Teraphim* — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Idols associated with pagan magical rites. In the OT, the term is often translated “household gods,” indicative of talismans, which were kept in family shrines (Gn 31:19, 34 OET GEN 31:19 · OET GEN 31:34). These were the idols that Rachel stole from her father and that occasioned Laban’s angry pursuit. Many have postulated that Laban’s anger reflects a Nuzian tradition where ownership of the household gods conferred inheritance rights to the owner. It is more likely that Rachel stole the teraphim simply to ensure good luck and safety.

Show passage in OET: GEN 31:19; GEN 31:34

OET-RV GEN 31:19

19 Now Lavan had gone off for several days to shear his sheep, so Rahel stole the idols that belonged to her father,

OET-RV GEN 31:34

34 Now Rahel had taken the idols and put them in the camel’s saddle which she was now sitting on, so although Lavan searched throughout her entire tent, he didn’t find them,

OET-LV GEN 31:19

19 And_Lāⱱān he _had _gone to_shear DOM his/its_flock _of _sheep/goats and_ Rāḩēl _she _stole DOM the_teraphim which belonged_to_father _of_her.

OET-LV GEN 31:34

34 And_Rāḩēl she _had _taken DOM the_teraphim and_she_had _put _them in_the _saddlebag _of the _camel and_she _sat on_them and_ Lāⱱān _he _searched DOM all _of the_tent and_not he _found_them.

Jump to OET GEN 31:19 section. · OET GEN 31:34 section.

Teraphim are also mentioned in connection with Micah’s attempt to establish a private priesthood (Jgs 17:5). When the Danites moved to Laish, they stole Micah’s teraphim and ephod for oracular use (18:14-20, 31 OET JDG 18:14–20 · OET JDG 18:31). Teraphim were typically small idols but on occasion could be life-size as well. David escaped from Saul when Michal placed a teraphim in his bed as a dummy (1 Sm 19:13-16). During Israel’s kingdom period, teraphim continued to be used in heretical cultic practices. Josiah attempted to rid the country of teraphim, wizards, and mediums, but his reforms appear to have been temporary (2 Kgs 23:24). The prophets regularly condemned the use of teraphim, identifying them with heathen abominations (Ez 21:21; Hos 3:4; Zec 10:2).

Show passage in OET: JDG 17:5

OET-RV JDG 17:5

5 Now that Mikah had a shrine with gods in it, he made some priestly robes and some household gods, and consecrated one of his sons as his priest.

OET-LV JDG 17:5

5 And_the_man Mīkāh to_him/it a _house _of god and_he/it _made an _ephod and_teraphim and_he _filled DOM the_hand _of one of_sons _of_his and_he/it _was to_him/it (into)_a_priest.

Show passage in OET: JDG 18:14–20; JDG 18:31

OET-RV JDG 18:14

14 Then the five men who had been here previously scouting out the land said to their group, “Do you know that there’s a house here with a gear for priests, family idols, a carved image, and a cast image? So now, consider what you should do.”

OET-RV JDG 18:15

15 So they turned off the main path and they came to the place with the young Levite man in Mikah’s house, and they asked about his welfare.

OET-RV JDG 18:16

16 The six hundred Dani men stayed outside at the gate, holding their weapons.

OET-RV JDG 18:17

17 The five men who’d gone to scout out the land went in around the back. They took the carved image, the priest’s gear, the family idols, and the cast image, while the priest was standing at the entrance of the gate along with the six hundred armed men.

OET-RV JDG 18:18

18 When the priest saw them bringing out all the religious objects, he demanded, “What’s going on?”

OET-RV JDG 18:19

19 “Stay quiet,” they told him. “Put your hand over your mouth and come with us, and be like a father and a priest for us. Is it better to be a priest for only one household, or to be a priest for a whole related tribe in Yisrael (Israel)?”

OET-RV JDG 18:20

20 The priest liked that idea, so he went along with them—taking the priestly gear and the household idols, and the carved image.

OET-RV JDG 18:31

31 So they set up the carved image that Mikah had made and worshipped it the whole time that God’s tent was at Shiloh.

OET-LV JDG 18:14

14 And_ the _five _of the_men who_had_gone to_spy _out DOM the_earth/land Layish _they _answered and_they _said to brothers _of_their do_you(pl)_know if/because _that there_are in_houses the_these an _ephod and_teraphim a_carved _image and_a _molten _image and_now consider what will _you(pl)_do.

OET-LV JDG 18:15

15 And_they _turned _aside there_(to) and_they _came to the _house _of the _young _man the_Lēviyyiy the _house _of Mīkāh and_they _asked to_him/it to_welfare.

OET-LV JDG 18:16

16 And_six hundred(s) man girded the _weapons _of their _war _of_their were_standing the _entrance _of the _gate who from_(the)_sons of _Dān.

OET-LV JDG 18:17

17 And_ the _five _of the_men who_had_gone to_spy _out DOM the_earth/land _they _went _up they _went there_(to) they _took DOM the _carved_image and_DOM the_ephod and_DOM the_teraphim and_DOM the _molten_image and_the_priest was_standing the _entrance _of the _gate and_six hundred(s) the_man (the)_girded the _weapons _of (the)_war.

