Interesting Facts

• Beor was the firstborn son of Laban and Adinah.
• Beor was seventeen years old when his father Laban sent him on a mission to Esau.
• Beor was sent with Abichorof, the son of Uz, the son of Nahor, and ten other men.
• Beor was tasked with informing Esau about Jacob’s departure, his increase in wealth, and the taking of Laban’s daughters and possessions.
• Beor’s mission involved traveling on a different road than Jacob to reach Esau in the land of Seir.

Genealogy

• Beor was the son of Laban and his wife Adinah.
• He had two younger brothers, Alib and Chorash, who were born in the fourth year of Jacob’s residence in Laban’s house.
• His paternal grandfather was Bethuel and his paternal great-grandfather was Nahor.
• His aunts were Rebekah (Jacob and Esau’s mother) and Rachel and Leah (Jacob’s wives).
• He was a cousin to Jacob and to Esau.

Historical Context

Beor’s life and actions are situated within the context of the escalating tensions between Jacob and his father-in-law Laban, as well as the pre-existing conflict between Jacob and his brother Esau. Beor’s birth is noted during a time when Laban’s fortunes were increasing due to Jacob’s presence. His mission to Esau occurs after Jacob’s surreptitious departure from Haran with his wives, children, and accumulated wealth, following years of service and perceived deception by Laban. This period is marked by themes of familial strife, economic rivalry, and the consequences of past actions, such as Jacob’s acquisition of Isaac’s blessing. The cultural context likely involved strong familial ties and expectations of loyalty, which are evident in Laban’s distress over Jacob’s departure and his seeking recourse through his nephew Esau. The mention of Laban’s “gods” also points to the religious practices of the time. Beor’s role as a messenger highlights the importance of communication and the seeking of alliances within these familial and potentially tribal structures.

Narrative

Beor’s involvement in the narrative is primarily as a messenger dispatched by his father Laban to Esau. Following Jacob’s departure from Haran, Laban, feeling aggrieved by Jacob’s unannounced flight and the perceived loss of his daughters and wealth, sends his seventeen-year-old firstborn son Beor, along with Abichorof and ten other men, to inform Esau of these events. Beor’s mission is to relay Laban’s perspective on his interactions with Jacob, emphasizing Jacob’s initial arrival with nothing, Laban’s subsequent prosperity due to Jacob, and Jacob’s eventual secret flight with Laban’s daughters and possessions, including his “gods”. Beor and his companions travel by a different route and reach Esau in the land of Seir, delivering Laban’s message and suggesting that Esau could act against Jacob as he sees fit. This action directly contributes to Esau’s fury towards Jacob and his mobilization of four hundred men to confront his brother. While Beor himself does not directly interact with Jacob or Esau in the subsequent narrative excerpts, his role as the bearer of Laban’s grievances serves as a catalyst in reigniting the conflict between the two brothers and sets the stage for their eventual encounter. His age (seventeen) suggests a level of responsibility entrusted to him by his father in this critical situation.