Laban in the Bible
Meaning: white; shining; gentle; brittle
Exact Match
And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.
Laban said, “Come, you who are blessed by the Lord.
So the man came into the house, and Laban unloaded his camels and gave them straw and feed, and [he gave] water to [Eliezer to] wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.
But when food was set before him, he said, “I will not eat until I have stated my business.” And Laban said, “Speak on.”
Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.
Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran;
Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother.
And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.
And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.
And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.
And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.
And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.
And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?
And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
Jacob loved Rachel, so he answered Laban, “I’ll work for you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.
And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.
And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
That evening, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her.
And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.
And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?
And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
So Jacob complied and fulfilled Leah’s week [of celebration]; then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his [second] wife.
And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.
So Jacob consummated his marriage and lived with Rachel [as his wife], and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and he served with Laban for another seven years.
And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.
And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake.
But Jacob replied to Laban, "You know how I've served you and how your cattle thrived under my care.
Laban asked, “What shall I give you?” Jacob replied, “You shall not give me anything. But if you will do this one thing for me [which I now propose], I will again pasture and keep your flock:
And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.
So on that same day Laban [secretly] removed the male goats that were streaked and spotted and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one with white on it, and all the dark ones among the sheep, and put them in the care of his sons.
And he set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.
Meanwhile, Jacob kept tending the rest of Laban's flock. Jacob took branches from white poplar trees, freshly cut almond trees, and some other trees, stripped off their bark to make white streaks, and uncovered the white part inside the branches.
And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban's cattle.
But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's.
And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's hath he gotten all this glory.
And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.
"When Laban said, "The speckled ones will be your wages,' then all the flock gave birth to speckled ones. Then when he said, "The streaked ones will be your wages,' all the flock gave birth to streaked offspring.
And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.
And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's.
And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.
And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.
so he took his relatives with him and pursued Jacob. Laban was on the road for seven days when he finally caught up with Jacob in the hill country of Gilead.
And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.
And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword?
And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.
And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maidservants' tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.
Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.
She said to her father, “Sir, don’t be angry that I cannot stand up in your presence;
And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?
And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born?
And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.
And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;
and Mizpah (
And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee;
And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.
And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:
These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter, and these she bare unto Jacob, even sixteen souls.
These are the sons of Bilhah, which Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and she bare these unto Jacob: all the souls were seven.
These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab.
To the overseer upon the death of Laban, chanting of David. I will praise, O Jehovah, with all my heart; I will recount all thy wonderful works.
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Blessing » Temporal blessings, prayer for » Laban
thousands upon ten thousands.
May your offspring possess
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Covetousness » Instances of » Laban » In deceiving jacob in wages
Covetousness » Exemplified » Laban
Covetousness » Instances of » Laban » In giving rebekah to be isaac's wife
So the man came to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and feed were given to the camels, and water was brought to wash his feet and the feet of the men with him. A meal was set before him, but he said, "I will not eat until I have said what I have to say." So Laban said, "Speak on." "I am Abraham's servant," he said. "The Lord has greatly blessed my master, and he has become rich. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female slaves, and camels and donkeys. Sarah, my master's wife, bore a son to my master in her old age, and he has given him everything he owns. My master put me under this oath: 'You will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I live but will go to my father's household and to my family to take a wife for my son.' But I said to my master, 'Suppose the woman will not come back with me?' He said to me, 'The Lord before whom I have walked will send His angel with you and make your journey a success, and you will take a wife for my son from my family and from my father's household. Then you will be free from my oath if you go to my family and they do not give [her] to you-you will be free from my oath.' "Today when I came to the spring, I prayed: Lord, God of my master Abraham, if only You will make my journey successful! I am standing here at a spring. Let the virgin who comes out to draw water, and I say to her: Please let me drink a little water from your jug, and who responds to me, 'Drink, and I'll draw water for your camels also'-let her be the woman the Lord has appointed for my master's son. "Before I had finished praying in my heart, there was Rebekah coming with her jug on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her: Please let me have a drink. She quickly lowered her jug from her [shoulder] and said, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels also.' So I drank, and she also watered the camels. Then I asked her: Whose daughter are you? She responded, 'The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.' So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. Then I bowed down, worshiped the Lord, and praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who guided me on the right way to take the daughter of my master's brother for his son. Now, if you are going to show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; if not, tell me, and I will go elsewhere." Laban and Bethuel answered, "This is from the Lord; we have no choice in the matter. Rebekah is here in front of you. Take [her] and go, and let her be a wife for your master's son, just as the Lord has spoken."
