The Genesis Project
Genesis 29

Free Labor

124 words · May 27, 2025

Many say Jacob is a deceiver, and that he is outdone by Laban, the greater deceiver.

I don’t think so. I think he is being taken advantage of because he doesn’t understand things.

In Genesis 29, Laban gets a month of free labor from Jacob and learns he can get even more.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ לָבָ֔ן אַ֛ךְ עַצְמִ֥י וּבְשָׂרִ֖י אָ֑תָּה וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב עִמּ֖וֹ חֹ֥דֶשׁ יָמִֽים׃
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָבָן֙ לְיַעֲקֹ֔ב הֲכִי־אָחִ֣י אַ֔תָּה וַעֲבַדְתַּ֖נִי חִנָּ֑ם הַגִּ֥ידָה לִּ֖י מַה־מַּשְׂכֻּרְתֶּֽךָ׃

and Laban said to him, “You are truly my bone and flesh.” When he had stayed with him a month’s time, Laban said to Jacob, “Just because you are a kinsman, should you serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?”
Genesis 29:14-15 (The Contemporary Torah, JPS 2006)

Jacob Laban deceiver kinsman labor

All tags

Quiet dispatches.

New releases, events, and reflections from the press, sent only when there is something to say.