Genesis 31:33-35

‘And Laban went into Jacob's tent and into Leah's tent and into the tent of the two maidservants, but he did not find them. And he left Leah's tent and went into Rachel's tent. But Rachel had taken the teraphim and put them in the camel's furniture and sat on them. And Laban felt all about the tent and did not find them. And she said to her father, “Let not my lord be angry that I cannot stand up before you, for the way of women is on me.” And he searched but did not find the teraphim.'

Laban is still convinced that it is Jacob who has stolen them. He searches all the tents thoroughly without exception. The teraphim were clearly too large to be hidden on the person, although not so large that they could not be hidden in the camel's furniture. It is clear that Jacob watches the process in anger. He does not like all his personal belongings being searched (Genesis 31:37).

Entering women's quarters was only justified in extreme circumstances and Laban does it himself. They are members of his family. But he finds nothing. Then he enters Rachel's quarters. That he accepts his daughter's word suggests that he cannot bring himself to believe that his own daughters would deceive him, for had he doubted it he would have been more than suspicious. But like many arrogant people he is oblivious to how badly he has treated them and never suspects for one moment that they are resentful. We must always remember that how we treat people will at some time rebound on us.

There is possibly in the description an underlying contempt for such idols. They are hidden under a woman in her uncleanness. They are a nothing, and can do nothing.

It is interesting that only the leader and his wives have tents. The servants and their wives sleep in the open for they are on a journey. (When Jacob was travelling as a single man he also only used a stone as a pillow).