Genesis 31:33

 Genesis 31:33

And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maidservants' tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.

a. NASB 1995: So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two maids, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent. [New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB1995) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.]

b. YLT: And Laban goeth into the tent of Jacob, and into the tent of Leah, and into the tent of the two handmaidens, and hath not found; and he goeth out from the tent of Leah, and goeth into the tent of Rachel.  [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified: So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and the tent of the two maids, but he did not find them. Then he went from Leah’s tent into Rachel’s tent.  [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Stone Edition THE CHUMASH, Rabbinic Commentary:  Laban came into Jacobs tent, and into Leah’s tent, and into the tent of the two maidservants, but he found nothing. When he had left Leah’s tent, he came into Rachel’s tent.  [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE CHUMASH Copyright 1998, 2000 by MESORAH PUBLICATIONS, Ldt.]

e. ESV: So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent and into the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find them. And he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s. [Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

f. Unless otherwise stated, all Greek and Hebrew definitions are from Blue Letter Bible

1. “And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maidservants' tents; but he found them not…”

a. [And] Laban 3837 Lâbân, law-bawn'; the same as H3836; Laban, a Mesopotamian; also a place in the Desert:—Laban.]

b. went [Strong: 935 bôwʼ, bo; a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications):—abide, apply, attain, × be, befall, besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, × certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, × doubtless again, eat, employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, have, × indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, × (well) stricken (in age), × surely, take (in), way.]

c. [into] Jacob’s [Strong: 3290 Yaʻăqôb, yah-ak-obe'; from H6117; heel-catcher (i.e. supplanter); Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarch:—Jacob.]

d. tent [Strong: 168 ʼôhel, o'-hel; from H166; a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance):—covering, (dwelling) (place), home, tabernacle, tent.]

e. [and into] Leah’s [Strong: 3812 Lêʼâh, lay-aw'; from H3811; weary; Leah, a wife of Jacob:—Leah.]

f. tent [Strong: 168 ʼôhel, o'-hel; from H166; a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance):—covering, (dwelling) (place), home, tabernacle, tent.]

g. [and into the] two [Strong: 8147 shᵉnayim, shen-ah'-yim; dual of H8145; feminine שְׁתַּיִם shᵉttayim; two; also (as ordinal) twofold:—both, couple, double, second, twain, twelfth, twelve, twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.]

h. maidservants [Strong: 519 ʼâmâh, aw-maw'; apparently a primitive word; a maid-servant or female slave:—(hand-) bondmaid(-woman), maid(-servant).]

i. tents [Strong: 168 ʼôhel, o'-hel; from H166; a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance):—covering, (dwelling) (place), home, tabernacle, tent.]

1). Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges: Four tents are mentioned, one occupied by Jacob, one each by Leah and Rachel, and one by handmaidens.

2). Only the KJV says the the plural “tents” referring to the two maidservants tent. It is probable that the two maidservants shared one tent.  

j.  [but] found [Strong: 4672 mâtsâʼ, maw-tsaw'; a primitive root; properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present:— be able, befall, being, catch, × certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), × have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-) on, meet (with), × occasion serve, (be) present, ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.]

k. [them] not [Strong: 3808 lôʼ, lo; or לוֹא lôwʼ; or לֹה lôh; (Deuteronomy 3:11), a primitive particle; + not (the simple or abstract negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles:—× before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (× as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, + of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.]

2.  “...Then went he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.”

a. [Then] went [he] [Strong: 3318 yâtsâʼ, yaw-tsaw'; a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.:—× after, appear, × assuredly, bear out, × begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence, out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out), going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out, lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, × scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring out, stand out, × still, × surely, take forth (out), at any time, × to (and fro), utter.]

b. [out of] Leah’s [Strong: 3812 Lêʼâh, lay-aw'; from H3811; weary; Leah, a wife of Jacob:—Leah.]

c. tent [Strong: 168 ʼôhel, o'-hel; from H166; a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance):—covering, (dwelling) (place), home, tabernacle, tent.]

d. [and] entered [Strong: 935 bôwʼ, bo; a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications):—abide, apply, attain, × be, befall, besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, × certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, × doubtless again, eat, employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, have, × indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, × (well) stricken (in age), × surely, take (in), way.]

e. [into] Rachel’s [Strong: 7354 Râchêl, raw-khale'; the same as H7353; Rachel, a wife of Jacob:—Rachel.]

f. tent [Strong: 168 ʼôhel, o'-hel; from H166; a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance):—covering, (dwelling) (place), home, tabernacle, tent.]

1). Why did Rachel steal her father’s idols? I am not satisfied by any comments I have seen, Rabbinical or Christian. My personal opinion is Rachel was trying to get back at her father, perhaps in a monetary way. I base this on what was said after Jacob had convinced the two sisters to leave.

a). Genesis 31:14-16 And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?

31:15 Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.

31:16 For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children's: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.