Genesis 29:15

15 Lavan said to Ya`akov, "Because you are my brother, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what will your wages be?"

Genesis 29:15 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 29:15

And Laban said unto Jacob, because thou [art] my brother
Or nephew, his sister's son, (See Gill on Genesis 29:12):

shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought?
nearness of kin was no reason why he should serve him freely, or for nothing, but rather why he should be more kind to him than to a stranger, and give him better wages:

tell me, what [shall] thy wages [be]?
by the day, or month, or year; signifying he was willing to give him anything that was just and reasonable, which was very well spoken; and this gave Jacob a fair opportunity of opening his mind more freely to him, and for answering a principal end for which he came, as follows:

Genesis 29:15 In-Context

13 It happened, when Lavan heard the news of Ya`akov, his sister's son, that he ran to meet Ya`akov, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Ya`akov told Lavan all these things.

14 Lavan said to him, Surely you are my bone and my flesh. He lived with him for a month.

15 Lavan said to Ya`akov, "Because you are my brother, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what will your wages be?"

16 Lavan had two daughters. The name of the elder was Le'ah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

17 Le'ah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful and well favored.