Verses 17-21
"Rachel’s theft of her father’s idols [teraphim] . . . reflects the Hurrian custom of keeping household gods. . . . Nevertheless, the real significance of what she did, and perhaps the reason for the theft, lies in the fact that according to the Nuzi tablets he who possessed the household gods was the legitimate heir." [Note: West, p. 70.]
Other writers, however, dispute this significance of the household gods at this time, as well as Rachel’s motivation.
"The supposed role of the teraphim . . . as constituting the title-deeds to inheritances . . . seems also to be fallacious; . . . . Rachel simply took them for her own protection and blessing." [Note: Kitchen, The Bible . . ., p. 70. Cf. Barker, p. 135.]
These gods were usually small figurines (two to three inches long), sometimes carried on the body as charms, many of which archaeologists have discovered. They may have represented departed ancestors or gods that their makers venerated. [Note: See Wenham, Genesis 16-50, p. 273.] Rachel may also have hoped they would make her a fruitful mother. [Note: See M. Greenberg, "Another Look at Rachel’s Theft of the Teraphim," Journal of Biblical Literature 81 (1962):247; Harry A. Hoffner Jr., "The Linguistic Origins of Teraphim," Bibliotheca Sacra (July-September 1967):230-38; Gerhard Mehlman, "Genesis 31:19-39: An Interpretation," Journal of Reform Judaism 29:3 (Summer 1982):33-36; and Mathews, Genesis 11:27-50:26, pp. 518-19.]
"It is curious that Rachel, and not Leah should have almost always turned out to be Jacob’s greatest hindrance in life." [Note: Thomas, p. 285.]
The writer identified Jacob’s deception as such when he fled from Paddan-aram (Genesis 31:20).
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