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 indeed gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house; but why did you steal my gods?” 31Then Jacob replied to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. The one with whom you find your gods shall not live; in the presence of our kinsmen point out what is yours among my belongings and take it for yourself.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them. 33So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two maids, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent. 34Now 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.

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

• The one with whomאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• you findמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• your godsאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• in the presenceנֶ֫גֶדneged · beforeH5048
• kinsmenאָח'âch · brother: male-relativeH251
• pointנָכַרnâkar · to recognizeH5234
• out whatמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• amongעִם‛im · withH5973
• and takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• for yourself.” For Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
• did not knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• that Rachelרָחֵלrâchêl · RachelH7354
• had stolenגָּנַבgânab · to stealH1589

Cross-references for Genesis 31:32

• Genesis 31:19When Laban had gone to shear his flock, then Rachel stole the household idols that were her father’s.
• Genesis 44:9With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”
• Genesis 31:23then he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him a distance of seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the hill country of Gilead.
• Genesis 13:8So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers.
• Genesis 19:7and said, “Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly.
• Genesis 30:33So my honesty will answer for me later, when you come concerning my wages. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the lambs, if found with me, will be considered stolen.”
• 1 Samuel 12:3Here I am; bear witness against me before the Lord and His anointed. Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? I will restore it to you.”
• 2 Corinthians 8:20taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift;
• 2 Corinthians 12:17Certainly I have not taken advantage of you through any of those whom I have sent to you, have I?
• 1 Samuel 14:24Now the men of Israel were hard-pressed on that day, for Saul had put the people under oath, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats food before evening, and until I have avenged myself on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted 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