19
Now Labanוְלָבָןhad goneהָלַךְto shearלִגְזֹזhis sheep,אֶת צֹאנוֹand Rachelוַ רָחֵלstoleתִּגְנֹבthe teraphimאֶת הַתְּרָפִיםthatאֲשֶׁרbelonged to her father.לְאָבִיהָ
Genesis 31:19
Study it in the app“Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole the teraphim that belonged to her father.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 31:19, word by word
- Now Labanלָבָןlavan
Laban
Laban, brother of Rebekah and father of Leah and Rachel, Jacob's father-in-law, who lived in Haran. Also a place in the wilderness.
Where else “lavan” appears- had goneהָלַךְhalach
go
To move on foot from place to place; to set out.
Where else “halach” appears- to shearגְזֹזgezoz
shear
To clip the wool from flocks.
Where else “gezoz” appears- his sheepצֹאנtson
flock
A flock of sheep and goats.
Where else “tson” appears- and Rachelרָחֵלrachel
Rachel
Rachel, younger daughter of Laban, Jacob's beloved wife; mother of Joseph and Benjamin. Her name means "ewe".
Where else “rachel” appears- stoleתִּגְנֹבtignov
steal
To steal something, or kidnap someone.
Where else “tignov” appears- the teraphimתְּרָפִיםterafim
household gods
Teraphim: images of gods kept in the home. The Bible counts them among idols (1 Samuel 15:23; Zechariah 10:2).
Where else “terafim” appears- belonged to her fatherאָבִיavi
father
The man who begets a child and heads his household.
Where else “avi” appears
Translation note
The teraphim were household images; Laban calls them “my gods” (31:30). The text does not say why Rachel stole them.
The context
18He drove off all his livestock and all his property that he had acquired, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to Isaac his father, to the land of Canaan.
19 · This verse (above)
20And Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was fleeing.
To study Genesis 31 in a group
1. What it says
Why did Jacob leave Laban’s house, and what did Elohim say to Laban in a dream (vv. 3, 24)?
2. What it means
What does the heap of stones mean as a witness between Jacob and Laban (vv. 44-50)?
3. How I live it
How can you close a conflict with someone in a clear and peaceful way?