Genesis 29:15 kjv

And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?

Genesis 29:15 nkjv

Then Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?"

Genesis 29:15 niv

Laban said to him, "Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be."

Genesis 29:15 esv

Then Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?"

Genesis 29:15 nlt

Laban said to him, "You shouldn't work for me without pay just because we are relatives. Tell me how much your wages should be."

Genesis 29 verses

Genesis 29 15 Meaning

Genesis 29:15 captures a pivotal moment where Laban addresses Jacob, acknowledging their kinship while simultaneously initiating a discussion about Jacob's compensation for his labor. This verse signifies Laban's move from offering initial hospitality to establishing a formal contractual arrangement, subtly revealing his calculating nature. Despite the blood relation, Laban clarifies that Jacob's work is not gratuitous service but will require defined wages.

Genesis 29 15 Context

Genesis chapter 29 finds Jacob in Paddan-aram, having fled his brother Esau's wrath and traveling to his mother Rebekah's relatives, as instructed by Isaac (Gen 28:1-2). He meets Rachel at the well, falls deeply in love, and has been staying with Laban for a full month, diligently working and caring for his uncle's flocks. This verse marks the transition from Jacob as a welcome, if temporary, kinsman, contributing through work, to becoming a formalized employee. Laban, having observed Jacob's competence and positive impact on his wealth, chooses to regularize the arrangement with a contract, which sets the stage for Jacob's demanding service and Laban's deceptive practices for the next twenty years.

Genesis 29 15 Word analysis

• Then Laban said to Jacob: Laban, a shrewd and manipulative individual, initiates the conversation. Jacob, on the other hand, is a fugitive in a foreign land, reliant on his kinsman, placing him in a vulnerable position.
• "Because you are my kinsman":
  • Original Hebrew: ’akhi (אָחִי), meaning "my brother" or "my kinsman."
  • Significance: Laban explicitly acknowledges the familial blood-tie. In ancient Near Eastern culture, kinship typically implied unconditional hospitality and aid, especially to a relative in distress. Laban's words initially seem to reflect this honorific relationship.
• "should you therefore serve me for nothing?":
  • Original Hebrew: hachinnam (הַחִנָּם), meaning "for nothing," "freely," or "gratuitously."
  • Significance: This is a rhetorical question that subtly reframes the relationship. Laban dismisses the idea of gratuitous familial service. While seemingly fair, it reveals a commercial mindset that overrides traditional kinship obligations. He indicates that family relation does not exclude formal employment and remuneration.
• "Tell me, what shall your wages be?":
  • Original Hebrew: sacharka (שְׂכָרְךָ), from the root sakhar (שָׂכַר), meaning "wages," "hire," or "reward."
  • Significance: This direct proposal for compensation signifies the establishment of an employer-employee relationship rather than one solely based on family obligation. It seems generous to let Jacob name his price, but it shifts the responsibility of negotiation onto Jacob, who has limited leverage. This opening leads directly to the agreements and subsequent deceptions that define their long-term relationship.

Words-group analysis:

• "Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing?": This phrase is a masterstroke of rhetorical manipulation. Laban ostensibly affirms the kinship, but then uses it as a basis to justify a wage system rather than benevolent aid. The implicit understanding of familial aid is subverted; Laban presents the idea of uncompensated labor from a relative as unreasonable, despite customary expectations of hospitality turning into longer-term arrangements for kin in need. It sets a transactional tone for all future interactions.

Genesis 29 15 Bonus section

• The customary practice in the Ancient Near East was for a sojourner, especially a kinsman, to be received hospitably. After an initial period, if their stay was prolonged, it was common for arrangements concerning their contribution through labor to be formalized. Laban's initiative indicates his awareness of this custom but his interpretation immediately prioritizes material gain.
• Laban’s question subtly implies that Jacob’s work was worth paying for, showing Laban had already valued Jacob's labor highly even before naming wages. This insight fuels Laban's desire to secure Jacob’s long-term service.
• The interaction between Laban and Jacob foreshadows a larger theme of Jacob's life: constant struggle and negotiation, both with people (Esau, Laban) and with God (at the Jabbok).
• The negotiation over wages ultimately determines Jacob's marital and family destiny, intertwining financial arrangements with central covenant themes.

Genesis 29 15 Commentary

Genesis 29:15, though seemingly straightforward, is highly significant in its portrayal of character and the unfolding narrative. Laban, far from exhibiting selfless hospitality typical of family aid in times of crisis, swiftly transitions into a pragmatic, calculating employer. His opening phrase, "Because you are my kinsman," ironically highlights the absence of unconditional family support. Rather than providing shelter and food simply out of familial duty to his fleeing nephew, Laban immediately evaluates Jacob's economic utility. Having witnessed Jacob's strong work ethic and the prosperity Jacob brings to his flocks over the past month, Laban makes a shrewd business proposal. This sets the stage for a relationship founded not on affection or blood-tie, but on a binding, often contentious, contract over wages. This interaction prefigures the years of Jacob's exploitation by Laban (Gen 31:7, 41) and emphasizes Jacob's vulnerable position, serving as a foreigner in Laban's house. Despite Laban's manipulative schemes, this scenario also provides the backdrop for God's faithfulness, as He uses even these circumstances to ultimately prosper Jacob and build his family, illustrating divine providence amidst human imperfection and deceit.