And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.

And Laban said, It is not so done in our place, to give the younger before the first-born.

Laban answered: It is not the custom in this place, to give the younger in marriage first.

And Laban said, it must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the first-born.

And Laban said, In our country we do not let the younger daughter be married before the older.

Laban responded, "It is not the practice in this place to give the younger in marriage first.

Tunc dixit Laban, Non fit ita in loco nostro, ut detur minor ante primogenitam.

It must not be so done in our country - It was an early custom to give daughters in marriage according to their seniority; and it is worthy of remark that the oldest people now existing, next to the Jews, I mean the Hindoos, have this not merely as a custom, but as a positive law; and they deem it criminal to give a younger daughter in marriage while an elder daughter remains unmarried. Among them it is a high offense, equal to adultery, "for a man to marry while his elder brother remains unmarried, or for a man to give his daughter to such a person, or to give his youngest daughter in marriage while the eldest sister remains unmarried." - Code of Gentoo Laws, chap. xv., sec. 1, p. 204. This was a custom at Mesopotamia; but Laban took care to conceal it from Jacob till after he had given him Leah. The words of Laban are literally what a Hindoo would say on such a subject.

And Laban said, (i) It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
(i) He valued the profit he had from Jacob's service more than either his promise or the customs of the country, though he used custom for his excuse.

And Laban said, it must not be so done in, our country,.... Or "in our place" (s); in this our city it is not usual and customary to do so; he does not deny what he had done in beguiling him, nor the agreement he had made with him, but pleads the custom of the place as contrary to it:
to give the younger, that is, in marriage:
before the firstborn; but it does not appear there was any such custom, and it was a mere evasion; or otherwise, why did not he inform him of this when he asked for Rachel? and why did he enter into a contract with him, contrary to such a known custom? and besides; how could he have the nerve to call the men of the city, and make a feast for the marriage of his younger daughter, if this was the case?
(s) "in loco nostro", Pagninus, Montanus, &c.

It must be so done in our country - We have reason to think there was no such custom in his country; but if there was, and that he resolved to observe it, he should have told Jacob so, when he undertook to serve him for his younger daughter.