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Genesis 29:5 — Word Study

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WLCוַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ם הַיְדַעְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־ לָבָ֣ן בֶּן־ נָח֑וֹר וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ יָדָֽעְנוּ׃

BSADo you knowyâdaʻ [have knowledge of, are acquainted with] LabanLâbân [a son of Bethuel, a grandson of Nahor] the grandsonbên [son of the son, descendant] of NahorNâchôwr Jacob askedʼâmar We know himyâdaʻ [are familiar with, have seen] they repliedʼâmar

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 29
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 5 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (ya.Da.'e.nu) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 29:5quick helps
In a sentenceJacob asks the shepherds if they know Laban, and they confirm they do.
Who is speakingJacob is asking the question.
Where we areThis conversation takes place as Jacob arrives in Haran.
The hard wordיָדַע
Take awayKnowledge of Laban is established.
6 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them › clause verbאָמַר The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Genesis 29:5

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — Jacob's Arrival in Harangenerated

4“My brothers,” Jacob asked the shepherds, “where are you from?” “We are from Haran,” they answered.
5“Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked. “We know him,” they replied.
6“Is he well?” Jacob inquired. “Yes,” they answered, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.”
7“Look,” said Jacob, “it is still broad daylight; it is not yet time to gather the livestock. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.”

Genesis 29:5 shows Jacob inquiring about Laban upon arriving in Haran. This interaction highlights Jacob's search for family ties and connections as he embarks on a new chapter of his life. The shepherds' response indicates familiarity with Laban, establishing a link between Jacob and his relatives.


Cross References


The Key Word יָדַע, hay.da'.Temgenerated

The Hebrew verb יָדַע (yada`) means 'to know' and encompasses a range of meanings including recognition, perception, and experience. It is used here in a context that suggests familiarity, as Jacob seeks to confirm the identity of Laban.

The verb is in the perfect tense, indicating a completed action in the past, which aligns with the shepherds' response that they indeed know Laban. This word is fundamental in establishing relationships and connections in the narrative.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

Translations generally agree on the meaning of יָדַע as 'know'.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (vai.Yo.mer), 'and he said', governs the sentence, with two clauses following: the question Jacob poses and the response from the shepherds. This structure emphasizes the dialogue format of the passage.

The sentence begins with Jacob's inquiry, establishing the context of the conversation, followed by the shepherds' reply, which confirms their knowledge of Laban.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint uses the Greek word εἶπεν to translate וַיֹּ֣אמֶר, indicating a straightforward rendering of the Hebrew verb 'to say'. This choice maintains the original meaning without adding interpretive layers.

For יָדַע, the Greek γινώσκετε conveys the same sense of knowledge and familiarity, showing consistency between the Hebrew and Greek texts.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 29:5 shows Jacob asking the shepherds if they know Laban, who is related to him. The shepherds confirm they know him, indicating a connection to Jacob's family.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Jacob mean by asking if they know Laban?

Jacob is trying to establish a connection with his family, as Laban is his relative.

Why is it important that the shepherds know Laban?

Their familiarity with Laban helps Jacob confirm he is in the right place and connects him to his family.

What can we learn from Jacob's inquiry?

Jacob's question reflects his search for identity and belonging as he arrives in a new land.

How does this interaction set the stage for Jacob's journey?

It introduces Laban, who will play a significant role in Jacob's life, highlighting the importance of family ties.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I seek to connect with my own family and heritage?
  2. What does it mean to truly know someone in a relational context?
  3. In what ways can I recognize the importance of family connections in my life?
  4. How can I reflect on my own journey and the people who have influenced it?

Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 29:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he said unto them, know ye Laban the son of Nahor?.... He was the son of Bethuel, and grandson of Nahor; grandsons being called the sons of their grandfather; and Nahor might be more known than

Read John Gill on Genesis 29 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we. Jacob said ... My brethren ... Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? He was the grandson of Nahor.

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 29 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Genesis 29:5 And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know [him]. Ver. 5.

