The Meaning of Genesis 31:35 Explained

Genesis 31:35

KJV: And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched, but found not the images.

YLT: and she saith unto her father, 'Let it not be displeasing in the eyes of my lord that I am not able to rise at thy presence, for the way of women is on me;' and he searcheth, and hath not found the teraphim.

Darby: And she said to her father, Let it not be an occasion of anger in the eyes of my lord that I cannot rise up before thee, for it is with me after the manner of women. And he searched carefully, but did not find the teraphim.

ASV: And she said to her father, Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise up before thee; for the manner of women is upon me. And he searched, but found not the teraphim.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And she said  to her father,  Let it not displease  my lord  that I cannot  rise up  before thee;  for the custom  of women  [is] upon me. And he searched,  but found  not the images. 

What does Genesis 31:35 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 31:35 mean?

And she said to her father not - let it displease my lord that cannot I rise before you for the manner of women [is] with me And he searched but not did find - the household idols
וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֶל־ אָבִ֗יהָ אַל־ יִ֙חַר֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י אֲדֹנִ֔י כִּ֣י ל֤וֹא אוּכַל֙ לָק֣וּם מִפָּנֶ֔יךָ כִּי־ דֶ֥רֶךְ נָשִׁ֖ים לִ֑י וַיְחַפֵּ֕שׂ וְלֹ֥א מָצָ֖א אֶת־ הַתְּרָפִֽים

וַתֹּ֣אמֶר  And  she  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אָבִ֗יהָ  her  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
יִ֙חַר֙  - 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: חָרָה  
Sense: to be hot, furious, burn, become angry, be kindled.
בְּעֵינֵ֣י  let  it  displease 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, cdc
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
אֲדֹנִ֔י  my  lord 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
כִּ֣י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
ל֤וֹא  cannot 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
לָק֣וּם  rise 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
מִפָּנֶ֔יךָ  before  you 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, common plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
דֶ֥רֶךְ  the  manner 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
נָשִׁ֖ים  of  women  [is] 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
לִ֑י  with  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
וַיְחַפֵּ֕שׂ  And  he  searched 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָפַשׂ  
Sense: to search, search for, to search out, disguise oneself.
וְלֹ֥א  but  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
מָצָ֖א  did  find 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third 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.
הַתְּרָפִֽים  the  household  idols 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: תְּרָפִים  
Sense: idolatry, idols, image(s), teraphim, family idol.