The text from this verse to verse 19 is another instance of a negotiation between two parties, in this case Jacob and Laban. For a previous instance see 23.3-18. In his relationship with Laban, Jacob was neither a slave nor a hired worker; so some agreement or contract was necessary if Jacob was to stay and work with Laban.

This episode opens with Laban asking Jacob a rhetorical question: Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? This question expects a negative reply. “Should you work for me for nothing? No!” In many languages it will be more natural to use a negative statement, “You should not work for me for nothing,” or a positive statement, “You should be paid for working for me.” Laban’s question assumes Jacob will work or has accepted that he will work for his uncle. However, this fact is not stated until verse 18. It may be necessary, therefore, to make this clear at the beginning of verse 15 by saying, for example, “Then Laban spoke with Jacob about his work….” It is not stated, but we may quite naturally assume from the text that Jacob had already begun to work for Laban during the month that is referred to in verse 14. If this is the case, then the negotiation that is reported here takes place to sort out a problem that has already arisen. One translation that reflects this understanding of the situation moves the time expression “for one month” from the end of verse 14 to the beginning of this episode as part of a time transition: “After Jacob had been working for his uncle Laban for one month, Laban said to him, ‘You can’t work for me without pay.’ ”

Kinsman translates the Hebrew for “brother.” See comments on verse 12. Here the translation may follow Good News Translation “my relative,” or else give the actual relationship, “my nephew.” Note that Good News Translation has switched the two clauses so that the cause clause follows the result clause. This may serve as a model for some languages.

Tell me, what shall your wages be?: the reply to this question comes in verse 18. Wages refers to payment or reward given in exchange for services. We may translate “Tell me how much I should pay you,” “What wages do you ask?” or “How much money will you want?”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .