And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
26. It is not so done ] Cf. Gen 20:9, Gen 34:7 ; 2Sa 13:12. Laban’s excuse was specious, that it was necessary to conform to local customs, and that Jacob, as a stranger, did not know them. But, if so, he should in decency and honour have explained the custom to Jacob before consenting to the marriage with the younger sister. In this disgraceful deception Laban’s character is revealed; while Jacob, who deceived his father and his brother, is made to suffer himself from deception.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 26. It must not be so done in our country] It was an early custom to give daughters in marriage according to their seniority; and it is worthy of remark that the oldest people now existing, next to the Jews, I mean the Hindoos, have this not merely as a custom, but as a positive law; and they deem it criminal to give a younger daughter in marriage while an elder daughter remains unmarried. Among them it is a high offence, equal to adultery, “for a man to marry while his elder brother remains unmarried, or for a man to give his daughter to such a person, or to give his youngest daughter in marriage while the eldest sister remains unmarried.” – Code of Gentoo Laws, chap. xv., sec. 1, p. 204. This was a custom at Mesopotamia; but Laban took care to conceal it from Jacob till after he had given him Leah. The words of Laban are literally what a Hindoo would say on such a subject.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
This seems to be a false pretence; but if it had been true, custom is to give place to justice, by which he was obliged to perform his contract with him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And Laban said, it must not be so done in, our country,…. Or “in our place” s; in this our city it is not usual and customary to do so; he does not deny what he had done in beguiling him, nor the agreement he had made with him, but pleads the custom of the place as contrary to it:
to give the younger, that is, in marriage,
before the firstborn; but it does not appear there was any such custom, and it was a mere evasion; or otherwise, why did not he inform him of this when he asked for Rachel? and why did he enter into a contract with him, contrary to such a known custom? and besides; how could he have the nerve to call the men of the city, and make a feast for the marriage of his younger daughter, if this was the case?
s “in loco nostro”, Pagninus, Montanus, &c
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(26) It must not be so done in our country.Heb., It is not so done in our place, to give, &c. We have seen that it is still customary for the elder cousin to take the elder daughter, and the younger the younger. But Laban affirms that if the elder daughter be not claimed, it was the rule in Haran for her to take precedence over her sisters. In India the practice is such as Laban describes, but we have no proof of the existence of any such custom among the Bedaween. Apparently Leah loved Jacob (Gen. 30:15), and Laban wanted a continuance of his service, and so this unscrupulous plot was arranged between them upon a pretext which, if not false, was yet overstrained. Jacob plainly had no idea of such a custom, and would not have given seven years service for Leah.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
26. So done in our country Rather, in our place . The Hindu laws, as quoted by Clarke, made it a high offence “for a man to marry while his elder brother remains unmarried, or for a man to give his daughter to such a person, or to give his youngest daughter in marriage while the elder sister remains unmarried.” But if such were the law at Haran, Jacob was ignorant of it until now, and Laban deceived him in not explaining it to him when he bargained for Rachel. Gen 29:18.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And Laban said, “It is not so done in our place to give the younger before the firstborn. Fulfil the week of this one and we will give you the other also for the service which you will serve with me, yet seven more years.”
The taking of a second wife is well witnessed elsewhere, as is the later taking of slave-wives. But for the main wives there would be legal stipulations in the marriage contract, either written or oral and made in the presence of witnesses, preserving their position and relative freedom. The marrying by one man of two sisters was, however, later forbidden (Lev 18:18).
Laban knew that Jacob would have to recognise the strength of his argument. Custom could not be broken. Every one in the tribe would know the situation, and they were no doubt smiling behind Jacob’s back. And behind his triumphant but partly concealed smile is the implication that Jacob should have known, and that had he been smarter he would have known. It was probably not an uncommon requirement, although marriage to the elder daughter did in fact place Jacob in a more privileged position. (An argument which Laban might well have called on when placating Jacob. Marriage was not on the whole looked on as a romantic affair).
However Laban is not averse to Jacob and placates him with a further offer. Let him go through the seven-day wedding feast (see Jdg 14:12) without trouble, giving Leah her full due, and then he can also marry Rachel. After which he must work another seven years for the privilege, as a now privileged member of the tribe.
It has been suggested in the light of parallels elsewhere that Laban adopts Jacob as a son, but there is nothing in the narrative to suggest this and much to demonstrate that he retained a level of independence. He was an established member of the family tribe, connected by marriage, but his services had to be retained by contract. Thus the new seven year contract.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Gen 29:26. Laban said, It must not, &c. This appears to have been a mere shift, as we read of no such custom; or, had the fact been true, he ought to have informed Jacob before.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Gen 29:26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
Ver. 26. It must not be so done in our country. ] A sorry excuse; but better, he thought, than none at all. A subtle fox he was, and far too hard for honest Jacob, who was “simple to evil,” but of a large reach for heaven. “The children of this world are wise in their generation”; and so is the fox in his: but God will take them in their own craft, as wild beasts in a snare, “made and taken to be destroyed”. 1Co 3:19-20 a Let us take heed how we deal with them, and make our bargains as wise as we can. Crebro nobis, sicut Ciceroni , b vafer ille Siculus insusurret Epicharmi cantilenam illam suam , N . “We have not received the spirit of this world”; 1Co 2:12 we cannot skill of the devil’s depths: but we have received a better thing; “the Spirit which searcheth all, yea, the deep things of God”. 1Co 2:10
a O . Manu capere et firmiter tenere .
b Cic. ad Attic .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
country: Heb. place, Gen 29:26
Reciprocal: Gen 48:18 – for this 1Ti 6:10 – and pierced
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
29:26 And Laban said, {i} It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
(i) He valued the profit he had from Jacob’s service more than either his promise or the customs of the country, though he used custom for his excuse.