And Laban said, [It is] better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.
19. It is better ] Laban means that it is in the interests of the family his daughter should be married to one of their own kindred. The marriage of first cousins is considered especially desirable among the Bedouin.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
An ambiguous and crafty answer, wherein he doth not directly grant his desire, but only insinuates it in such terms as might hide his design, which the event showed.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
14-20. he abode a monthAmongpastoral people a stranger is freely entertained for three days; onthe fourth day he is expected to tell his name and errand; and if heprolongs his stay after that time, he must set his hand to work insome way, as may be agreed upon. A similar rule obtained in Laban’sestablishment, and the wages for which his nephew engaged to continuein his employment was the hand of Rachel.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Laban said,…. Deceitfully, as the Targum of Jonathan adds, pretending great respect for Jacob, and that what he had proposed was very agreeable to him, when he meant to impose upon him:
[it is] better that I should give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man; by which he not only intimates that he preferred him, a relation, to another man, a stranger; but as if he did not insist upon the servitude for her, but would give her to him; unless he means upon the terms proposed, and so it should seem by what follows:
abide with me: the term of seven years, and serve me; suggesting, that then he agreed Rachel should be his wife; and so Jacob, a plain hearted man, understood him; but he designed no such thing.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(19) It is better that I give her to thee.It is still the custom among the Arabs to prefer a relative as the husband of a daughter, and on giving a moderato dowry the elder cousins can claim the elder daughters in marriage, and the younger the younger. Thus Jacob, as the second son, had a claim upon Rachel. The Rabbins even say that Leahs eyes were weak from weeping, because Esau had not come to marry her. This absurd idea bears witness, nevertheless, to the custom of the intermarriage of cousins being an established rule, and gives a reason for Labans acceptance of Jacob as the husband of his younger child. As Jacob offered seven years service for Rachel, and gave a second seven years service for her after he had been tricked into taking Leah, we may conclude that the length of time was not unreasonable.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
19. Better to thee, than to another Laban gladly accepts Jacob’s offer . It was worth more to him than gold . This custom of preferring marriage with one’s own kindred, and also the practice of receiving dowry for a daughter, illustrate the manners of the ancient East, which prevail largely even at the present day. While the daughter is not sold as a slave, the practice shows the comparatively low position of women in the East, and how little a wife had to say in the choice of a husband. But the dowry may be looked upon as a reward paid to parents for the care of a daughter’s training and bringing up to womanhood, and also a suitable expression of gratitude on the part of the husband towards the parents of his wife.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Remain with me.”
The offer is accepted and it may be that at this stage Laban thought that Leah might be married within the seven years to someone else thus clearing the way for Jacob. The elder daughter was often more attractive status-wise. Thus it may be that at this point in time his aim was honest.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Labours of love are always apparently short and sweet. Heb 6:10 . But what were the services of the Redeemer for his spouse, the church, and for whom he travailed in soul: Isa 53:11 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 29:19 And Laban said, [It is] better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.
Ver. 19. It is better that I give her to thee. ] Indeed, he sold her to him for seven years’ service. This was Laban, or Nabal, choose you which. Their names were not more like than their conditions. Laban’s daughters and Nabal’s wife were alike handled by their unkind parents. “He hath sold us,” said they, “and hath also quite devoured our money”. Gen 31:15 And, He hath married me, might Abigail have said, to the money, and not to the man; and though he named me his joy, yet he hath caused me much sorrow. How many a child is so cast away by the covetous parents! It was better with Laban’s two daughters; but no thanks to their father.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 12:2, Isa 6:5, Isa 6:11
Reciprocal: Gen 30:26 – my wives Gen 30:28 – General Rth 4:10 – have I Jer 29:6 – take wives