Genesis 31:19 New International Version (NIV)
19 When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household gods.
Many people at this time had wooden or metal idols. These were household idols that were thought to protect the home and offer advice when in need. They also had legal significance to the family. They were passed on to an heir. The person who received them could claim the largest portion of the family inheritance. Rachel stole her father’s idols. We are not sure of her reason, but with her father’s ill treatment of Jacob, her sister, and of her; they had to leave. She may have wanted to hurt her father as much as he had hurt her and her new family. She knew she would never be a part of her family inheritance. We know that idols are just objects. We know that God knows our hearts and minds. Jacob followed the Lord. He and his family were in God’s care. That is better than any old idol.
