Teraphim (singular is unattested, plural: tərāfīm) is a Hebrew word from the Bible, found only in the plural, of uncertain etymology. Despite being plural, Teraphim may refer to singular objects, using the Hebrew plural of excellence. The word Teraphim is explained in classical rabbinical literature as meaning disgraceful things (dismissed by modern etymologists), and in many English translations of the Bible it is translated as idols, or household god(s) although its exact meaning is more specific than this, but unknown precisely. Teraphim in the Hebrew Bible Rachel According to Genesis 31, Rachel takes the teraphim belonging to her father Laban when her husband Jacob escapes. She hides them in a saddle bag and sits on them when Laban comes looking for them, and claims that she cannot get up because she is menstruating. From this it can be deduced that they were small, perhaps . Her exact motive in doing so is subject to controversy amongst commentators. Some argue she took the teraphim in order for her father not to have idolatrous paraphernalia, while others claim that she wanted to use them herself. Others say it was at the direction of her husband Jacob. Others point to the use of teraphim for divination in other Biblical passages, and argue that Rachel either wanted to prevent Laban from divining their location as they fled, or wanted to perform divination of her own. Rachel may also have intended to assert her independence from Laban and her legal rights within the extended family, as in ancient Middle Eastern custom the possession of familial idols was a marker of authority and property rights within a family. Michal In 1 Samuel 19, Michal helps her husband David escape from her father Saul. She lets him out through a window, and then tricks Saul's men into thinking that a teraphim in her bed is actually David. This suggests the size and shape is that of a man. It also refers to "the" teraphim, which implies that there was a place for teraphim in every household. Van der Toorn claims that "there is no hint of indignation at the presence of teraphim in David's house." However, the same word is used in 1 Samuel 15:23 where Samuel rebukes Saul and tells him that "presumption is as iniquity and teraphim". Here the idea is that rebellion is just as bad as teraphim, the use of which is thus