Read John Trapp on Genesis 29 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5) Laban the son of Nahor.—Laban was really the son of Bethuel and grandson of Nahor; but Nahor was the founder of the family, as being the original immigrant from Ur, who came to supply Abraham’s place on his departure.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Genesis 29 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 5. Laban the son of Nahor] Son is here put for grandson, for Laban was the son of Bethuel the son of Nahor.

Read AdamClarke on Genesis 29 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

5. Laban … of Nahor] See note on Genesis 24:15. In Genesis 24:24 Rebekah is daughter of Bethuel, the son of Nahor. In Genesis 24:29 ff. Laban is Rebekah’s brother. Here he is son of Nahor. It is possible that the tradition, followed here and in chap. 24, differs from that of the genealogy in Genesis 22:20-23; or that Nahor is mentioned as more famous than Bethuel his son. Cf. Jehu who is called “son of Nimshi” (2 Kings 9:20), though, in reality, his grandson (2 Kings 9:2; 2 Kings 9:14).

Read Cambridge on Genesis 29 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

“Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked. “We know him,” they replied.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He said to them, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

“Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked. “We know him,” they replied.

NETBNew English Translation2006

So he said to them, “Do you know Laban, the grandson of Nahor?” “We know him,” they said.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And he said to them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? and they said, We know him.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Then he sayd vnto them, Know ye Laban the sonne of Nahor? Who said, We know him.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And he said to them, Do ye know Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We do know [him].

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And he saith to them, 'Have ye known Laban, son of Nahor?' and they say, 'We have known.'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And he says to them, “Have you known Laban, son of Nahor?” And they say, “We have known.”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nachor? And they said, We know him.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

He said to them, “Do you know Laban son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And he asked them, saying: Know you Laban the son of Nachor? They said: We know him.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

“Do you know Laban, Nahor's grandson?” he asked. “Yes, we know him,” they replied.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And he said to them, Have you any knowledge of Laban, the son of Nahor? And they said, We have.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וַandclauseverbיֹּ֣אמֶרhe.saidprepositional phrase · prepositionalלָtoהֶ֔םthemclauseהַdoclauseverbיְדַעְתֶּ֖םyou.know?noun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseלָבָ֣ןLabannoun phraseבֶּןthe.sonנָח֑וֹרof.Nahorוַandclauseverbיֹּאמְר֖וּthey.saidclauseverbיָדָֽעְנוּwe.know.[him]

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text presents the verse as: "וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ם הַיְדַעְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־ לָבָ֣ן בֶּן־ נָח֑וֹר וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ יָדָֽעְנוּ׃" The Samaritan Pentateuch agrees with the Masoretic Text word for word. The Septuagint matches 8 of the 9 words in terms of a word-by-word correspondence to the Masoretic Text, though it presents the words in its own order and structure. Overall, the Samaritan Pentateuch and the Masoretic Text are in complete agreement, while the Septuagint differs slightly in wording but retains the same essential meaning.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ם הַיְדַעְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־ לָבָ֣ן בֶּן־ נָח֑וֹר וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ יָדָֽעְנוּ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרεἶπενלָהֶ֔םαὐτοῖςהַיְדַעְתֶּ֖םγινώσκετεלָבָ֣ןλαβανבֶּן־υἱὸνנָח֑וֹרναξωρוַיֹּאמְר֖וּεἶπανיָדָֽעְנוּ׃γινώσκομεν

8 of the 9 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

ויאמר להם הידעתם את לבן בן נחור ויאמרו ידענו

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Genesis 29:5אָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַרהֶםto themto themהֶםיָדַע¿ do you kn¿ do you knowיָדַעאֵתthe object the object markאֵתלָבָןLabanLabanלָבָןבֵּן[the] son o[the] son ofבֵּןנָחוֹרNahorNahorנָחוֹראָמַרand they saand they saidאָמַריָדַעwe know [hiwe know [him]יָדַעאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהלָבָןwhitewhiteלָבָןנַ֫חַרsnortingsnortingנַ֫חַרכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/GodיהוהאֲנִיIIאֲנִיבִּיןto understto understandבִּיןמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁאֲרַמִּיArameanArameanאֲרַמִּייַעֲקֹבJacobJacobיַעֲקֹבעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןהָרָןHaranHaranהָרָןמִלְכָּהMilcahMilcahמִלְכָּה
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Genesis 29:5

