Genesis 31:30
◄  Genesis 31:30  ►
New International Version (©2011)
Now you have gone off because you longed to return to your father's household. But why did you steal my gods?"

New Living Translation (©2007)
I can understand your feeling that you must go, and your intense longing for your father's home. But why have you stolen my gods?"

English Standard Version (©2001)
And now you have gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?”

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
"Now you have indeed gone away because you longed greatly for your father's house; but why did you steal my gods?"

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
Now you have gone off because you long for your father--but why have you stolen my gods?"

International Standard Version (©2012)
Now, you can go if you must go, because you certainly are longing to go to your father's house. But why did you steal my gods?"

NET Bible (©2006)
Now I understand that you have gone away because you longed desperately for your father's house. Yet why did you steal my gods?"

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Now you have left for your father's home because you were so homesick. But why did you steal my gods?"

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And now, though you would wish to be gone, because you greatly longed after your father's house, yet why have you stolen my gods?

American King James Version
And now, though you would needs be gone, because you sore longed after your father's house, yet why have you stolen my gods?

American Standard Version
And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Suppose thou didst desire to go to thy friends, and hadst a longing after thy father's house: why hast thou stolen away my gods?

Darby Bible Translation
And now that thou must needs be gone, because thou greatly longedst after thy father's house, why hast thou stolen my gods?

English Revised Version
And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?

Webster's Bible Translation
And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou didst earnestly long after thy father's house; yet why hast thou stolen my gods?

World English Bible
Now, you want to be gone, because you greatly longed for your father's house, but why have you stolen my gods?"

Young's Literal Translation
'And now, thou hast certainly gone, because thou hast been very desirous for the house of thy father; why hast thou stolen my gods?'

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

31:22-35 God can put a bridle in the mouth of wicked men, to restrain their malice, though he do not change their hearts. Though they have no love to God's people, they will pretend to it, and try to make a merit of necessity. Foolish Laban! to call those things his gods which could be stolen! Enemies may steal our goods, but not our God. Here Laban lays to Jacob's charge things that he knew not. Those who commit their cause to God, are not forbidden to plead it themselves with meekness and fear. When we read of Rachel's stealing her father's images, what a scene of iniquity opens! The family of Nahor, who left the idolatrous Chaldees; is this family itself become idolatrous? It is even so. The truth seems to be, that they were like some in after-times, who sware by the Lord and by Malcham, Zep 1:5; and like others in our times, who wish to serve both God and mammon. Great numbers will acknowledge the true God in words, but their hearts and houses are the abodes of spiritual idolatry. When a man gives himself up to covetousness, like Laban, the world is his god; and he has only to reside among gross idolaters in order to become one, or at least a favourer of their abominations.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone,.... Or, "in going wouldest go" (i), was determined upon it, and in haste to do it:

because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, or "desiring didst desire it" (k); had a vehement desire for it, which Laban signifies he should not have opposed, if he had let him know his mind: but be it so that he had ever so great desire to leave him and return to his father's house, says he:

yet, wherefore, hast thou stolen my gods? what reason had he for that? if he took away himself, his wives, his children, his goods, what business had he with his gods? he could not claim these as his, meaning the images or teraphim before mentioned, Genesis 31:19; by which it appears that Laban was some way or other guilty of idolatry in the use of these images; looking upon them as types, or representations of God, as Josephus (l) calls them, and worshipped God in them, or along with them and by them; for he could never think they were truly and really gods, that could not preserve themselves from being stolen away, and that must be a poor god that a man may be robbed of.

(i) "eundo ivisti", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius. (k) "desiderando desiderabis", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Drusius, Piscator. (l) Antiqu. l. 1. c. 19. sect. 9.

Genesis 31:30 Parallel Commentaries

Genesis 31:30 NIV
Genesis 31:30 NLT
Genesis 31:30 ESV
Genesis 31:30 NASB
Genesis 31:30 KJV

Bible Hub: Online Parallel Bible


Laban Pursues Jacob
…29It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, Take you heed that you speak not to Jacob either good or bad. 30And now, though you would needs be gone, because you sore longed after your father's house, yet why have you stolen my gods? 31And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure you would take by force your daughters from me. …

Genesis 31:19 When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father's household gods.
Genesis 31:31 Jacob answered Laban, "I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force.
Genesis 35:2 So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes.
Joshua 24:2 Joshua said to all the people, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Long ago your ancestors, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods.
Judges 18:17 The five men who had spied out the land went inside and took the idol, the ephod and the household gods while the priest and the six hundred armed men stood at the entrance of the gate.
Judges 18:24 He replied, "You took the gods I made, and my priest, and went away. What else do I have? How can you ask, 'What's the matter with you?'"
Ezekiel 21:21 For the king of Babylon will stop at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: He will cast lots with arrows, he will consult his idols, he will examine the liver.