Bethuel

Bethuel (meaning: filiation of God or man of God) was the son of Nahor by his wife Milcah, making him the nephew of Abraham. He was the father of both Rebekah and Laban, and thus the grandfather of Jacob and Esau through Rebekah's marriage to Isaac. His lineage made him the link between the family of Terah and the next generation of the patriarchal line, placing him at a critical juncture in the genealogical history of Israel.

Bethuel's most significant appearance is in the account of Abraham's servant's mission to find a wife for Isaac from among Abraham's kindred in Paddan-aram. When the servant arrived at the household and recounted how the Lord had guided him to Rebekah, Bethuel and Laban replied together that the thing proceeded from the Lord and they could say neither good nor bad. Bethuel appears to have died or become inactive shortly after this episode, as subsequent negotiations for Rebekah's departure were conducted by Laban alone. His son Laban became the more prominent figure in the family, hosting Jacob during his twenty years of service. Also, a town in the tribe of Simeon bears the name Bethuel in 1 Chronicles 4:30.