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and he said to them ¿ do you know the object marker Laban [the] son of Nahor and they said we know [him]
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.mer and he said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he said to them ¿ do you know the object marker Laban [the] son of Nahor and they said we know [him]
לָהֶ֔םla.Hem to them H9038 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הֶם (hem) — them.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine plural

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HRd/Sp3mp — Preposition · suffix
HRd/Sp3mp
and he said to them ¿ do you know the object marker Laban [the] son of Nahor and they said we know [him]
הַיְדַעְתֶּ֖םhay.da'.Tem ¿ do you know H3045 Particle · verb qal perfect second person masculine plural
945× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to know means to ascertain by seeing, and is used in many senses, including to learn, perceive, and recognize, as seen in various KJV translations.
Amplified meaning
have knowledge of, are acquainted with
Tyndale gloss
to know
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָדַע (yada`) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to know,' encompassing a wide range of senses including perception, recognition, and experience. It can refer to knowing someone intimately or being skilled in a task. The word has various forms, indicating actions such as making known or being made known. Lexicons note its use in both literal and figurative contexts, but there is no significant disagreement among them.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָדַע 943 vb. know

Qal

know, learn to know

perceive

perceive and see; find out and discern

discriminate, distinguish

know by experience

recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

consider

not know = not expect

know a person, be acquainted with

know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

be skilful in

abs. have knowledge, be wise

Niph.

be made known, be or become known, of things

make oneself known of pers.

be perceived

be instructed

Pi. cause to know

Pu. known

Hiph. make known, declare

Hoph. made known

Hithp. make oneself known

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3045 יָדַע know .. . know, learn to know

. perceive

. perceive and see; find out and discern

. discriminate, distinguish

. know by experience

. recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

. consider

. not know = not expect

. know a person, be acquainted with

. know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

. . know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

. be skilful in

. abs. have knowledge, be wise

. . be made known, be or become known, of things

. make oneself known of pers.

. be perceived

. be instructed

. cause to know

. known

. make known, declare

. made known

. make oneself known

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3045 yada` yaw-dah'

a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing);

used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally,

euphemistically and inferentially (including observation,

care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation,

punishment, etc.) (as follow):--acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted

with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware,

(un-)awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, X

could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to)

discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel,

can have, be (ig-)norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause

to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have

(knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be

learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X

prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man

of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָדַע (ya.da) — to know.

1) to know

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to know

1a1a) to know, learn to know

1a1b) to perceive

1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern

1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish

1a1e) to know by experience

1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess

1a1g) to consider

1a2) to know, be acquainted with

1a3) to know (a person carnally)

1a4) to know how, be skilful in

1a5) to have knowledge, be wise

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed

1b2) to make oneself known

1b3) to be perceived

1b4) to be instructed

1c) (Piel) to cause to know

1d) (Poal) to cause to know

1e) (Pual)

1e1) to be known

1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle)

1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare

1g) (Hophal) to be made known

1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself

Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדַע "to know" H3046)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part | V-Qal-Perf-2mp — Particle · verb qal perfect second person masculine plural
HTi/Vqp2mp
and he said to them ¿ do you know the object marker Laban [the] son of Nahor and they said we know [him]
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he said to them ¿ do you know the object marker Laban [the] son of Nahor and they said we know [him]
לָבָ֣ןla.Van Laban H3837 Noun proper masculine
55× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Refers to Laban, a person in the Bible, or a place in the desert where the Israelites camped.
Amplified meaning
a son of Bethuel, a grandson of Nahor
Tyndale gloss
Laban
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לָבָן (la.van) refers to Laban, a figure from the Patriarchal narratives, specifically the son of Bethuel and brother of Rebekah, who is the father-in-law of Jacob. The term also denotes a location associated with the Israelites' desert journey. The name Laban means 'white' and appears in contexts relating to both a person and a geographical site.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לָבָן 54 n.pr.m. son of Bethuel, brother of Rebekah, and father-in-law of Jacob

base

לָבָן n.pr.loc. connected with desert-journey of Israelites Dt 1:1

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3837a לָבָן son of Bethuel, brother of Rebekah, and father-in-law of Jacob H3837b לָבָן connected with desert-journey of Israelites

