powerlessness by God's protection of Jacob.
  • אֲשֶׁר לְאָבִיהָ (’ăšer lĕ’āḇî-hā): "which belonged to her father." This clarifies ownership and emphasizes the familial context of the objects, highlighting the intimate and personal nature of the theft from Laban.

Genesis 31 19 Bonus section

• Pagan Practices vs. True Faith: The entire episode concerning the teraphim strongly contrasts Laban's idolatrous faith with the emerging monotheism of Jacob's family. Even with Rachel's lapse, the narrative emphasizes that the true God, Yahweh, is the one who ultimately guides and protects Jacob, not any pagan image. This highlights the futility and powerlessness of the idols Laban relied upon.
• Imperfect Servants: Rachel's actions show that even those connected to God's chosen lineage were not perfect. God uses imperfect individuals and circumstances to advance His redemptive plan, demonstrating His sovereignty over human failings and pagan influences.
• Foreshadowing Jacob's Purge: The theft of the teraphim finds a powerful echo later in Jacob's life in Gen 35:2-4, when he commands his household to "put away the foreign gods among you." This subsequent purging suggests a move towards spiritual purification within Jacob's household, implicitly addressing the hidden sin introduced by Rachel's actions.

Genesis 31 19 Commentary

Genesis 31:19 is a pivotal moment that provides critical background for the escalating conflict between Jacob and Laban. It strategically sets up the subsequent search and confrontation described later in the chapter (Gen 31:30-35). Rachel's secretive act of taking her father's teraphim reveals the deep-seated paganism within Laban's household, providing a stark contrast to Jacob's journey of faith guided by the one true God.

The teraphim themselves represent Laban's dependence on idols for perceived guidance or protection, and perhaps more importantly, for their significance in ancient Near Eastern property and inheritance customs. While the text doesn't explicitly state Rachel's motives, scholarly insights suggest she may have taken them out of filial loyalty (to secure inheritance for Jacob or her children, or to keep her ancestral "protection"), out of disdain for her father's practices, or simply as an act of defiance or desire for power. Whatever her reason, her actions were outside of God's revealed will for Jacob's family (as evidenced by Jacob's later purging of foreign gods in Gen 35:2-4), yet God’s providential hand ensured Jacob's safe departure and subsequent prosperity, rendering the teraphim ultimately powerless and useless against His sovereign plan. The account thus serves as a polemic against the false power of idols, underscoring God's real and active guidance even amidst imperfect human choices.