- 25th Patriarch of Genesis
- Son of Patriarch Bethuel
- Grandson of Patriarch Nahor and Matriarch Milcah
- Great-grandnephew and grandnephew of Patriarch Abraham and Matriarch Sarah
- Brother of Matriarch Rebekah
- Brother-in-law and co-father-in-law Patriarch Isaac
- Father of Matriarch Leah
- Uncle, second and third cousin and father-in-law of Patriarch Jacob
- Grandfather of Patriarch Judah
- Ancestor of the Jews, Levites, Reubenites, Simeonites, Issacharites, Zebulunites, Josephites and Benjaminites
Biography
Laban , son of Bethuel; grandson of Nahor and Milcah; grandnephew and great-grandnephew of Abraham and Sarah; brother of Rebekah; father of Leah and Rachel; uncle, second and third cousin and father-in-law of Jacob; and grandfather of Judah. His branch of the family remained at Haran when Abraham moved on into Canaan. There was a good deal of mutual deception, each trying to outdo the other; but the final parting among the mountains of Gilead was a friendly one.
Genesis 28 Narrative
1 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.
2 Arise, go to Padan-aram, 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.
3 And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;
4 And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.
5 And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padan-aram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.
Genesis 28:1-5
Laban's Family
Laban welcomed his nephew, Jacob as a young man, and set him the stipulation of seven years' labour before he permitted him to marry his daughter Rachel. Laban tricked Jacob into marrying his elder daughter Leah instead. Jacob then took both women as wives. The dealings between the two branches are described in Gen. 24; 27:43–31:55. Jacob lived with him and served him for 20 years.
Laban and his family were described as dwelling in Paddan Aram, in Mesopotamia. Though the biblical text itself does not attest to this, Rabbinic sources also identify him as the father of Bilhah and Zilpah. Bilhah and Zilpah were maids of Leah and Rachel and also concubines with whom Jacob had children (Midrash Raba, Gen 24).
Children
Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
Leah, daughter of Laban | City of Harran, Padan-aram, Mesopotamia | Goshen, Egypt | Jacob ben Isaac |
Rachel, daughter of Laban | City of Harran, Padan-aram, Mesopotamia | Bethlehem, Hebron, Land of Canaan | Way of Ephrath,Jacob ben Isaac |
Unnamed sons |
Siblings
Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel | City of Harran, Padan-aram, Mesopotamia | Mamre, Hebron, Land of Canaan | Isaac ben Abraham |
Laban ben Bethuel | City of Harran, Padan-aram, Mesopotamia | City of Harran, Padan-aram, Mesopotamia |
References
Offspring
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