John Gill Commentary Genesis 29:4

"And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence are ye? And they said, Of Haran are we." — Genesis 29:4 (ASV)

And Jacob said to them To the shepherds, though not expressly mentioned; it cannot be imagined he spoke to the flocks, but to the keepers of them:

my brethren, from where are you? a kind and affable way of speaking, used even to strangers, since all men are brethren by nature; or might be used by Jacob, because they were of the same occupation with himself, shepherds, asking them of what city they were, and from whence they came? and which being answered, would lead on to a conversation, which was what he wanted:

and they said, of Haran are we; the very place he was bound for, and was sent to, (Genesis 27:43) (28:10) .