Bereshis 29:4

4 And Ya’akov said unto them, My brethren, where are you from? And they said, Of Charan are we.

Bereshis 29:4 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 29:4

And Jacob said unto them
To the shepherds, though not expressly mentioned; it cannot be imagined he spoke to the flocks, but to the keepers of them: my brethren, whence [be] ye?
a kind and affable way of speaking, used even to strangers, since all men are brethren by nature; or might be used by Jacob, because they were of the same occupation with himself, shepherds, asking them of what city they were, and from whence they came? and which being answered, would lead on to a conversation, which was what he wanted: and they said, of Haran [are] we;
the very place he was bound for, and was sent unto, ( Genesis 27:43 ) ( 28:10 ) .

Bereshis 29:4 In-Context

2 And he looked, and hinei a be’er in the sadeh, and, hinei, there were shloshah edrei tzon lying by it; for out of that be’er they watered the edarim: and a great even (stone) was upon the mouth of the be’er.

3 And to there were all the edarim gathered: and they rolled the even (stone) from the mouth of the be’er, and watered the tzon, and put the even (stone) again upon the mouth of the be’er in its place.

4 And Ya’akov said unto them, My brethren, where are you from? And they said, Of Charan are we.

5 And he said unto them, Know ye Lavan ben Nachor? And they said, We know him.

6 And he said unto them, Is the shalom with him? And they said, Shalom; and, hinei, Rachel his bat cometh with the tzon.