Genesis 31:32

Genesis 31:32 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.
• New International Version (NIV)But if you find anyone who has your gods, that person shall not live. In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself whether there is anything of yours here with me; and if so, take it.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the gods.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our kinsmen point out what I have that is yours, and take it." Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
• New King James Version (NKJV)With whomever you find your gods, do not let him live. In the presence of our brethren, identify what I have of yours and take it with you.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

Context of Genesis 31:32

30Now you have gone off because you long for your father’s family — but why have you stolen my gods?” 31Jacob answered, “I was afraid, for I thought you would take your daughters from me by force. If you find your gods with anyone here, he will not live! Before our relatives, point out anything that is yours and take it.” Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the idols. 33So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, Leah’s tent, and the tents of the two concubines, but he found nothing. When he left Leah’s tent, he went into Rachel’s tent. 34Now 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.

Genesis 31:32 word by word

עִ֠ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּמְצָ֣א אֶת־אֱלֹהֶיךָ֮ לֹ֣א יִֽחְיֶה֒ נֶ֣גֶד אַחֵ֧ינוּ הַֽכֶּר־לְךָ֛ מָ֥ה עִמָּדִ֖י וְקַֽח־לָ֑ךְ וְלֹֽא־יָדַ֣ע יַעֲקֹ֔ב כִּ֥י רָחֵ֖ל גְּנָבָֽתַם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• With whomsoeverאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• thou findestמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• thy godsאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• let him not liveחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
• beforeנֶ֫גֶדneged · beforeH5048
• our brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-relativeH251
• discernנָכַרnâkar · to recognizeH5234
• thine with me, and takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• to thee. For Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
• knewיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• not that Rachelרָחֵלrâchêl · RachelH7354
• had stolenגָּנַבgânab · to stealH1589

Cross-references for Genesis 31:32

• Genesis 31:19When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household idols.
• Genesis 44:9If it is found with one of us, your servants, he must die, and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves.”
• Genesis 31:23So he took his relatives with him, pursued Jacob for seven days, and overtook him in the hill country of Gilead.
• Genesis 13:8So Abram said to Lot, “Please, let’s not have quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, since we are relatives.
• Genesis 19:7He said, “Don’t do this evil, my brothers.
• Genesis 30:33In the future when you come to check on my wages, my honesty will testify for me. If I have any female goats that are not speckled or spotted, or any lambs that are not black, they will be considered stolen.”
• 1 Samuel 12:3Here I am. Bring charges against me before the Lord and his anointed: Whose ox or donkey have I taken? Who have I wronged or mistreated? Who gave me a bribe to overlook something? I will return it to you.”
• 2 Corinthians 8:20We are taking this precaution so that no one will criticize us about this large sum that we are administering.
• 2 Corinthians 12:17Did I take advantage of you by any of those I sent you?
• 1 Samuel 14:24and the men of Israel were worn out that day, for Saul had placed the troops under an oath: “The man who eats food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies is cursed.” So none of the troops tasted any food.

Commentaries on Genesis 31:32

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 32Let him not live - It appears that anciently theft was punished by death; and we know that the patriarchs had the power of life and death in their hands. But previously to the law, the punishment of death was scarcely ever inflicted but for murder. The rabbins consider that this was an imprecation used by Jacob, as if he had said, Let God take away the life of the person who has stolen them! And that this was answered shortly after in the death of Rachel…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-55Verses 1-55 - Jacob‘s Flight from Haran 19. תרפים terāpı̂ym Teraphim. This word occurs fifteen times in the Old Testament. It appears three times in this chapter, and nowhere else in the Pentateuch. It is always in the plural number. The root does not appear in Biblical Hebrew. It perhaps means “to live well,” intransitively (Gesenius, Roedig.), “to nourish,” transitively (Furst). The teraphim were symbols or representatives of the Deity, as Laban calls…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-35Verses 22-35 God can put a bridle in the mouth of wicked men, to restrain their malice, though he do not change their hearts. Though they have no love to God's people, they will pretend to it, and try to make a merit of necessity. Foolish Laban! to call those things his gods which could be stolen! Enemies may steal our goods, but not our God. Here Laban lays to Jacob's charge things that he knew not. Those who commit their cause to God, are not forbidden…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 32Jacob was so sure he did not have the gods that he made an oath that unknowingly put Rachel under a death sentence.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 31-3231-32. Jacob said, ... With whomsoever thou findest thy gods let him not live--Conscious of his own innocence and little suspecting the misdeed of his favorite wife, Jacob boldly challenged a search and denounced the heaviest penalty on the culprit. A personal scrutiny was made by Laban, who examined every tent [Ge 31:33]; and having entered Rachel's last, he would have infallibly discovered the stolen images had not Rachel made an appeal to him which…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 31:32

• Chiding
• Laban
• Teraphim

In the dictionaries

• Jacob
• Rachel
• Jacob, Israel
• Agate
• Carry
• Discern
• Fear
• Gather
• Inheritance
• Leah

Commentaries on Genesis 31

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings