Discovery BoxGenesis 31:30 
Context31:30 Now I understand that 1 you have gone away 2 because you longed desperately 3 for your father’s house. Yet why did you steal my gods?” 4
Genesis 31:32
Context31:32 Whoever has taken your gods will be put to death! 5 In the presence of our relatives 6 identify whatever is yours and take it.” 7 (Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.) 8
1 tn Heb “and now.” The words “I understand that” have been supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
2 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the perfect verbal form to emphasize the certainty of the action.
3 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the perfect verbal form to emphasize the degree of emotion involved.
4 sn Yet why did you steal my gods? This last sentence is dropped into the speech rather suddenly. See C. Mabee, “Jacob and Laban: The Structure of Judicial Proceedings,” VT 30 (1980): 192-207, and G. W. Coats, “Self-Abasement and Insult Formulas,” JBL 91 (1972): 90-92.
5 tn Heb “With whomever you find your gods, he will not live.”
6 tn Heb “brothers.”
7 tn Heb “recognize for yourself what is with me and take for yourself.”
8 tn The disjunctive clause (introduced here by a vav [ו] conjunction) provides supplemental material that is important to the story. Since this material is parenthetical in nature, it has been placed in parentheses in the translation.
