The Meaning of Genesis 31:32 Explained

Genesis 31:32

KJV: With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.

YLT: with whomsoever thou findest thy gods -- he doth not live; before our brethren discern for thyself what is with me, and take to thyself:' and Jacob hath not known that Rachel hath stolen them.

Darby: With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, he shall not live. Before our brethren discern what is thine with me, and take it to thee. But Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

ASV: With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, he shall not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

With whomsoever  thou findest  thy gods,  let him not live:  before  our brethren  discern  thou what [is] thine with me, and take  [it] to thee. For Jacob  knew  not that Rachel  had stolen  them. 

What does Genesis 31:32 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 31:22-42 - The Dispute Between Laban And Jacob
These chapters afford a remarkable insight into God's forbearance. He knew what was in Jacob's heart, and could see all its weakness and deceit. There was not a thought in his heart or a word on his tongue, but He knew them altogether. Yet God cast the mantle of forgiveness and defense around this most unworthy soul, bidding Laban not to speak to him either good or bad. Indeed, in a later book, we are told, "He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath He seen perverseness in Israel." Not that the holy God was unaware of the evil traits in His child, but that He refused to dwell on them, or to allow himself to be turned away from His purposes of grace. Rachel secretly carried with her the teraphim, which wrought evil throughout the home in after-years, as we shall see. The "fear of Isaac" was on Jacob's lips, but too little of it in his character and surroundings! [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 31:32 mean?

with whomever you find - your gods not do let him live in the presence of our brothers identify of yours what [is] with me and take [it] with you For not did know Jacob that Rachel had stolen them
עִ֠ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּמְצָ֣א אֶת־ אֱלֹהֶיךָ֮ לֹ֣א יִֽחְיֶה֒ נֶ֣גֶד אַחֵ֧ינוּ הַֽכֶּר־ לְךָ֛ מָ֥ה עִמָּדִ֖י וְקַֽח־ לָ֑ךְ וְלֹֽא־ יָדַ֣ע יַעֲקֹ֔ב כִּ֥י רָחֵ֖ל גְּנָבָֽתַם

אֲשֶׁ֨ר  whomever 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
תִּמְצָ֣א  you  find 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
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.
אֱלֹהֶיךָ֮  your  gods 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יִֽחְיֶה֒  do  let  him  live 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
נֶ֣גֶד  in  the  presence 
Parse: Preposition
Root: נֶגֶד  
Sense: what is conspicuous, what is in front of adv.
אַחֵ֧ינוּ  of  our  brothers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
הַֽכֶּר־  identify 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: נָכַר 
Sense: to recognise, acknowledge, know, respect, discern, regard.
לְךָ֛  of  yours 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
עִמָּדִ֖י  [is]  with  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עִמָּד  
Sense: with.
וְקַֽח־  and  take  [it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
לָ֑ךְ  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person feminine singular
וְלֹֽא־  For  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יָדַ֣ע  did  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
יַעֲקֹ֔ב  Jacob 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעֲקֹב  
Sense: son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 2 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel.
כִּ֥י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
רָחֵ֖ל  Rachel 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: רָחֵל  
Sense: daughter of Laban, wife of Jacob, and mother of Joseph and Benjamin.
גְּנָבָֽתַם  had  stolen  them 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: גָּנַב  
Sense: to steal, steal away, carry away.