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Text: Genesis 31: 33-35

MEDITATION

Genesis 31:33-35

33 And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the two maids’ tents, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent.
34 Now Rachel had taken the household idols, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. And Laban searched all about the tent but did not find them.
35 And she said to her father, “Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise before you, for the manner of women is with me.” And he searched but did not find the household idols.

MEANINGFUL APPLICATION TO LIFE

1. A thorough search for the household idols of Laban

a. Jacob’s tent was searched.

b. Leah’s tent was also searched.

c. The tents of the two maids were also searched.

i. They were actually wives of Jacob.

ii. They were also mothers to Jacob’s children.

iii. But their status was still that of “maids”.
At least, each had her own tent.

2. Entering Rachel’s tent

a. Rachel had stolen her father’s idols.

b. She had secreted them away in saddle bags of the camels.

c. Rachel sat on these saddle bags like a chair.

3. Laban’s entry into Rachel’s tent

a. In normal circumstances she would have to stand up in her father’s presence
This was just simply “good manners”.

b. Rachel explained that she could not rise to pay respects to her father
She was having her menstruation at that time (“the way of women”).

c. Laban searched thoroughly but no idols were found. He could not imagine anyone sitting on his idols, least of all a woman who was having her period. She would be considered “unclean”.

经文：创世记 31：33-35

沉思

《创世记 31：33-35》
33 拉班进了雅各、利亚并两个使女的帐篷，都没有搜出来，就从利亚的帐篷出来，进了拉结的帐篷。
34 拉结已经把神像藏在骆驼的驮篓里，便坐在上头。拉班摸遍了那帐篷，并没有摸着。

35 拉结对她父亲说：“现在我身上不便，不能在你面前起来，求我主不要生气。”这样，拉班搜寻神像，竟没有搜出来。

在生活里有意义地应用

1. 仔细地搜寻拉班家里的神像

a. 雅各的帐篷被搜

b. 利亚的帐篷也被搜

c. 两个使女的帐篷也被搜

i. 她们其实是雅各的妻子

ii. 她们也是雅各孩子们的母亲

iii. 可她们的地位仍然是‘使女’。

至少她们有自己的帐篷。

2. 进入拉结的帐篷

a. 拉结偷了她父亲的神像

b. 她把神像藏在骆驼的驮篓里

c. 拉结就像坐在椅子上一样地坐在驮篓上头

3. 拉班进入拉结的帐篷

a. 在普通的情形下，她在父亲面前是需要站起来的。这是“有礼貌”的行为。

b. 拉结解释说她不能站起来向父亲敬礼。她正在经期 （“身上不便”）

c. 拉班仔细地搜寻了，可就是找不到神像。他万万没有想到有人会坐在他的神像上，更别说是一个正有着经期的女人。她算是“不洁净”的。