GENESIS 31:17-22

 

Q: What were the household gods that Rachel and Leah took from their father?

 

Household gods (terephim) appear in 15 different Old Testament stories covering all periods of Jewish history. Some of these stories indicate that the terephim were used in pagan divination practices. They are images that may range from very small statues (as in this story) to life-size, as possessed by Michel, David's wife (I Samuel 19:11-17). They are usually specifically condemned by God.

The fact that Laban possessed these images indicates that he was not a true follower of God, or at the very best, a synchretist (one who combines the beliefs of several different religions). His daughter Rachel apparently inherited some of his beliefs.

The fact that Laban possessed these images indicates that he was not a true follower of God, or at the very best, a synchretist (one who combines the beliefs of several different religions). His daughter Rachel apparently inherited some of his beliefs.

However, there is another dimension to the story. We know from the practices of Canaanite people that possession of terephim by the head of a family was a way of proving ownership of ancestral property. Thus, Rachel may have stolen them with the idea in mind that Jacob could return after Laban's death and use them to claim inheritance of his land.