And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
Laban said, 'In our country, we don't do things that way, we don't give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one.'
Laban is explaining to Jacob that their custom requires the older daughter to marry first before the younger one can be given in marriage.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical story, Jacob had agreed to work for Laban for seven years to marry Rachel, his younger daughter, as part of a deal to secure a wife and build his family. However, on the wedding night, Laban tricked Jacob by giving him Leah, the older daughter, instead, which led to conflict and further arrangements. This reflects ancient Near Eastern customs where birth order and family hierarchy were strictly observed, emphasizing that the firstborn typically received precedence in matters like marriage.
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