We are moving into chapter 31 of Genesis with our word for today used 8 times in the chapter. תִּגְנֹ֣ב the root of our word is גָּנַב steal, to take away by theft, to take without the owner’s consent, deceive. It is used 40 times in the Old Testament. In our chapter we find it used in two different senses as a play on words. Genesis 31:20, 26 And Jacob יִּגְנֹ֣ב tricked Laban the Aramean, by not telling him that he intended to flee. These two verses show it used as deception in our chapter. The rest of the time it refers to actual theft. Genesis 31:19 Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel תִּגְנֹ֣ב stole her father’s household gods. Genesis 31:30 And now you have gone away because you longed greatly for your father's house, but why did you גָנַ֖בְתָּ steal my gods?” Genesis 31:32 Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had גְּנָבָֽתַם stolen them. What I find interesting is that we see this play on words when we look at both verse 19 and 20 next to each other. Genesis 31:19-21 When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel תִּגְנֹ֣ב stole her father’s household gods. Moreover, Jacob יִּגְנֹ֣ב deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him he was running away. So in other words Rachel stole her Dad’s household gods while he wasn’t looking and Jacob stole himself and his family away when he wasn’t looking. This is probably to increase the impact that it had on Laban who realized he had been tricked when he wasn’t looking.
God clearly identifies stealing as a sin. Exodus 20:15 You shall not תִּגְנֹ֣ב steal. Zechariah 5:3 Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole land. For everyone who הַגֹּנֵ֗ב steals shall be cleaned out according to what is on one side, and everyone who swears falsely shall be cleaned out according to what is on the other side. God also includes this sin in the list of what he calls an abomination. Jeremiah 7:9Will you הֲגָנֹ֤בsteal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are delivered!’—only to go on doing all these abominations? Jacob himself reacts to this charge of stealing showing the same contempt for it as God himself. Genesis 31:32 Anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our kinsmen point out what I have that is yours, and take it.” One observation about all of this is that Jacob’s parents didn’t want him to marry any of the women where they lived because of their influence on their son’s relationship with God. And here we find Rachel stealing. One thing about God is he is honest with us about our sin and doesn’t cover it up. Tomorrow we will look at house hold gods or idols that Rachel stole. The good news is that God uses imperfect people like Rachel, and us, to accomplish his purposes through.
