Comentário sobre Gênesis 29:5

KNOW YE LABAN THE SON OF NAHOR? Laban was recognized and known by the name of his father’s father Nahor since Nahor was more important than Laban’s father [Bethuel], and he was the head of their family, as it is written, the G-d of Abraham and the G-d of Nahor.⁶⁶Further, 31:53. [Thus, Laban being the son of Bethuel,⁶⁷Above, 28:5. was nevertheless known by his father’s father’s name, Nahor.]⁶⁸Ibid., 22:22. It is possible that Bethuel was a dishonorable person, and Laban wanted people to ascribe his lineage only to his father’s father, for so we find, And Laban and Bethuel answered.⁶⁹Above, 24:50. [Laban is thus mentioned before his father, which indicates that Bethuel was not regarded as the head of the family.] Perhaps all this is in honor of Abraham for [by virtue of Laban’s being known by Nahor’s name], the whole family traced its lineage to Nahor the brother of Abraham,⁷⁰Ibid., 22:23. [and thus demonstrated its connection with its illustrious relative Abraham].

ויאמר להם...בן נחור. He mentioned Lavan’s grandfather rather than his father seeing Nachor had been a well known personality whereas Betuel had not. This is also why we find in Genesis 31,53 the expressionאלוקי אברהם ואלוקי נחור, seeing that Nachor had been well known.

הידעתם את לבן בן נחור?, “do you know Lavan, son of Nachor?” The reason why the Torah does not write: “Lavan, son of Bethuel,” is that Nachor was by far more prominent in that town, and Lavan himself did not like to be referred to as his father’s son, but as his grandfather’s grandson. Some commentators write that “Lavan son of Nachor,” means “Lavan citizen of Nachor,” seeing that the town had been named after its founder, Nachor. It was likely that the shepherds did know the mayor of the town Nachor, without knowing Bethuel, father of Lavan.