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 left for your father’s home because you were so homesick. But why did you steal my gods?” 31Jacob answered Laban, “I left because I was afraid. I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force. If you find your gods, the one who has them will not be allowed to live. In the presence of our relatives, search as much as you want through what I have, and take what is yours.” (Jacob didn’t know that Rachel had stolen the gods.) 33So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the tent of the two slaves. But he found nothing. He came out of Leah’s tent and went into Rachel’s tent. 34Rachel 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.

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 went to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s idols.
• Genesis 44:9If one of us has it, he will die, and the rest of us will become your slaves.”
• Genesis 31:23He and his relatives pursued Jacob for seven days. Laban caught up with him in the mountains of Gilead.
• Genesis 13:8Abram said to Lot, “Please, let’s not have any more quarrels between us or between our herders. After all, we’re relatives.
• Genesis 19:7“Please, my friends, don’t be so wicked,” he said.
• Genesis 30:33My honesty will speak for itself whenever you come to check on my wages. Any goat I have that isn’t speckled or spotted or any lamb that isn’t black will be considered stolen.”
• 1 Samuel 12:3Here I am. Testify against me in front of the Lord and in front of his anointed king. Did I take anyone’s ox? Did I take anyone’s donkey? Did I cheat or oppress anyone? Did I take a bribe from anyone to look the other way? ⌞If so,⌟ I will give it all back.”
• 2 Corinthians 8:20We don’t want anyone to find fault with the way we are administering this generous gift.
• 2 Corinthians 12:17Did I take advantage of you through any of the men I sent you?
• 1 Samuel 14:24Israel’s soldiers were driven hard that day. Saul made the troops swear, “Cursed is anyone who eats food before the evening comes and before I’ve gotten revenge on my enemies.” So none of his 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