Genesis 29:22
New International Version
So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast.

New Living Translation
So Laban invited everyone in the neighborhood and prepared a wedding feast.

English Standard Version
So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast.

Berean Standard Bible
So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast.

King James Bible
And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.

New King James Version
And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast.

New American Standard Bible
So Laban gathered all the people of the place and held a feast.

NASB 1995
Laban gathered all the men of the place and made a feast.

NASB 1977
And Laban gathered all the men of the place, and made a feast.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Laban gathered all the men of the place and made a feast.

Amplified Bible
So Laban gathered together all the men of the place and prepared a [wedding] feast [with wine].

Christian Standard Bible
So Laban invited all the men of the place and sponsored a feast.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So Laban invited all the men of the place to a feast.

American Standard Version
And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.

Contemporary English Version
So Laban gave a big feast and invited all their neighbors.

English Revised Version
And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So Laban invited all the people of that place and gave a wedding feast.

Good News Translation
So Laban gave a wedding feast and invited everyone.

International Standard Version
So Laban gathered all the men who lived in that place and held a wedding festival.

Majority Standard Bible
So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast.

NET Bible
So Laban invited all the people of that place and prepared a feast.

New Heart English Bible
Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and gave a feast.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Laban assembled all the men of the place, and made a feast.

World English Bible
Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and Laban gathers all the men of the place, and makes a banquet.

Young's Literal Translation
and Laban gathereth all the men of the place, and maketh a banquet.

Smith's Literal Translation
And Laban will gather together all the men of the place, and will make a drinking.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he, having invited a great number of his friends to the feast, made the marriage.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he, having called a great crowd of his friends to the feast, agreed to the marriage.

New American Bible
So Laban invited all the local inhabitants and gave a banquet.

New Revised Standard Version
So Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and made a feast.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And so Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Laban gathered all the men of the place and made a banquet.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a marriage-feast.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel
21Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Grant me my wife, for my time is complete, and I want to sleep with her.” 22 So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast. 23But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her.…

Cross References
Genesis 24:53
Then he brought out jewels of silver and gold, and articles of clothing, and he gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious gifts to her brother and her mother.

Genesis 24:59-60
So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men. / And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands upon thousands. May your offspring possess the gates of their enemies.”

Genesis 28:2
“Go at once to Paddan-aram, to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel, and take a wife from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother.

Genesis 24:67
And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah as his wife. And Isaac loved her and was comforted after his mother’s death.

Genesis 31:22-23
On the third day Laban was informed that Jacob had fled. / So he took his relatives with him, pursued Jacob for seven days, and overtook him in the hill country of Gilead.

Genesis 24:29-31
Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he rushed out to the man at the spring. / As soon as he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and heard Rebekah’s words, “The man said this to me,” he went and found the man standing by the camels near the spring. / “Come, you who are blessed by the LORD,” said Laban. “Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.”

Genesis 24:50-51
Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the LORD; we have no choice in the matter. / Rebekah is here before you. Take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, just as the LORD has decreed.”

Genesis 31:54
Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain and invited his relatives to eat a meal. And after they had eaten, they spent the night on the mountain.

Genesis 24:33
Then a meal was set before the man, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I came to say.” So Laban said, “Please speak.”

Genesis 24:54
Then he and the men with him ate and drank and spent the night there. When they got up the next morning, he said, “Send me on my way to my master.”

Judges 14:10
Then his father went to visit the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, as was customary for the bridegroom.

Ruth 4:10-11
Moreover, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, to raise up the name of the deceased through his inheritance, so that his name will not disappear from among his brothers or from the gate of his home. You are witnesses today.” / “We are witnesses,” said the elders and all the people at the gate. “May the LORD make the woman entering your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you be prosperous in Ephrathah and famous in Bethlehem.

1 Samuel 25:42
So Abigail hurried and got on a donkey, and attended by five of her maidens, she followed David’s messengers and became his wife.

Matthew 22:2
“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.

John 2:1-2
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, / and Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding.


Treasury of Scripture

And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.

and made.

