Genesis 31:35 - Exposition

And she said to her father, —"covering theft by subtlety and untruth" (Kalisch), and thus proving herself a time daughter of Laban, as well as showing with how much imperfection her religious character was tainted— Let it not displease my lord —literally, let it not burn with anger ( יִחַר , from חָרָה , to glow, to burn) in the eyes of my lord (Adoni)— that I cannot rise up before thee ;—Oriental politeness required children to rise up in the presence of their parents ( vide Le Genesis 19:32 ; and cf. 1 Kings 2:19 ). Hence Rachel's apology was not unnecessary— for the custom of women —(literally, the way of women ; a periphrasis for menstruation (cf. Genesis 18:11 ) which, under the law, required females, as ceremonially unclean, to be put apart (Le Genesis 15:19 ). That, prior to the law, this particular statute concerning women was in force among the Aramaeans appears from the present instance; and that it was not exclusively Jewish, but shared in by other nations of antiquity, is the opinion of the best authorities. Roberts mentions that under similar circumstances with Rachel no one in India goes to the temple or any religious ceremony— is upon me . It is just possible Rachel may have been speaking the exact truth, though the probability is she was guilty of fabrication. And he searched (everywhere except among the camel's furniture, partly from fear of defilement, but chiefly as regarding it impossible that Rachel in her then state would sit upon his gods), but found not the images (teraphim). The three times repeated phrase "he found not," emphasizes the completeness, of Lahan's deception.