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3837 Laban law-bawn'

the same as 3836; Laban, a Mesopotamian; also a place in the

Desert:--Laban.

see HEBREW for 03836

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לָבָן (la.van) — Laban.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.24.29;

son of: Bethuel (H1328A);

brother of: Rebekah (H7259);

father of: Rachel (H7354) and Leah (H3812)

§ Laban = "white"

son of Bethuel, brother of Rebekah, and father of Leah and Rachel

לָבָן (la.van) — Laban.

§ Laban = "white"

a wilderness encampment of the Israelites

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

la'-ban: The person named Laban, labhan; (Laban, possibly connected with the root meaning "to be white," from which in Hebrew the adjective meaning "white" has just this form) is first introduced to the reader of Genesis in the story of the wooing of Rebekah (Genesis 24). He belonged to that branch of the family of Terah that was derived from Abraham's brother Nahor and his niece Milcah. The genealogy of this branch is traced in Ge 22:20-24; but, true to its purpose and the place it occupies in the book, this genealogy brings the family down to Rebekah, and there stops without mentioning Laban. Accordingly, when Rebekah is introduced in the narrative of Genesis 24, she is referred to (24:15,24) in a way that recalls to the reader the genealogy already given; but when her brother Laban is introduced (24:29), he is related to his…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Laban

White. (1.) The son of Bethuel, who was the son of Nahor, Abraham’s brother. He lived at Haran in Mesopotamia. His sister Rebekah was Isaac’s wife (Gen. 24). Jacob, one of the sons of this marriage, fled to the house of Laban, whose daughters Leah and Rachel (ch. 29) he eventually married. (See JACOB.)

(2.) A city in the Arabian desert in the route of the Israelites (Deut. 1:1), probably identical with Libnah (Num. 33:20).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(white). Son of Bethuel, brother of Rebekah and father of Leah and Rachel. (B.C. about 1860-1740.) The elder branch of the family remained at Haran, Mesopotamia, when Abraham removed to the land of Canaan, and it is there that we first meet with Laban, as taking the leading part in the betrothal of his sister Rebekah to her cousin Isaac. (Genesis 24:10,29-60; 27:43; 29:5) The next time Laban appears in the sacred narrative it is as the host of his nephew Jacob at Haran. (Genesis 29:13,14) [JACOB] Jacob married Rachel and Leah, daughters of Laban, and remained with him 20 years, B.C. 1760-1740. But Laban’s dishonest and overreaching practice toward his nephew shows from what source Jacob inherited his tendency to sharp dealing. Nothing is said of Laban after Jacob left him. One…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A rich herdsman of Mesopotamia, son of Bethuel, and grandson of Mahor, Abraham’s brother, Ge 24:28-31. His character is shown in the gladness with which he gave his sister Rebekah in marriage to the only son of his rich uncle, Abraham, Ge 24:30,50; and in his deceitful and exacting treatment of Jacob his nephew and son-inlaw, against which Jacob defended himself by cunning as well as fidelity. When the prosperity of the one family and the jealousy of the other rendered peace impossible, Jacob, at the command of God, secretly departed, to go to Canaan. Laban pursued him; but being warned by God to do him no harm, returned home after making a treaty of peace. He seems to have known and worshipped God, Ge 24:50 30:27 31:53; but…

and he said to them ¿ do you know the object marker Laban [the] son of Nahor and they said we know [him]
בֶּן־ben- [the] son of H1121 Noun common · masculine singular construct
4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Amplified meaning
son of the son, descendant
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

son, male child, born of a woman

children (male and female)

youth, young men

the young of animals

of plant shoots

fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

member of a guild, order or class

of animals son of (the) herd

ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

n. relat. of age

base

בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman

. children (male and female)

