Genesis 31:34
New International Version
Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them inside her camel’s saddle and was sitting on them. Laban searched through everything in the tent but found nothing.

New Living Translation
But Rachel had taken the household idols and hidden them in her camel saddle, and now she was sitting on them. When Laban had thoroughly searched her tent without finding them,

English Standard Version
Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in the camel’s saddle and sat on them. Laban felt all about the tent, but did not find them.

Berean Standard Bible
Now Rachel had taken Laban’s household idols, put them in the saddlebag of her camel, and was sitting on them. And Laban searched everything in the tent but found nothing.

King James Bible
Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.

New King James Version
Now Rachel had taken the household idols, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. And Laban searched all about the tent but did not find them.

New American Standard Bible
Now Rachel had taken the household idols and put them in the camel’s saddlebag, and she sat on them. So Laban searched through all the tent, but did not find them.

NASB 1995
Now Rachel had taken the household idols and put them in the camel’s saddle, and she sat on them. And Laban felt through all the tent but did not find them.

NASB 1977
Now Rachel had taken the household idols and put them in the camel’s saddle, and she sat on them. And Laban felt through all the tent, but did not find them.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now Rachel had taken the household idols and put them in the camel’s saddle, and she sat on them. And Laban felt through all the tent but did not find them.

Amplified Bible
Now Rachel had taken the household idols and put them in the camel’s saddlebag and sat on them. Laban searched through all her tent, but did not find them.

Christian Standard Bible
Now Rachel had taken Laban’s household idols, put them in the saddlebag of the camel, and sat on them. Laban searched the whole tent but found nothing.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Now Rachel had taken Laban’s household idols, put them in the saddlebag of the camel, and sat on them. Laban searched the whole tent but found nothing.

American Standard Version
Now Rachel had taken the teraphim, and put them in the camel's saddle, and sat upon them. And Laban felt about all the tent, but found them not.

Contemporary English Version
She had already hidden them in the cushion she used as a saddle and was sitting on it. Laban searched everywhere and did not find them.

English Revised Version
Now Rachel had taken the teraphim, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban felt about all the tent, but found them not.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Rachel had taken the idols and had put them in her camel's saddle-bag and was sitting on them. Laban rummaged through the whole tent but found nothing.

Good News Translation
Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in a camel's saddlebag and was sitting on them. Laban searched through the whole tent, but did not find them.

International Standard Version
Meanwhile, Rachel had taken the idols, placed them inside the saddle of her camel, and sat on them. Laban searched through the whole tent, but found nothing.

Majority Standard Bible
Now Rachel had taken Laban’s household idols, put them in the saddlebag of her camel, and was sitting on them. And Laban searched everything in the tent but found nothing.

NET Bible
(Now Rachel had taken the idols and put them inside her camel's saddle and sat on them.) Laban searched the whole tent, but did not find them.

New Heart English Bible
Now Rachel had taken the idols, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. Laban searched the whole tent, but did not find them.

Webster's Bible Translation
Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.

World English Bible
Now Rachel had taken the teraphim, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. Laban felt around all the tent, but didn’t find them.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Rachel has taken the teraphim, and puts them in the furniture of the camel, and sits on them; and Laban feels all the tent, and has not found;

Young's Literal Translation
And Rachel hath taken the teraphim, and putteth them in the furniture of the camel, and sitteth upon them; and Laban feeleth all the tent, and hath not found;

Smith's Literal Translation
And Rachel took the family gods, and she will put them in the camel's saddle and will sit upon them. And Laban will feel all the tent, and he found not.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
She in haste hid the idols under the camel's furniture, and sat upon them: and when he had searched all the tent, and found nothing,

Catholic Public Domain Version
she quickly hid the idols under the camel’s bedding, and she sat upon them. And when he had searched the entire tent and found nothing,

New American Bible
Meanwhile Rachel had taken the household images, put them inside the camel’s saddlebag, and seated herself upon them. When Laban had rummaged through her whole tent without finding them,

