Genesis 31:19

31:19 While Laban had gone to shear his sheep, ¹  Rachel stole the household idols ²  that belonged to her father.

Genesis 31:1

Jacob’s Flight from Laban

31:1 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were complaining, ³  “Jacob has taken everything that belonged to our father! He has gotten rich ⁴  at our father’s expense!” ⁵ 

Genesis 25:4-8

25:4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were descendants ⁶  of Keturah.

25:5 Everything he owned Abraham left to his son Isaac. 25:6 But while he was still alive, Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines ⁷  and sent them off to the east, away from his son Isaac. ⁸ 

25:7 Abraham lived a total of ⁹  175 years. 25:8 Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man who had lived a full life. ¹⁰  He joined his ancestors. ¹¹ 

Genesis 25:1-2

The Death of Abraham

25:1 Abraham had taken ¹²  another ¹³  wife, named Keturah. 25:2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.

Genesis 13:1

Abram’s Solution to the Strife

13:1 So Abram went up from Egypt into the Negev. ¹⁴  He took his wife and all his possessions with him, as well as Lot. ¹⁵ 

[31:19]  ¹ tn This disjunctive clause (note the pattern conjunction + subject + verb) introduces a new scene. In the English translation it may be subordinated to the following clause.

[31:19]  ² tn Or “household gods.” Some translations merely transliterate the Hebrew term תְּרָפִים (tÿrafim) as “teraphim,” which apparently refers to household idols. Some contend that possession of these idols guaranteed the right of inheritance, but it is more likely that they were viewed simply as protective deities. See M. Greenberg, “Another Look at Rachel’s Theft of the Teraphim,” JBL 81 (1962): 239-48.

[31:1]  ³ tn Heb “and he heard the words of the sons of Laban, saying.”

[31:1]  ⁴ sn The Hebrew word translated “gotten rich” (כָּבוֹד, cavod) has the basic idea of “weight.” If one is heavy with possessions, then that one is wealthy (13:2). Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph all became wealthy when they left the promised land. Jacob’s wealth foreshadows what will happen to Israel when they leave the land of Egypt (Exod 12:35-38).

[31:1]  ⁵ tn Heb “and from that which belonged to our father he has gained all this wealth.”

[25:4]  ⁶ tn Or “sons.”

[25:6]  ⁷ tn Heb “the sons of the concubines who [belonged] to Abraham.”

[25:6]  ⁸ tn Heb “And he sent them away from upon Isaac his son, while he was still living, eastward to the land of the east.”

[25:7]  ⁹ tn Heb “and these are the days of the years of the lifetime of Abraham that he lived.” The normal genealogical formula is expanded here due to the importance of the life of Abraham.

[25:8]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “old and full.”

[25:8]  ¹¹ tn Heb “And he was gathered to his people.” In the ancient Israelite view he joined his deceased ancestors in Sheol, the land of the dead.

[25:1]  ¹² tn Or “took.”

[25:1]  ¹³ tn Heb “And Abraham added and took.”

[13:1]  ¹⁴ tn Or “the South [country]” (also in v. 3).

[13:1]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “And Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all which was his, and Lot with him, to the Negev.”