LABAN lā’ bən (לָבָ֧ן, white). The name of a person and a place in the OT. 1. The brother of Rebekah and son of Bethuel and grandson of Nahor, the brother of Abraham (Gen 24:15, 29). The family is described as from Padanaram and of Aramean nationality (25:20). It also is to be noted that Laban and his father were worshipers of the Lord (24:50).

Laban is first mentioned in connection with the arrival of Abraham’s servant at the home of Nahor to find a wife for Isaac. Although Bethuel was still living at the time of the servant’s arrival, Laban was apparently the spokesman for the household (24:29ff.). In his meeting with Abraham’s servant, Laban shows the oriental politeness of that day (24:31ff.) and a certain shrewdness which is more apparent later in dealing with his sister’s son Jacob (24:30, cf. 29:15ff.).

Some years later, when Rebekah’s son Jacob was forced to leave his home, he was sent to his uncle Laban’s home to escape Esau’s wrath (27:42ff.). Here Laban is described as a resident of Haran (27:43) where Terah had lived and died (11:32). Haran was the chief city of the region of Padan-aram (Field of Aram).

Laban was undoubtedly well-known there as is evidenced by his large holdings and the immediate recognition of his name by the strangers whom Jacob met at the shepherd’s well (29:5).

Jacob soon discovered that Laban had a beautiful daughter, Rachel, and he immediately fell in love with her (29:6, 9ff.).

Oriental politeness was once again shown by Laban toward Jacob as it had been earlier toward Abraham’s servant (29:13).

After a month had passed, Laban offered to hire Jacob to work for him. Jacob willingly agreed to work for the privilege of marrying Rachel. After seven years’ labor, Jacob asked for his wife. Laban’s shrewdness became evident, as he substituted Leah, before unmentioned, for Rachel. Leah was both older and less attractive than Rachel (29:20-23). He pleaded the custom of the country in his duplicity (29:26), but agreed that Jacob could have Rachel also after a week, if Jacob would work for him seven more years.

Not able to outwit Laban, and still poor after fourteen years of labor, Jacob now put his trust in God to avenge the wrong. A second bargain was made with Laban by which Jacob would receive those sheep and goats in Laban’s flock which were not of solid color (30:27ff.).

It is not clear whether Jacob believed his trick of having the sheep conceive where he had peeled the rods would work or not (30:37ff.). He later testified that God had promised him Laban’s flocks and that all was of God’s doing (31:7ff.).

Nevertheless, Laban’s flock did decrease and Jacob’s increased, apparently not by any dishonesty on Jacob’s part. Laban’s sons, heretofore not mentioned, murmured and Laban himself no longer trusted Jacob (31:1, 2). Jacob accused Laban of cheating him in wages, and from Laban’s past performance this is not hard to believe (31:6, 7). Evidently Laban’s daughters did not doubt the truth of Jacob’s accusation (31:16).

Jacob took his possessions and fled while Laban was away from home (31:20).

Laban, on learning of Jacob’s flight, angrily pursued. After seven days he overtook Jacob at Gilead in the hill country SE of Galilee.

In this last encounter between the two branches of Terah’s family, the severe side of Laban is shown. He accused Jacob of cheating him by taking his daughters away without a farewell (31:26-28). In addition he accused Jacob of stealing his household gods, a thing which Jacob denied, not knowing that Rachel had indeed stolen them (31:19).

Laban was unable to find the gods and Jacob soundly scolded him in return. He accused Laban of cheating him for twenty years though Jacob had faithfully served him (31:38ff.).

Laban never conceded a point in this argument, but yielded to Jacob anyway (31:43). Still distrusting one another, the two made a covenant whereby God was called to be a watcher over the two to prevent either from wronging the other. This has sometimes erroneously been called a “Benediction.” It certainly was not a blessing.

After that, Laban departed and never appears again in the history of God’s people.

A study of the Nuzi tablets gives much insight into the Biblical record concerning Laban and Jacob. Clarification is seen in the reason for Rachel’s theft of her father’s teraphim, for by the teraphim she could claim inheritance in Laban’s house.

2. A city in the area of encampment of Israel, across the Jordan in the Arabah (Deut 1:1). In this area, Moses spoke to Israel the words contained in Deuteronomy, just before his death. It is perhaps the same as Libnah, but that site would seem to be too far N.

Bibliography F. Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews and a History of the Jews, 49, 61; A. Edersheim, Bible History, I (1890), 108, 109, 125, 129, 131; J. Finegan, Light From the Ancient Past (1946) 55; H. Rowley, The Rediscovery of the Old Testament (1946), 48; D. Baly, The Geography of the Bible (1957), 228; Wright and Fuller, The Book of the Acts of God (1957), 63, 81, 86; D. Thomas, Documents From Old Testament Times (1958), 62, 122; J. Bright, A History of Israel (1960), 78-82, 91ff.; C. Pfeiffer, Patriarchal Age (1961), 26, 46, 72, 79, 83, 85; G. Von Rad, Genesis (1961), 282ff.; J. Gray, Archaeology in the Old Testament (1962) 98; J. Thompson, The Bible and Archaeology (1962), 30ff.