Genesis 31:34
ESV
Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in the camel 's saddle and sat on them. Laban felt all about the tent, but did not find them.
NIV
Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them inside her camel’s saddle and was sitting on them. Laban searched through everything in the tent but found nothing.
NASB
Now Rachel had taken the household idols and put them in the camel’s saddlebag, and she sat on them. So Laban searched through all the tent, but did not find them.
CSB
Now Rachel had taken Laban’s household idols, put them in the saddlebag of the camel, and sat on them. Laban searched the whole tent but found nothing.
NLT
But Rachel had taken the household idols and hidden them in her camel saddle, and now she was sitting on them. When Laban had thoroughly searched her tent without finding them,
KJV
Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.
NKJV
Now Rachel had taken the household idols, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. And Laban searched all about the tent but did not find them.
What does Genesis 31:34 mean?
Laban is searching, tent by tent, for his stolen house idols. He is convinced Jacob has stolen them, since they went missing when Jacob fled. And, Laban is right, in the sense that they were stolen by someone in Jacob's camp (Genesis 31:19). However, Jacob knows he did not take them, does not know anyone in his family to have them, and is convinced nobody in his company has them. Unfortunately, Jacob is wrong. His wife Rachel has stolen them, and now faces a death sentence if they are found during a search (Genesis 31:32).Laban has searched the other tents and now arrives at Rachel's. She has hidden them in a camel saddle in her tent and is sitting on the saddle as her father searches. Laban is thorough. He doesn't just look around; Laban sticks his hands on and under things, feeling around to see if the idols have been stashed somewhere tricky. Does he suspect that Rachel may have taken them, after all?
