Genesis 31:33-35

31:33 So Laban entered Jacob’s tent, and Leah’s tent, and the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find the idols. ¹  Then he left Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s. ²  31:34 (Now Rachel had taken the idols and put them inside her camel’s saddle ³  and sat on them.) ⁴  Laban searched the whole tent, but did not find them. ⁵  31:35 Rachel ⁶  said to her father, “Don’t be angry, ⁷  my lord. I cannot stand up ⁸  in your presence because I am having my period.” ⁹  So he searched thoroughly, ¹⁰  but did not find the idols.

[31:33]  ¹ tn No direct object is specified for the verb “find” in the Hebrew text. The words “the idols” have been supplied in the translation for clarification.

[31:33]  ² tn Heb “and he went out from the tent of Leah and went into the tent of Rachel.”

[31:34]  ³ tn The “camel’s saddle” was probably some sort of basket-saddle, a cushioned saddle with a basket bound on. Cf. NAB “inside a camel cushion.”

[31:34]  ⁴ tn The disjunctive clause (introduced by a vav [ו] conjunction) provides another parenthetical statement necessary to the storyline.

[31:34]  ⁵ tn The word “them” has been supplied in the translation for clarification.

[31:35]  ⁵ tn Heb “she”; the referent (Rachel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[31:35]  ⁶ tn Heb “let it not be hot in the eyes of my lord.” This idiom refers to anger, in this case as a result of Rachel’s failure to stand in the presence of her father as a sign of respect.

[31:35]  ⁷ tn Heb “I am unable to rise.”

[31:35]  ⁸ tn Heb “the way of women is to me.” This idiom refers to a woman’s menstrual period.

[31:35]  ⁹ tn The word “thoroughly” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied.