Genesis 31:33

33 Laban went and searched Jacob's tent; then he went into Leah's tent, and the tent of the two slave women, but he did not find his gods. Then he went into Rachel's tent.

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 answered, "I was afraid, because I thought that you might take your daughters away from me.
32 But if you find that anyone here has your gods, he will be put to death. Here, with our men as witnesses, look for anything that belongs to you and take what is yours." Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen Laban's gods.
33 Laban went and searched Jacob's tent; then he went into Leah's tent, and the tent of the two slave women, but he did not find his gods. Then he went into Rachel's tent.
34 Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in a camel's saddlebag and was sitting on them. Laban searched through the whole tent, but did not find them.
35 Rachel said to her father, "Do not be angry with me, sir, but I am not able to stand up in your presence; I am having my monthly period." Laban searched but did not find his household gods.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.