. youth, young men

. the young of animals

. of plant shoots

. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

. . member of a guild, order or class

. of animals son of (the) herd

. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

. n. relat. of age

H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1121 ben bane

from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the

widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,

including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,

etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)

(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,

(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,

bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X

came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of

first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +

kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)

people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +

spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous

one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 0251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּן (ben) — son: child.

: child/son

בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;

son of: Jaaziah (H3269);

brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)

§ Beno = "his son"

the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)

בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.

: descendant, people, tribe, nation

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : child/son

בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.

: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : descendant

בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.

: rebel/son(Belial)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : people/men/nation/tribe

בֵּן (ben) — son.

: [inheriting]son/heir

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.

: warrior/son(strong)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and he said to them ¿ do you know the object marker Laban [the] son of Nahor and they said we know [him]
נָח֑וֹרna.Chor Nahor H5152 Noun proper masculine
18× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Nahor was Abraham's grandfather and brother, living during the time of the Patriarchs. He was a son of Terah and had several children of his own. Nahor is mentioned in the book of Genesis.
Tyndale gloss
Nahor
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָחוֹר (Nachowr) refers to Nahor, a biblical figure associated with the Patriarchs. He is identified as both the father of Terah and the grandfather of Abraham, as well as the son of Serug. The name is linked to the meaning 'snorting.' The entries note his family connections, including his brother Abraham and his marriage to Milcah.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָחוֹר n.pr.m.

father of Teraḥ

son of Teraḥ and brother of Abr.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5152 נָחוֹר . father of Teraḥ

. son of Teraḥ and brother of Abr.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5152 Nachowr naw-khore'

from the same as 5170; snorer; Nochor, the name of the

grandfather and a brother of Abraham:--Nahor.

see HEBREW for 05170

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָחוֹר (na.chor) — Nahor.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.11.22;

son of: Serug (H8286);

father of: Terah (H8646)

Also named: Nachōr (Ναχώρ "Nahor" G3493)

§ Nahor = "snorting"

1) son of Serug, father of Terah, and grandfather of Abraham

2) son of Terah and brother of Abraham

נָחוֹר (na.chor) — Nahor.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.11.26;

son of: Terah (H8646);

brother of: Abraham (H0085), Haran (H2039) and Sarah (H8283); married to Milcah (H4435) and Reumah (H7208);

father of: Uz (H5780H), Buz (H0938), Kemuel (H7055), Chesed (H3777), Hazo (H2375), Pildash (H6394), Jidlaph (H3044), Bethuel (H1328A), Tebah (H2875), Gaham (H1514), Tahash (H8477) and Maacah (H4601)

§ Nahor = "snorting"

1) son of Serug, father of Terah, and grandfather of Abraham

2) son of Terah and brother of Abraham

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

na'-hor (nachor; in the New Testament Nachor):e representative of Naphtali among the 12 spies (Nu 13:14).

(1) Son of Serug and grandfather of Abraham (Ge 11:22-25; 1Ch 1:26).

(2) Son of Terah and brother of Abraham (Ge 11:26,27,29; 22:20,23; 24:15,24,47; 29:5; Jos 24:2).

A city of Nahor is mentioned in Ge 24:10; the God of Nahor in Ge 31:53. In the King James Version Jos 24:2; Lu 3:34, the name is spelled…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Nahor

Snorting. (1.) The father of Terah, who was the father of Abraham (Gen. 11:22-25; Luke 3:34).

