The Meaning of Genesis 31:19 Explained

Genesis 31:19

KJV: And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's.

YLT: And Laban hath gone to shear his flock, and Rachel stealeth the teraphim which her father hath;

Darby: And Laban had gone to shear his sheep. And Rachel stole the teraphim that belonged to her father.

ASV: Now Laban was gone to shear his sheep: and Rachel stole the teraphim that were her father's.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Laban  went  to shear  his sheep:  and Rachel  had stolen  the images  that [were] her father's. 

What does Genesis 31:19 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 31:1-21 - Jacob Leaves Laban
Jacob was a remarkable mixture. He had an eminently religious nature, and had intimate dealings with God. Note Genesis 31:3; Genesis 31:5; Genesis 31:7; Genesis 31:18. But he grossly misrepresented God's dealings with him when he gave his wives the reasons on which he proposed flight. Note Genesis 31:9; Genesis 31:13. So the flesh and spirit struggle for mastery within us all, and only as the grace of God enters our hearts can we come into the absolute supremacy of the spiritual and divine, Galatians 5:17. The secret departure was very undignified and unworthy of the heir of the promises. The command to return was of God, and what He commands He becomes responsible for. Besides, had not the Almighty promised to keep him in all places? See Genesis 28:15. When we are on God's plan, we may reckon on Him absolutely. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 31

1  Jacob, displeased with the envy of Laban and his sons, departs secretly
19  Rachel steals her father's household gods
22  Laban pursues after him, and complains of the wrong
34  Rachel's plan to hide the images
36  Jacob's complaint of Laban
43  The covenant of Laban and Jacob at Galeed

What do the individual words in Genesis 31:19 mean?

Now Laban had gone to shear - his sheep and had stolen Rachel the household idols that were unto her father
וְלָבָ֣ן הָלַ֔ךְ לִגְזֹ֖ז אֶת־ צֹאנ֑וֹ וַתִּגְנֹ֣ב רָחֵ֔ל הַתְּרָפִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְאָבִֽיהָ

וְלָבָ֣ן  Now  Laban 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: לָבָן 
Sense: son of Bethuel, brother of Rebekah, and father of Leah and Rachel.
הָלַ֔ךְ  had  gone 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
לִגְזֹ֖ז  to  shear 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: גָּזַז  
Sense: to shear, mow.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
צֹאנ֑וֹ  his  sheep 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
וַתִּגְנֹ֣ב  and  had  stolen 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: גָּנַב  
Sense: to steal, steal away, carry away.
רָחֵ֔ל  Rachel 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: רָחֵל  
Sense: daughter of Laban, wife of Jacob, and mother of Joseph and Benjamin.
הַתְּרָפִ֖ים  the  household  idols 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: תְּרָפִים  
Sense: idolatry, idols, image(s), teraphim, family idol.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  that  were 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
לְאָבִֽיהָ  unto  her  father 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.