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.
Parallel translations
- WEB Anyone you find your gods with shall not live. Before our relatives, discern what is yours with me, and take it.” For Jacob didn’t know that Rachel had stolen them.
- BSB If you find your gods with anyone here, he shall not live! In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself if anything is yours, and take it back.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the idols.
- 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.
- NASB The one with whom you find your gods shall not live; in the presence of our relatives point out what is yours among my belongings and take it for yourself.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
- NLT But as for your gods, see if you can find them, and let the person who has taken them die! And if you find anything else that belongs to you, identify it before all these relatives of ours, and I will give it back!” But Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the household idols.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jacob, unaware of Rachel's theft, rashly declares that whoever has the gods shall die. His ignorance places Rachel in grave danger.
Overview
Jacob's confident offer to let Laban search reflects his clean conscience, but his pronouncement of death unwittingly endangers Rachel. The narrator's note that Jacob did not know creates dramatic tension. Some readers connect this rash vow to Rachel's later death in childbirth (Genesis 35:18-19), though Scripture does not explicitly draw that link, so caution is warranted.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Gen 31:23And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days’ journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.
- Gen 31:30And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father’s house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?
- Gen 31:19And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father’s.
- 1 Sam 12:3–5Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.
- Gen 44:9–12With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord’s bondmen.
- Gen 30:33So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me.
- 2 Cor 12:17–19Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?
- 1 Sam 14:24–29And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.
- 2 Cor 8:20–21Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us:
- Gen 19:7And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.
- Gen 13:8And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 31:32 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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