Genesis 31:35

35 She said to her father, "Sir, don't be angry that I cannot stand up in your presence;^[a] I am having my monthly period." So Laban searched, but could not find the household idols.

Genesis 31:35 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 31:35

And she said to her father
As he approached nearer to her, having searched her tent all over: let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee:
she addresses him with great honour and respect; calling him her lord, being her father, though an unkind one, and entreats him not to be displeased that she did not rise up and yield that obeisance to him which was due from her to a father: for the custom of women [is] upon me;
her menstrues; which before the law of Moses were reckoned a pollution, and such persons were not to be touched or come near unto, and everything they sat upon was unclean, and not to be touched also; ( Leviticus 15:19-23 ) ; and he searched;
all about her, and around her; but did not oblige her to get up, nor could he imagine that ever the images could be under her in such circumstances: but found not the images;
and so left off searching; nor do we find that he searched the flock for any of his cattle there, knowing full well Jacob's honesty and integrity.

Genesis 31:35 In-Context

33 So Laban went into Jacob's tent, then Leah's tent, and then the tents of the two female slaves, but he found nothing. Then he left Leah's tent and entered Rachel's.

34 Now Rachel had taken Laban's household idols, put them in the saddlebag of the camel, and sat on them. Laban searched the whole tent but found nothing.

35 She said to her father, "Sir, don't be angry that I cannot stand up in your presence; I am having my monthly period." So Laban searched, but could not find the household idols.

36 Then Jacob became incensed and brought charges against Laban. "What is my crime?" he said to Laban. "What is my sin, that you have pursued me?

37 You've searched all my possessions! Have you found anything of yours? Put it here before my relatives and yours, and let them decide between the two of us.

Footnotes

• [a]. Lv 19:32