New Revised Standard Version
Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. Laban felt all about in the tent, but did not find them.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's saddle bag, and sat upon them. And Laban had searched all the tent, but did not find them.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Rakhyl had taken the images and she set them in the saddle canopy of the camel and she sat upon them, and Laban searched the whole tent and he did not find them.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Now Rachel had taken the teraphim, and put them in the saddle of the camel, and sat upon them. And Laban felt about all the tent, but found them not.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Rachel took the idols, and cast them among the camel's packs, and sat upon them.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Laban Pursues Jacob
33So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, then Leah’s tent, and then the tents of the two maidservants, but he found nothing. Then he left Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent. 34Now Rachel had taken Laban’s household idols, put them in the saddlebag of her camel, and was sitting on them. And Laban searched everything in the tent but found nothing. 35Rachel said to her father, “Sir, do not be angry that I cannot stand up before you; for I am having my period.” So Laban searched, but could not find the household idols.…

Cross References
Genesis 35:2-4
So Jacob told his household and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods that are among you. Purify yourselves and change your garments. / Then let us arise and go to Bethel. I will build an altar there to God, who answered me in my day of distress. He has been with me wherever I have gone.” / So they gave Jacob all their foreign gods and all their earrings, and Jacob buried them under the oak near Shechem.

Joshua 24:2
And Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your fathers, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates and worshiped other gods.

Joshua 24:14
Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; cast aside the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.

1 Samuel 19:13
Then Michal took a household idol and laid it in the bed, placed some goat hair on its head, and covered it with a garment.

1 Samuel 19:16
And when the messengers entered, there was the idol in the bed with the goat hair on its head.

2 Kings 23:24
Furthermore, Josiah removed the mediums and spiritists, the household gods and idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem. He did this to carry out the words of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had found in the house of the LORD.

Isaiah 2:8
Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made.

Isaiah 46:1-2
Bel crouches; Nebo cowers. Their idols weigh down beasts and cattle. The images you carry are burdensome, a load to the weary animal. / The gods cower; they crouch together, unable to relieve the burden; but they themselves go into captivity.

Jeremiah 10:5
Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, and neither can they do any good.”

Ezekiel 20:7-8
And I said to them: ‘Each of you must throw away the abominations before his eyes, and you must not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’ / But they rebelled against Me and refused to listen. None of them cast away the abominations before their eyes, and they did not forsake the idols of Egypt. So I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and vent My anger against them in the land of Egypt.

Hosea 4:12
My people consult their wooden idols, and their divining rods inform them. For a spirit of prostitution leads them astray and they have played the harlot against their God.

Zechariah 10:2
For idols speak deceit and diviners see illusions; they tell false dreams and offer empty comfort. Therefore the people wander like sheep, oppressed for lack of a shepherd.

Acts 17:29
Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination.

Romans 1:23
and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

1 Corinthians 10:19-20
Am I suggesting, then, that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? / No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons.


Treasury of Scripture

Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat on them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.

had taken.

Genesis 31:17,19
Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels; …

furniture.

searched.

Jump to Previous
Basket Camel Camels Camel's Explored Feeleth Felt Find Found Furniture Gods Household Idols Images Inside Laban Putteth Rachel Saddle Sat Searched Searching Seated Sitteth Sitting Tent Teraphim
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Basket Camel Camels Camel's Explored Feeleth Felt Find Found Furniture Gods Household Idols Images Inside Laban Putteth Rachel Saddle Sat Searched Searching Seated Sitteth Sitting Tent Teraphim
Genesis 31
1. Jacob, displeased with the envy of Laban and his sons, departs secretly.
19. Rachel steals her father's household gods.
22. Laban pursues after him, and complains of the wrong.
34. Rachel's plan to hide the images.
36. Jacob's complaint of Laban.
43. The covenant of Laban and Jacob at Galeed.














