Genesis 31:33

33 Laban went into Jacob's tent, Leah's tent, and her two servants' tent and didn't find them. So he left Leah's tent and went into Rachel's.

Genesis 31:33 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 31:33

And Laban went into Jacob's tent
Into that first where he most suspected they were, being taken not out of value for them, but contempt of them; and into Leah's tent;
and not Leah's tent next, whom next to Jacob he might suspect of taking them, out of veneration to them, because her tent lay next: and into the two maidservants' tents:
Bilhah and Zilpah; or "the" tent of them; for the word is singular, and perhaps they had but one tent for them both, which distinguished them from the principal wives: but he found [them] not;
in neither of these tents: then went he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent;
which he went into last of all, as least suspecting her, being less addicted to the superstition and idolatry of his family than Leah and the maidservants: Aben Ezra thinks that he was twice in Leah's tent, and at the last time came out of that into Rachel's; and that Jacob's tent lay between Leah's and Rachel's. From this account it more clearly appears that men and their wives had separate tents or apartments; see ( Genesis 24:67 ) .

Genesis 31:33 In-Context

31 Jacob responded to Laban, "I was afraid and convinced myself that you would take your daughters away from me.
32 Whomever you find with your divine images won't live. Identify whatever I have that is yours, in front of your brothers, and take it." Jacob didn't know that Rachel had stolen them.
33 Laban went into Jacob's tent, Leah's tent, and her two servants' tent and didn't find them. So he left Leah's tent and went into Rachel's.
34 Now Rachel had taken the divine images and put them into the camel's saddlebag and sat on them. Laban felt around in the whole tent but couldn't find them.
35 Rachel said to her father, "Sir, don't be angry with me because I can't get up for you; I'm having my period." He searched but couldn't find the divine images.
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