Laban's "gods"

[ktn4eg]

Genesis 31 records Jacob's leaving his father-in-law Laban to return back to his own land.

Part of this story mentions the fact that Jacob's wife Rachel stealing her father's "gods."

What exactly were Laban's "gods," and did he actually worship them? Did Rachel also worship them, and did she intend to worship them when she arrived in her husband's own land?

What are your thoughts about this?

 

[Deacon]

Archeologists have unearthed thousands upon thousands of clay images of local gods in ancient Israel, particularly during the times of Israelite occupation in the land.

It was an ancient belief that a god was sovereign over certain domains, deeply connected to the land.
A monotheistic sovereign like Israel's LORD was unique.

Later, when the Israelite conquered the land they were warned not to take on the practices and beliefs of the local Canaanite population.
Despite the warnings, the mingling of the worship of YHWH and other god's occurred because Israelites were trying to placate the local gods of the land.
YHWH abhorred the practice as revealed prominently in the first of the Ten Commandments.

Because Rachel was being taken from her god's land and traveling to another land, in order to claim the protection of her family's god, she took its image.

An interesting demonstration of this deeply ingrained belief of a god's connection to the land is seen in 2 Kings 5 where even though Naaman professed the LORD as sovereign over all the land he needed greater assurance of his continuing presence.

2 Kings 5:15–19a (ESV)
Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came and stood before him. And he said, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant.”
But he said, “As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.
Then Naaman said, “If not, please let there be given to your servant two mule loads of earth, for from now on your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the LORD.
In this matter may the LORD pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon your servant in this matter.”
He said to him, “Go in peace.”

Rob