Genesis 31:31-35
New English Translation
31 “I left secretly because I was afraid!”[a] Jacob replied to Laban. “I thought[b] you might take your daughters away from me by force.[c] 32 Whoever has taken your gods will be put to death![d] In the presence of our relatives[e] identify whatever is yours and take it.”[f] (Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.)[g]
33 So Laban entered Jacob’s tent, and Leah’s tent, and the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find the idols.[h] Then he left Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s.[i] 34 (Now Rachel had taken the idols and put them inside her camel’s saddle[j] and sat on them.)[k] Laban searched the whole tent, but did not find them.[l] 35 Rachel[m] said to her father, “Don’t be angry,[n] my lord. I cannot stand up[o] in your presence because I am having my period.”[p] So he searched thoroughly,[q] but did not find the idols.
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- Genesis 31:31 tn Heb “and Jacob answered and said to Laban, ‘Because I was afraid.’” This statement is a not a response to the question about Laban’s household gods that immediately precedes, but to the earlier question about Jacob’s motivation for leaving so quickly and secretly (see v. 27). For this reason the words “I left secretly” are supplied in the translation to indicate the connection to Laban’s earlier question in v. 27. Additionally the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse have been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
- Genesis 31:31 tn Heb “for I said.”
- Genesis 31:31 tn Heb “lest you steal your daughters from with me.”
- Genesis 31:32 tn Heb “With whomever you find your gods, he will not live.”
- Genesis 31:32 tn Heb “brothers.”
- Genesis 31:32 tn Heb “recognize for yourself what is with me and take for yourself.”
- Genesis 31:32 tn The disjunctive clause (introduced here by a vav [ו] conjunction) provides supplemental material that is important to the story. Since this material is parenthetical in nature, it has been placed in parentheses in the translation.
- Genesis 31:33 tn No direct object is specified for the verb “find” in the Hebrew text. The words “the idols” have been supplied in the translation for clarification.
- Genesis 31:33 tn Heb “and he went out from the tent of Leah and went into the tent of Rachel.”
- Genesis 31:34 tn The “camel’s saddle” was probably some sort of basket-saddle, a cushioned saddle with a basket bound on. Cf. NAB “inside a camel cushion.”
- Genesis 31:34 tn The disjunctive clause (introduced by a vav [ו] conjunction) provides another parenthetical statement necessary to the storyline.
- Genesis 31:34 tn The word “them” has been supplied in the translation for clarification.
- Genesis 31:35 tn Heb “she”; the referent (Rachel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Genesis 31:35 tn Heb “let it not be hot in the eyes of my lord.” This idiom refers to anger, in this case as a result of Rachel’s failure to stand in the presence of her father as a sign of respect.
- Genesis 31:35 tn Heb “I am unable to rise.”
- Genesis 31:35 tn Heb “the way of women is to me.” This idiom refers to a woman’s menstrual period.
- Genesis 31:35 tn The word “thoroughly” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied.
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