Bible Strands
Genesis 29:13
When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran out to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, where Jacob told him all that had happened.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Laban runs to meet Jacob immediately after Rachel reports that he is her father’s relative and Rebekah’s grandson. This occurs at the moment of Jacob’s arrival in Haran, prior to any extended interaction or settlement.
The words — The passage emphasizes שֵׁ֣מַע (shema), literally "report" or "news," and the introductory phrase וַ/יְהִי֩ (va/y.Hi), meaning "and it came to pass," which frames Laban’s urgent physical response to the information.
The thread — Laban’s haste to meet a kinship figure echoes his earlier rush to Abraham’s servant in Genesis 24:29, while the embrace and kiss parallel the familial restoration recorded in Genesis 45:15.
Why it lands — The text simply records Laban’s running, embracing, kissing, and Jacob’s subsequent account without commentary. The reader is asked to observe how narrative continuity and kinship obligation move the story forward without moral or theological annotation.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.
Cross-references
- Genesis 24:29 Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he rushed out to the man at the spring.
- Genesis 45:15 Joseph kissed each of his brothers as he wept over them. And afterward his brothers talked with him.
- Exodus 4:27 Meanwhile, the LORD had said to Aaron, “Go and meet Moses in the wilderness.” So he went and met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him.
- Exodus 18:7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and went into the tent.
- 2 Samuel 19:39 So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and Barzillai returned home.
- Luke 7:45 You did not greet Me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing My feet since I arrived.
- Acts 20:37 They all wept openly as they embraced Paul and kissed him.
- Romans 16:16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send you greetings.
- Colossians 4:5 Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time.