Bible Discussion Thread

In the old testament was Jacob Liah and Rachel's uncle?

(Not duplicate. Other comment removed.)

Jacob was a first cousin to Leah and Rachel, because Laban (Leah and Rachel's father - Genesis 29:5-6,16) and Rebekah (Jacob's mother - Genesis 25:28) were brother and sister ( Genesis 24:29, Genesis 25:20) born of the same father (Bethuel in Genesis 24:15,24,47,50) and apparently born of the same mother (unnamed in Genesis 24:53,55).

It doesn't really matter how far removed Jacob's father Issac was from Laban if Jacob's mother was Laban's sister. The closest relation on either our father's or mother's side always determines how closely we are related to someone else, not the paternal relationship alone. So Jacob would have only been a third cousin one generation removed from Leah and Rachel if Jacob's father Issac had been the closest relative to Laban's daughters. However, that is basically irrelevant in this case because Jacob's mother Rebekah was clearly the closest relative to them.

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Nancy, I looked on a chart for Abraham's lineage online

You might google "Abraham and Nahor's lineages and see. There were "generations removed" in the lineages. Bethuel and Isaac were first cousins, but one generation apart (since Abraham had Jacob at such an old age and Nahor had Bethuel at a normal age). Isaac and Laban were "one generation removed" though closer in age. Rebecca, Laban's sister also was "one generation removed" from Isaac, being of the same generation as Isaac but her Father, Bethuel, was Isaac's first cousin. (Bethuel was the father of Laban and Rebecca). Jacob and Laban were second cousins but one generation removed" as Laban was the father of Leah and Rachel, so he was of the generation of Isaac and Rachel and Leah were of Jacob's generation but these women were not Jacob's second cousins.

Leah, and Rachel were third cousins to Jacob "one generation removed". Jacob's children and Leah and Rachel are third cousins

"one generation removed.

I realize that these are "one generation removed" things are confusing. I come from a lineage of large families, so having cousins that are "one generation removed" is common as the older children in a family may have children older or close in age to the parents youngest siblings. But in this case, the "one generation removed" come into plat because of the wide age difference between when Nahor had Bethuel and Abraham had Isaac. Bethuel was a father before Isaac was born, thus there was a generation between Isaac and Bethuel but they were first cousins.

For example, If Nahor was 43 when Bethuel was born and Abrahan was 40, Bethuel was 45 when Isaac was born, (85-40) but they were first cousins. If Bethuel was 53 when Laban and 50 when Rebecca was born, Abraham would be 85. (33+53)

If Abraham was 85 when Isaac was born, Nahor would be 112, Bethuel would be 45, Laban would be just born. If Isaac was 30 when he married Rebecca, Bethuel (his first cousin) would be 75 (45 +30), Laban 30, and Rebecca, 27.