Genesis 29:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month.

NIV: Then Laban said to him, 'You are my own flesh and blood.' After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month,

NASB: And Laban said to him, 'You certainly are my bone and my flesh.' And he stayed with him a month.

CSB: Laban said to him, "Yes, you are my own flesh and blood." After Jacob had stayed with him a month,

NLT: Laban exclaimed, 'You really are my own flesh and blood!' After Jacob had stayed with Laban for about a month,

KJV: And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.

NKJV: And Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him for a month.

Just as he did when Abraham's servant arrived to seek a wife for Isaac (Genesis 24:28–29), Laban rushes out to a well to greet someone who has arrived from Canaan in search of a wife (Genesis 29:12–13). After meeting his sister's son, Laban embraced Jacob, kissed him, and welcomed him into his home. The phrase "surely you are my bone and my flesh" may be a statement of celebrating his close family connection to Jacob. It may also have been an acknowledgement that Jacob was who he said he was, the son of Rebekah and thus a true member of Laban's family.

Welcomed into Laban's home, Jacob stays with the family for a month. Apparently, he began to work for Laban during that time (Genesis 29:15). It's possible that Jacob's plan was to follow the instruction of his parents and only stay with Laban for a short season. A month may have been long enough for Esau to cool off (Genesis 27:41), for Jacob to find a wife (Genesis 28:1–2), and to return home.

Instead, Laban will make Jacob an offer he can't refuse, one that will keep him working for Laban in the land of Mesopotamia for a long time.

Genesis 29:1–30 describes Jacob's arrival at his uncle's household. Laban is happy to see his nephew, likely for the first time. Jacob falls in love with Laban's more attractive daughter, Rachel, and agrees to work for Laban seven years to marry her. On the wedding night, however, Laban treacherously switches Rachel for her older sister Leah. Jacob agrees to marry Rachel the next week, but now must work another seven years.

Jacob's journey from his home brings him to his uncle's household in Haran. He falls in love with Laban's younger daughter Rachel and agrees to work for Laban for seven years to marry her. When the time comes, Laban switches out Rachel for her older, less attractive sister Leah. Jacob is surprised to find he has consummated the marriage with the wrong sister. Manipulative Laban assures Jacob he can still marry Rachel the next week, as long as he will work another seven years. Jacob loves Rachel more than Leah, but with the Lord's help, unloved Leah bears Jacob his first four sons.

The previous chapter described Jacob fleeing from home to seek his uncle in Mesopotamia. This was both to escape the rage of his brother, Esau, and to look for a suitable wife. Now Jacob arrives and falls in love with his uncle's daughter Rachel. After working seven years to marry her, Jacob is tricked by his uncle into marrying the older daughter, Leah, instead. Laban allows Jacob to marry Rachel, as well, in exchange for another seven years' work. Though she is unloved by Jacob, the Lord notices Leah's heartbreak and allows her to bear four sons. In the next chapter, Rachel's jealousy sets off something of a birth war, as she and Leah compete to obtain children.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.