Genesis 30:28

Study note

Setting — Laban addresses Jacob after acknowledging in Genesis 30:27 that the Lord’s blessing came through him. He shifts the negotiation by telling Jacob to set the price for his continued labor.

The words — The Hebrew נָקְבָה (naqevah) means “designate” or “name,” directly linked to שְׂכָרְךָ (sekharékha) for “your wages.” The construction literally commands Jacob to fix the amount before Laban commits to payment.

The thread — This exchange echoes Genesis 29:15, where Laban initially asks Jacob to name his wages for working for Rachel. The narrative repeats the employer’s concession, moving from Genesis 29:15 to Genesis 30:28 as Jacob’s leverage increases.

Why it lands — The text records a straightforward commercial offer before any theological application. It asks the reader to note the transfer of pricing authority from the patriarch to the hired servant.

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.