(2.) A son of Terah, and elder brother of Abraham (Gen. 11:26, 27; Josh. 24:2, R.V.). He married Milcah, the daughter of his brother Haran, and remained in the land of his nativity on the east of the river Euphrates at Haran (Gen. 11:27-32). A correspondence was maintained between the family of Abraham in Canaan and the relatives in the old ancestral home at Haran till the time of Jacob. When Jacob fled from Haran all intercourse between the two branches of the family came to an end (

(snorting), the name of two persons in the family of Abraham. His grandfather; the son of Serug and father of Terah. (Genesis 11:22-25) (B.C. 2174.) Grandson of the preceding son of Terah and brother of Abraham and Haran. (Genesis 11:26,27) (B.C. 2000.) The order of the ages of the family of Terah is not improbably inverted in the narrative; in which case Nahor instead of being younger than Abraham, was really older. He married Milcah, the daughter of his brother Haran; and when Abraham and Lot migrated to Canaan, Nahor remained behind in the land of his birth, on the eastern side of the Euphrates.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. Son of Serug, and father of Terah, Ge 11:22-25 Lu 3:34.

2. Son of Terah, and brother of Abraham and Haran. He married Milcah his niece in Ur of the Chaldees, Ge 11:26,29, but seems to have transferred his residence to Haran, Ge 24:10 27:43. He had twelve sons, and among them Bethuel the father of Rebekah, Ge 22:20-24.

and he said to them ¿ do you know the object marker Laban [the] son of Nahor and they said we know [him]
וַיֹּאמְר֖וּvai.yo.me.Ru and they said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he said to them ¿ do you know the object marker Laban [the] son of Nahor and they said we know [him]
יָדָֽעְנוּ׃ya.Da.'e.nu we know [him] H3045 Verb · Qal · perfect first person common plural
945× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to know means to ascertain by seeing, and is used in many senses, including to learn, perceive, and recognize, as seen in various KJV translations.
Amplified meaning
are familiar with, have seen
Tyndale gloss
to know
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָדַע (yada`) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to know,' encompassing a wide range of senses including perception, recognition, and experience. It can refer to knowing someone intimately or being skilled in a task. The word has various forms, indicating actions such as making known or being made known. Lexicons note its use in both literal and figurative contexts, but there is no significant disagreement among them.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָדַע 943 vb. know

Qal

know, learn to know

perceive

perceive and see; find out and discern

discriminate, distinguish

know by experience

recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

consider

not know = not expect

know a person, be acquainted with

know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

be skilful in

abs. have knowledge, be wise

Niph.

be made known, be or become known, of things

make oneself known of pers.

be perceived

be instructed

Pi. cause to know

Pu. known

Hiph. make known, declare

Hoph. made known

Hithp. make oneself known

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3045 יָדַע know .. . know, learn to know

. perceive

. perceive and see; find out and discern

. discriminate, distinguish

. know by experience

. recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

. consider

. not know = not expect

. know a person, be acquainted with

. know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse

. . know how, to do a thing, be able to do it

. be skilful in

. abs. have knowledge, be wise

. . be made known, be or become known, of things

. make oneself known of pers.

. be perceived

. be instructed

. cause to know

. known

. make known, declare

. made known

. make oneself known

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3045 yada` yaw-dah'

a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing);

used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally,

euphemistically and inferentially (including observation,

care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation,

punishment, etc.) (as follow):--acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted

with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware,

(un-)awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, X

could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to)

discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel,

can have, be (ig-)norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause

to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have

(knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be

learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X

prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man

of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell,

Read the full entry →
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָדַע (ya.da) — to know.

1) to know

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to know

1a1a) to know, learn to know

1a1b) to perceive

1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern

1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish

1a1e) to know by experience

1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess

1a1g) to consider

1a2) to know, be acquainted with

1a3) to know (a person carnally)

1a4) to know how, be skilful in

1a5) to have knowledge, be wise

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed

1b2) to make oneself known

1b3) to be perceived

1b4) to be instructed

1c) (Piel) to cause to know

1d) (Poal) to cause to know

1e) (Pual)

1e1) to be known

1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle)

1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare

1g) (Hophal) to be made known

1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself

Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדַע "to know" H3046)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-1cp — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common plural
HVqp1cp
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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