Covetousness » Instances of » Laban » Deceiving » jacob
Jacob loved Rachel, so he answered Laban, "I'll work for you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel." Laban replied, "Better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay with me." So Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, and they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her. Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time is completed. I want to sleep with her." So Laban invited all the men of the place to a feast. That evening, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her. And Laban gave his slave Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her slave. When morning came, there was Leah! So he said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Wasn't it for Rachel that I worked for you? Why have you deceived me?" Laban answered, "It is not the custom in this place to give the younger [daughter in marriage] before the firstborn. Complete this week [of wedding celebration], and we will also give you this [younger] one in return for working yet another seven years for me." And Jacob did just that. He finished the week [of celebration], and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. And Laban gave his slave Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her slave. Jacob slept with Rachel also, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.
Deceit » Exemplified » Laban
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Laban » Jacob becomes his servant
Jacob loved Rachel, so he answered Laban, "I'll work for you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel." Laban replied, "Better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay with me." So Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, and they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.
For you had very little before I came, but now your wealth has increased. The Lord has blessed you because of me. And now, when will I also do something for my own family?" Laban asked, "What should I give you?" And Jacob said, "You don't need to give me anything. If you do this one thing for me, I will continue to shepherd and keep your flock. Let me go through all your sheep today and remove every sheep that is speckled or spotted, every dark-colored sheep among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the female goats. [Such] will be my wages. In the future when you come to check on my wages, my honesty will testify for me. [If I have] any female goats that are not speckled or spotted, or any lambs that are not black, they will be considered stolen." "Good," said Laban. "Let it be as you have said." That day Laban removed the streaked and spotted male goats and all the speckled and spotted female goats-every one that had any white on it-and every dark-colored sheep among the lambs, and he placed his sons in charge of them. He put a three-day journey between himself and Jacob. Jacob, meanwhile, was shepherding the rest of Laban's flock. Jacob then took branches of fresh poplar, almond, and plane wood, and peeled [the bark], exposing white stripes on the branches. He set the peeled branches in the troughs in front of the sheep-in the water channels where the sheep came to drink. And the sheep bred when they came to drink. The flocks bred in front of the branches and bore streaked, speckled, and spotted young. Jacob separated the lambs and made the flocks face the streaked and the completely dark sheep in Laban's flocks. Then he set his own stock apart and didn't put them with Laban's sheep. Whenever the stronger of the flock were breeding, Jacob placed the branches in the troughs, in full view of the flocks, and they would breed in front of the branches. As for the weaklings of the flocks, he did not put out the branches. So it turned out that the weak sheep belonged to Laban and the stronger ones to Jacob. And the man became very rich. He had many flocks, male and female slaves, and camels and donkeys.
Laban » Outwitted by jacob
Jacob separated the lambs and made the flocks face the streaked and the completely dark sheep in Laban's flocks. Then he set his own stock apart and didn't put them with Laban's sheep. Whenever the stronger of the flock were breeding, Jacob placed the branches in the troughs, in full view of the flocks, and they would breed in front of the branches. As for the weaklings of the flocks, he did not put out the branches. So it turned out that the weak sheep belonged to Laban and the stronger ones to Jacob. And the man became very rich. He had many flocks, male and female slaves, and camels and donkeys.
Jacob had Rachel and Leah called to the field [where] his flocks were. He said to them, "I can see from your father's face that his attitude toward me is not the same, but the God of my father has been with me. You know that I've worked hard for your father and that he has cheated me and changed my wages 10 times. But God has not let him harm me. If he said, 'The spotted sheep will be your wages,' then all the sheep were born spotted. If he said, 'The streaked sheep will be your wages,' then all the sheep were born streaked. God has taken your father's herds and given them to me. "When the flocks were breeding, I saw in a dream that the streaked, spotted, and speckled males were mating with the females. In that dream the Angel of God said to me, 'Jacob!' and I said: Here I am. And He said, 'Look up and see: all the males that are mating with the flocks are streaked, spotted, and speckled, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you. I am the God of Bethel, where you poured oil on the stone marker and made a solemn vow to Me. Get up, leave this land, and return to your native land.' " Then Rachel and Leah answered him, "Do we have any portion or inheritance in our father's household? Are we not regarded by him as outsiders? For he has sold us and has certainly spent our money. In fact, all the wealth that God has taken from our father belongs to us and to our children. So do whatever God has said to you." Then Jacob got up and put his children and wives on the camels. He took all the livestock and possessions he had acquired in Paddan-aram, and he drove his herds to go to the land of his father Isaac in Canaan. When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father's household idols. And Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean, not telling him that he was fleeing. He fled with all his possessions, crossed the Euphrates, and headed for the hill country of Gilead.
