Genesis 29:15
in Genesis 29Laban said to him, “Just because you are my relative, should you work for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?
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?
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This verse in Genesis 29
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
should you work for nothing
on Genesis 29:15-17
Laban calls Jacob his relative, then asks him to name his wages. The next verse gives the daughters in birth order, Leah the older and Rachel the younger. Verse 17 says Leah had weak eyes and Rachel was shapely and beautiful, and birth order decides the rest of the chapter.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Notice, I ask you, how when someone is helped by the hand from on high, everything goes favorably for him. "You shall not serve me for nothing," Laban says. "Tell me what your wages should be." In fact, this blessed man was acting out of love and was content simply to receive board and lodging and return him sincere thanks for it. But, since Jacob demonstrated great humility, Laban took the initiative in promising to pay him whatever wage he named.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And Laban said unto Jacob, because thou art my brother,....
His posterity are there reminded of it long afterwards, as an instance of the meanness of their origin: probably Rachel was young, and scarcely marriageable, when Jacob first came, which made him the more willing to stay for her till his seven years' service had expired.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
he abode a month--Among pastoral people a stranger is freely entertained for three days; on the fourth day he is expected to tell his name and errand; and if he prolongs his stay after that time, he must set his hand to work in some way, as may be agreed upon.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Because thou art my brother, etc. - Though thou art my nearest relative, yet I have no right to thy services without giving thee an adequate recompense. Jacob had passed a whole month in the family of Laban, in which he had undoubtedly rendered himself of considerable service. As Laban, who was of a very saving if not covetous disposition, saw that he was to be of great use to him in his secular concerns, he wished to secure his services, and therefore asks him what wages he wished to have.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
I have already explained the meaning of chodesh yamin (the space of a month). 16 According to I.E. it means a full month. Cf.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
12 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לָבָן֙ | lavan | Laban | H3837 → | 55 times |
| לְיַעֲקֹ֔ב | leyaako | to Jacob | H3290 → | 350 times |
| הֲכִי־ | hakhi- | ¿ for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אָחִ֣י | ʾachi | relative my | H251 → | 630 times |
| אַ֔תָּה | ʾatah | [are] you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| וַעֲבַדְתַּ֖נִי | vaavadtani | and you will serve me | H5647 → | 288 times |
| חִנָּ֑ם | chinam | for nothing | H2600 → | |
| הַגִּ֥ידָה | hagidah | tell ! | H5046 → | 370 times |
| לִּ֖י | li | to <the> me | ||
| מַה־ | mah- | what? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| מַּשְׂכֻּרְתֶּֽךָ׃ | maskurtekha | [is] wage[s] your | H4909 → | 4 times |
וַיֹּ֤אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
לָבָן֙Laban
lavanH3837 →55 times
לְיַעֲקֹ֔בto Jacob
leyaakoH3290 →350 times
הֲכִי־¿ for
hakhi-H3588 →4482 times
אָחִ֣יrelative my
ʾachiH251 →630 times
אַ֔תָּה[are] you
ʾatahH859 →1094 times
וַעֲבַדְתַּ֖נִיand you will serve me
vaavadtaniH5647 →288 times
חִנָּ֑םfor nothing
chinamH2600 →
הַגִּ֥ידָהtell !
hagidahH5046 →370 times
לִּ֖יto <the> me
li
מַה־what?
mah-H4100 →752 times
מַּשְׂכֻּרְתֶּֽךָ׃[is] wage[s] your
maskurtekhaH4909 →4 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
6 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 31:7And although he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, God has not allowed him to harm me.
it leads to
- Genesis 31:41
Thus for twenty years I have served in your household—fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks—and you have changed my wages ten times!
- Nehemiah 4:12
At that time the Jews who lived nearby came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”
- Numbers 14:22
not one of the men who have seen My glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness—yet have tested Me and disobeyed Me these ten times—
- Genesis 31:29
I have power to do you great harm, but last night the God of your father said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’
- Psalms 37:28
For the LORD loves justice and will not forsake His saints. They are preserved forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off.
- Genesis 31:41
Through
Genesis 30:28And he added, “Name your wages, and I will pay them.”
it leads to
- Genesis 29:19
Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.”
- Genesis 29:19
Where this verse is studied
About Genesis
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on Genesis; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 55.6; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.