OET-LV JDG 18:18

18 And_these they _went the _house _of Mīkāh and_they _took DOM the _carved _image _of the _ephod and_DOM the_teraphim and_DOM the _molten_image and_he/it _said to_them the_priest/officer what are_you(pl) doing.

OET-LV JDG 18:19

19 And_they _said to_him/it keep _quiet put hand _of_your over mouth _of_your and_come with_us and_become to/for_us (into)_a_father and _(into)_a_priest good is_your_being a _priest of_the_house _of a _man one or being_your a _priest of_a _tribe and_of_a _clan in_Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel).

OET-LV JDG 18:20

20 And_ the _heart _of the_priest/officer _it _was _good and_he/it _took DOM the_ephod and_DOM the_teraphim and_DOM the _carved_image and_he _went in_the _midst _of the _people.

OET-LV JDG 18:31

31 And_they _set _up to/for_them DOM the _carved _image _of Mīkāh which he _had _made all _of the _days _of the _being of _the _house _of the_ʼElohīm in_Shiloh.

Show passage in OET: SA1 19:13–16

OET-RV SA1 19:13

13 Then she took a household idol and put it in the bed, putting a goats’ hair quilt where the head should be and covering it with the bed-clothes.

OET-RV SA1 19:14

14 When Sha’ul sent messengers to arrest David, she told them, “He’s sick.”

OET-RV SA1 19:15

15 Sha’ul sent the messengers back, telling them, “Bring him up to me bed and all so I can kill him.”

OET-RV SA1 19:16

16 But when the messengers returned, look, it was a household idol in the bed with a goats’ hair quilt as its head.

OET-LV SA1 19:13

13 And_ Mīkāl _she/it _took DOM the_teraphim and_she _put_it into the_bed and_DOM (the)_quilt _of (the)_goat _hair(s) she _put of _its _head _of_the _place and_she _covered_it with_garment.

OET-LV SA1 19:14

14 And_ Shāʼūl _he _sent messengers to_take/accept/receive DOM Dāvid and_she/it _said he is_sick.

OET-LV SA1 19:15

15 And_ Shāʼūl _he _sent DOM the_messengers to_see DOM Dāvid to_say bring _up DOM_him/it on_bed to_me to_kill_him.

OET-LV SA1 19:16

16 And_ the_messengers _they _came and_BEHOLD/LO/SEE the_teraphim was_to the_bed and_the _quilt _of (the)_goat _hair(s) place _of _its _head _of_was_the.

Show passage in OET: KI2 23:24

OET-RV KI2 23:24

24 King Yoshiyah (Josiah) also removed the ritual pits and the soothsayers, and the images and idols, and all the abhorrences that were seen in Yerushalem (Jerusalem) and in the Yehudah (Judah) region, in his diligence to obey everything that was written on the scroll that the priest Hilkiyah found in the temple.

OET-LV KI2 23:24

24 And_also DOM the_necromancers and_DOM the_soothsayers and_DOM the_teraphim and_DOM the_idols and_DOM all _of the _detestable_things which they _were _seen in_land of _Yəhūdāh and_in_Yərūshālaim/(Jerusalem) Yoʼshiy^yāh he _removed so _as to _carry _out DOM the _words/messages _of the _law which_were_written on the_scroll which Ḩilqiy^yāh the_priest/officer he _had _found the _house _of YHWH.

Show passage in OET: EZE 21:21

OET-RV EZE 21:21

21 because the Babylonian king will stop at the crossroads, at the junction, in order to practice divination. He’ll shake some arrows and ask direction from some idols, and he’ll examine a liver.

OET-LV EZE 21:26

26  If/because the _king _of Bāⱱel he _has _stopped to the _mother _of the _road at_the _beginning _of the _two _of the_roads to_divine divination he _has _shaken (in)_arrows he _has _enquired by_teraphim he _has _looked at_liver.

Show passage in OET: HOS 3:4

OET-RV HOS 3:4

4 Because the Israeli people will continue for many days without a king or prince, a sacrifice or stone pillar, and an ephod or household idols.

OET-LV HOS 3:4

4 If/because days many the _people _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) they _will _dwell there_will_not_be a _king and_there_will_not_be a _prince and_there_will_not_be a _sacrifice and_there_will_not_be a _pillar and_there_will_not_be an _ephod and_teraphim.

Show passage in OET: ZEC 10:2

OET-RV ZEC 10:2

2 Diviners tell deceitful dreams and give empty comfort
⇔ because household idols speak falsely and so those diviners envision something that’s a lie.
⇔ Therefore the people wander like sheep and suffer because there’s no shepherd.

OET-LV ZEC 10:2

2 If/because the_teraphim they _speak wickedness and_the_diviners they _see falsehood and_the _dreams _of (the)_worthlessness they _speak futility they_comfort therefore yes/correct/thus/so they _have _set _out like sheep they _are _afflicted if/because there_is_not a _shepherd.

Jump to OET JDG 17:5 section.

Jump to OET JDG 18:14–20 section. · OET JDG 18:31 section.

Jump to OET SA1 19:13–16 section.

Jump to OET KI2 23:24 section.

Jump to OET EZE 21:21 section.

Jump to OET HOS 3:4 section.

Jump to OET ZEC 10:2 section.