Laban » Brother of rebekah
Laban » Pursues jacob, overtakes him at mount gilead, and covenants with him
When Laban overtook Jacob, Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban and his brothers also pitched [their tents] in the hill country of Gilead. Then Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done? You have deceived me and taken my daughters away like prisoners of war! Why did you secretly flee from me, deceive me, and not tell me? I would have sent you away with joy and singing, with tambourines and lyres, but you didn't even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters. You have acted foolishly. I could do you great harm, but last night the God of your father said to me: 'Watch yourself. Don't say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.' Now you have gone off because you long for your father-but why have you stolen my gods?" Jacob answered, "I was afraid, for I thought you would take your daughters from me by force. If you find your gods with anyone [here], he will not live! Before our relatives, point out anything that is yours and take it." Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen [the idols]. So Laban went into Jacob's tent, then Leah's tent, and then the tents of the two female slaves, but he found nothing. Then he left Leah's tent and entered Rachel's. Now Rachel had taken Laban's household idols, put them in the saddlebag of the camel, and sat on them. Laban searched the whole tent but found nothing. She said to her father, "Sir, don't be angry that I cannot stand up in your presence; I am having my monthly period." So Laban searched, but could not find the household idols. Then Jacob became incensed and brought charges against Laban. "What is my crime?" he said to Laban. "What is my sin, that you have pursued me? You've searched all my possessions! Have you found anything of yours? Put it here before my relatives and yours, and let them decide between the two of us. I've been with you these 20 years. Your ewes and female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams from your flock. I did not bring you any of the flock torn by wild beasts; I myself bore the loss. You demanded [payment] from me for what was stolen by day or by night. There I was-the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes. For 20 years I have worked in your household-14 years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks-and you have changed my wages 10 times! If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, certainly now you would have sent me off empty-handed. But God has seen my affliction and my hard work, and He issued His verdict last night." Then Laban answered Jacob, "The daughters are my daughters; the sons, my sons; and the flocks, my flocks! Everything you see is mine! But what can I do today for these daughters of mine or for the children they have borne? Come now, let's make a covenant, you and I. Let it be a witness between the two of us." So Jacob picked out a stone and set it up as a marker. Then Jacob said to his relatives, "Gather stones." And they took stones and made a mound, then ate there by the mound. Laban named the mound Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob named it Galeed. Then Laban said, "This mound is a witness between me and you today." Therefore the place was called Galeed, and [also] Mizpah, for he said, "May the Lord watch between you and me when we are out of each other's sight. If you mistreat my daughters or take other wives, though no one is with us, understand that God will be a witness between you and me." Laban also said to Jacob, "Look at this mound and the marker I have set up between you and me. This mound is a witness and the marker is a witness that I will not pass beyond this mound to you, and you will not pass beyond this mound and this marker to do me harm. The God of Abraham, and the gods of Nahor-the gods of their father-will judge between us." And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac. Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat a meal. So they ate a meal and spent the night on the mountain. Laban got up early in the morning, kissed his grandchildren and daughters, and blessed them. Then Laban left to return home.
Laban » Receives jacob, and gives him his daughters in marriage
Laban said to him, "Just because you're my relative, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be." Now Laban had two daughters: the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel. Leah had delicate eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful. Jacob loved Rachel, so he answered Laban, "I'll work for you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel." Laban replied, "Better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay with me." So Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, and they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her. Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time is completed. I want to sleep with her." So Laban invited all the men of the place to a feast. That evening, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her. And Laban gave his slave Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her slave. When morning came, there was Leah! So he said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Wasn't it for Rachel that I worked for you? Why have you deceived me?" Laban answered, "It is not the custom in this place to give the younger [daughter in marriage] before the firstborn. Complete this week [of wedding celebration], and we will also give you this [younger] one in return for working yet another seven years for me." And Jacob did just that. He finished the week [of celebration], and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. And Laban gave his slave Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her slave. Jacob slept with Rachel also, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.
Laban » Receives the servant of abraham
So the man came to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and feed were given to the camels, and water was brought to wash his feet and the feet of the men with him. A meal was set before him, but he said, "I will not eat until I have said what I have to say." So Laban said, "Speak on."