To STEAL — the verb that rings through Jacob's flight like an alarm. Rachel ganav-steals her father's teraphim (31:19); Jacob ganav-steals 'the HEART' of Laban (31:20) — ganav lev, the Hebrew idiom for hoodwinking, deceiving someone (Absalom later 'steals the heart' of Israel, 2 Samuel 15:6); and Laban throws the word back three times ('you stole my heart… you stole from me… why did you steal my gods?', 31:26-30). The supplanter's whole household turns out to be a household of thieves. It is the plainest word behind the eighth commandment, 'you shall not steal' (Exodus 20:15). → first discussed at Gen 31:20