Judges 14:10-18
So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do…

Ruth 4:10-13
Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day…

Matthew 22:2-10
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, …

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Assembled Banquet Feast Gathered Gathereth Laban Maketh Together
Genesis 29
1. Jacob comes to the well of Haran.
9. He becomes acquainted with Rachel.
13. Laban entertains him.
18. Jacob covenants for Rachel.
23. He is deceived by Laban with Leah.
28. He marries also Rachel, and serves for her seven years more.
32. Leah bears Reuben;
33. Simeon;
34. Levi;
35. and Judah.














So Laban invited all the men of that place
Laban, a key figure in the narrative, is the brother of Rebekah and father of Leah and Rachel. His actions here reflect the customs of ancient Near Eastern societies, where community involvement in significant family events was common. The invitation to "all the men of that place" indicates a public and communal celebration, typical of wedding feasts in that era. This gathering of men underscores the patriarchal nature of the society, where men were the primary participants in legal and social events. The communal aspect also highlights the importance of social bonds and alliances, which were often solidified through marriage.

and prepared a feast.
Feasts in biblical times were significant events, often marking important occasions such as weddings, religious festivals, or covenants. The preparation of a feast by Laban signifies the formalization of the marriage agreement between Jacob and his daughters. Feasts were not only about food but also about celebration, music, and sometimes the exchange of gifts. This particular feast sets the stage for the subsequent deception of Jacob, as Laban uses the cover of the festivities to substitute Leah for Rachel. The concept of a feast also has typological connections to the New Testament, where Jesus often used the imagery of a wedding feast to describe the Kingdom of Heaven (e.g., Matthew 22:1-14).

Persons / Places / Events
1. Laban
Laban is the brother of Rebekah and the father of Leah and Rachel. He is known for his cunning and manipulative behavior, particularly in his dealings with Jacob.

2. Jacob
Jacob is the son of Isaac and Rebekah, and the grandson of Abraham. He is in Haran to find a wife from his mother's family and has agreed to work for Laban for seven years to marry Rachel.

3. Leah and Rachel
Leah and Rachel are the daughters of Laban. Jacob loves Rachel and agrees to work for Laban to marry her, but Laban deceives him by giving Leah first.

4. Haran
This is the place where Laban and his family live. It is a significant location in the account of Jacob's life.

5. The Feast
The feast is a celebration organized by Laban, ostensibly for the wedding of Jacob and Rachel, but it becomes the setting for Laban's deception.
Teaching Points
The Consequences of Deception
Deception often leads to broken trust and strained relationships. Laban's deceitful actions set the stage for future conflict with Jacob.

God's Sovereignty in Human Affairs
Despite human deception and manipulation, God's plans ultimately prevail. Jacob's journey, though fraught with challenges, is part of God's larger plan for the nation of Israel.

The Importance of Integrity
As Christians, we are called to live with integrity and honesty. Laban's actions serve as a cautionary tale against deceit.

The Role of Community in Celebrations
The gathering of the men of the place for the feast highlights the communal aspect of celebrations. In our lives, community plays a vital role in supporting and sharing in our joys and challenges.Verse 22. - And Laban (unable to evade or delay the fulfillment of his agreement with Jacob) gathered together all the men of the place (not the entire population, but the principal inhabitants), and made a feast - a "mishteh, or drinking (cf. Genesis 19:3), i.e. a wedding banquet (cf. bride-ale - bridal), which commonly lasted seven days (Judges 14:10; Tobit 11:18), though it appears to have varied according to the circumstances of the bridegroom.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So Laban
לָבָ֛ן (lā·ḇān)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3837: Laban -- father-in-law of Jacob

invited all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the men
אַנְשֵׁ֥י (’an·šê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 582: Man, mankind

of that place
הַמָּק֖וֹם (ham·mā·qō·wm)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4725: A standing, a spot, a condition

and prepared
וַיַּ֥עַשׂ (way·ya·‘aś)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

a feast.
מִשְׁתֶּֽה׃ (miš·teh)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4960: Drink, drinking, a banquet, feast


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OT Law: Genesis 29:22 Laban gathered together all the men (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 29:21
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