Now Rachel had taken the idols
The Hebrew word for "idols" here is "teraphim," which often refers to household gods or small figurines used for divination or as protective talismans. In the ancient Near Eastern context, these objects were common in households, symbolizing a connection to the divine or ancestral spirits. Rachel's act of taking these idols suggests a complex relationship with her father's household beliefs, possibly indicating a lingering attachment to her familial traditions or a desire for inheritance rights, as teraphim were sometimes associated with legal claims to property.

and put them in the saddlebag of her camel
The "saddlebag" or "camel's furniture" in Hebrew is "kēsep," which refers to the equipment or baggage placed on a camel. Camels were essential for long journeys across the desert, and their saddlebags were used to store valuable items securely. Rachel's choice to hide the idols in the saddlebag signifies her intent to conceal them effectively, knowing that camels were a vital part of their nomadic lifestyle and that their baggage would be less likely to be thoroughly searched.

and was sitting on them
Rachel's act of sitting on the idols is both literal and symbolic. In the cultural context, sitting on something could imply ownership or control. By physically placing herself over the idols, Rachel asserts her dominance over these objects, perhaps indicating her rejection of their power or her determination to keep them hidden. This action also cleverly prevents Laban from discovering them, as it would be inappropriate for him to ask her to rise, respecting cultural norms regarding modesty and privacy.

Laban searched everything in the tent but found nothing
Laban's thorough search reflects his determination to recover what he considered valuable, either for their spiritual significance or their material worth. The phrase "but found nothing" highlights the futility of his efforts against Rachel's cunning. This outcome underscores a recurring biblical theme: human plans and searches are ultimately subject to divine oversight. Despite Laban's intentions, God's providence protects Jacob's family, aligning with the broader narrative of God's faithfulness to His covenant people.

(34) The camel's furniture.--That is, the camel's saddle. It is now made of wicker-work, and is protected by curtains and a canopy. Probably Rachel's was far simpler; and as the teraphim seem to have had heads shaped like those of a man, and dwarf bodies, they would easily be crammed under it.

Verse 34. - Now Rachel had taken the images (teraphim), and put them in the camel's furniture, - the camel's furniture was not stramenta cameli (Vulgate), "the camel's straw" (Luther), but the camel's saddle (LXX., Onkelos, Syriac, Calvin, Rosenmüller, Keil, and others), here called כּר, from כָּרַר, an unused root signifying either to go round in a circle, hence to run (Gesenius), or to be firmly wound together, hence to be puffed up as a bolster (Furst). The woman's riding-saddle was commonly made of wicker-work and had the appearance of a basket or cradle. It was usually covered with carpet, and protected against wind, rain, and sun by means of a canopy and curtains, while light was admitted by openings in the side (cf. Gesenius, sub voce; Kalisch in loco). "That which is now customary among the Arabs consists of a large closed basket-work, with a place for sitting and reclining, and a window at the side; one of this kind hangs on each side of the camel" (Gerlach) - and sat upon them. "To us the picture of Rachel seated upon the camel furniture is true to life, for we have often seen its counterpart. The saddle-bags and cushions which were to be set upon the camel lay piled on the floor, while she sat upon them (Van Lennep, quoted by Inglis, p. 254). And Laban searched - the word means to feel out or explore with the hands (cf. Genesis 27:12; Job 12:25) - all the tent, but found them not.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Now Rachel
וְרָחֵ֞ל (wə·rā·ḥêl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 7354: Rachel -- a wife of Jacob

had taken
לָקְחָ֣ה (lā·qə·ḥāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

Laban’s household idols,
הַתְּרָפִ֗ים (hat·tə·rā·p̄îm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8655: (a kind of idol) perhaps household idol

put
וַתְּשִׂמֵ֛ם (wat·tə·śi·mêm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

them in the saddlebag
בְּכַ֥ר (bə·ḵar)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3733: A ram, a, battering-ram, a meadow, a pad, camel's saddle

of her camel,
הַגָּמָ֖ל (hag·gā·māl)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1581: A camel

and was sitting
וַתֵּ֣שֶׁב (wat·tê·šeḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

on them.
עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם (‘ă·lê·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

And Laban
לָבָ֛ן (lā·ḇān)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3837: Laban -- father-in-law of Jacob

searched
וַיְמַשֵּׁ֥שׁ (way·maš·šêš)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4959: To feel of, to grope

everything
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

in the tent
הָאֹ֖הֶל (hā·’ō·hel)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 168: A tent

but found
מָצָֽא׃ (mā·ṣā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present

nothing.
וְלֹ֥א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no


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OT Law: Genesis 31:34 Now Rachel had taken the teraphim put (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 31:33
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