Verse 19
19. Laban went to shear his sheep This afforded an opportunity for Jacob to effect his escape without trouble or excitement, for he feared forcible opposition from Laban . Genesis 31:31.
Had stolen Or, stole . While Laban went to the shearing, she steals .
The images The teraphim . This word is always used in the plural, and is of uncertain origin . It appears to denote a sort of household gods, ( Penates,) common in Syria, and often consulted as domestic oracles . By these probably Laban was wont to divine, (Genesis 30:27, note,) and Rachel’s object in taking them was both to prevent their being used by her father to her disadvantage, and also for her own domestic interests . Comp . Judges 17:5; Ezekiel 21:21; Zechariah 10:2; and note on Joshua 24:14. The teraphim were small images of human form, though sometimes of life size. 1 Samuel 19:13. They were essentially connected with idolatrous ideas and practices, and seem to have served as a transition from Monotheism unto Polytheism. In some such transition state Laban appears to have been, and from it Rachel was not free. Other members of Jacob’s household also clung to similar superstitions and carried off strange gods with them. Comp. Genesis 35:2-4.
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