Genesis 31:30 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And now you have gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?”

NIV: Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father's household. But why did you steal my gods?'

NASB: Now you have indeed gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house; but why did you steal my gods?'

CSB: Now you have gone off because you long for your father's family--but why have you stolen my gods? "

NLT: I can understand your feeling that you must go, and your intense longing for your father’s home. But why have you stolen my gods?'

KJV: And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?

NKJV: And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?”

After delivering his initial confrontation against Jacob for fleeing with no warning, Laban now expresses a hint of sympathy for Jacob. He decides that Jacob longed greatly—or "yearned"—for his father's house. Laban seems to understand that his son-in-law wanted to go home. As angry as he might be, and as much as his reputation suggests he's more interested in money than family (Genesis 31:14–16), Laban seems resolved to set other issues aside and allow Jacob to leave. This, in no small part, comes due to God's message to Laban, mentioned in verse 24: don't interfere with Jacob.

Before they part ways, however, Laban has one more accusation for Jacob: Why did you steal my gods? This is a reference to the idols stolen by Rachel (Genesis 31:19), an act no one—including Jacob—was aware of at the time. These idols were common in that era, and were probably intended to bring luck or protection to the family. This accusation, far more than the others, carries some legal heft. There is no question that stealing those objects, idols or not, was a theft of something of real value to Laban. In addition to spiritual issues, the house idols may have been seen as a kind of legal marker indicating who was the true owner or inheritor of the estate. Laban might be legitimately concerned that Jacob will return after his death and demand to take an inheritance.

Genesis 31:22–42 recounts Laban's pursuit of Jacob and his large company, after learning his son-in-law has left for Canaan without telling him. It takes a week, but Laban catches up. Warned by God in a dream not to say anything to Jacob ''either good or bad,'' Laban instead expresses his hurt to Jacob and accuses him of stealing Laban's house idols. When a search for the idols—cleverly hidden by Rachel without Jacob's knowledge—turns up nothing, Jacob finally expresses all of his complaints about Laban's unfair treatment of him in spite of twenty years of faithful service.

Genesis 31 describes Jacob's difficult separation from Laban, his father-in-law, as well as his boss for twenty years. During that time, Jacob was routinely mistreated and cheated by his master. Commanded by God to return to the land of Canaan, Jacob packs up his wives, children, and all of his possessions and leaves without telling Laban. Laban soon catches up with the large company. Laban and Jacob confront each other bitterly. Eventually, though, they make a covenant of separation and peace.

Genesis 30 described the dramatic expansion of Jacob's family and property. Now, after twenty years of working for Laban, the time comes for Jacob to return to his own people. He attempts to sneak away without telling Laban, but Laban soon catches up with him. After bitter confrontations, father and son-in-law make a covenant of separation and peace. Jacob is finally free to begin the next chapter of his life in the Promised Land. First, though, he will need to deal with his brother Esau, whose rage was the main reason Jacob fled in the first place. That encounter is described over the following two chapters.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.