Old Testament Commentary - Genesis 29

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 29 Jacob meets Rachel at the well—He serves Laban seven years for her—Laban gives to Jacob, first Leah, then Rachel in marriage— Jacob serves another seven years— Leah bears Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah.
1 THEN Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east. 2 And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth. 3 And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place.		1^a TG Jesus Christ, Appearances, Antemortal 2^a Josh. 5:13; TG Angels ^b 3 Ne. 11:19; Ether 6:12; TG Courtesy 3^a JST Gen. 18:3 ...brethren... 4^a TG Washing ^b TG Hospitality 5^a OR sustain... ^b Gen. 19:8
4 And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of ^aHaran are we. 5 And he said unto them, Know ye ^aLaban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him. 6 And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.		1^a TG Jesus Christ, Appearances, Antemortal 2^a Josh. 5:13; TG Angels ^b 3 Ne. 11:19; Ether 6:12; TG Courtesy 3^a JST Gen. 18:3 ...brethren... 4^a TG Washing ^b TG Hospitality 5^a OR sustain... ^b Gen. 19:8
7 And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them. 8 And they said, We cannot, until all ^athe flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep.		1^a TG Jesus Christ, Appearances, Antemortal 2^a Josh. 5:13; TG Angels ^b 3 Ne. 11:19; Ether 6:12; TG Courtesy 3^a JST Gen. 18:3 ...brethren... 4^a TG Washing ^b TG Hospitality 5^a OR sustain... ^b Gen. 19:8
9 ¶ And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep: for she kept them. 10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and ^awatered the flock of Laban his mother's brother. 11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.
12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father. 13 And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things. 14 And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my ^aflesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.
15 ¶ And Laban said unto Jacob, Because *thou art* my brother^a*, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall* thy wages be? 16 And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was ^abeautiful and well ^bfavoured.	15^a thou art by brother A better compiled translation and rendition of this phrase would be that Laban and Jacob were related 'kinsmen' of the same recognized family ancestry. Jacob and Laban were 3^rdcousins, both were descendants of Terah, the father of Abraham and Haran, both three generations removed on their direct paternal side. Yet it is this relationship of 'brotherhood' which underlies the Law of Moses in respect to 'marriage' as opposed to being immediate 'brothers' in the immediate family. In the case of Mahlon, the son of Elimelech, there was no immediate 'brother' but the Law of Moses still had its effect through the 'near and nearer' kinsmen not 'immediate brother' of Mahlon in performing as surrogate husband to Ruth in raising up seed to the dead Mahlon and house of Elimelech. In fact it is the same Hebrew word ['ach/i or 'ach] for 'brother' which is used here in verse 15 that is also used in Ruth 4:3 and Deuteronomy 25:6 where the Law of Marriage is given and thus assumed by Boaz.
18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will ^aserve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. 19 And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me. 20 And Jacob served seven years for ^aRachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the ^blove he had to her.
21 ¶ And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. 22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a ^afeast. 23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. 24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah ^aZilpah his maid for an handmaid.
25 And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me? 26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the ^afirstborn. 27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. 29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter ^aBilhah his handmaid to be her maid. 30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he ^aloved also Rachel more than Leah, and ^bserved with him yet seven other years.
31 ¶ And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb^a: but Rachel was ^abarren. 32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name ^aReuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me. Rachel Was Barren Now the particular design of God in that Sarah, Rebekah and Rachel were all barren as apart from the nature of things may seem as the Lord taking charge and having a hand in such matters. This may very well be the case, but since Sarah, Rebekah and Rachel were all of the same family line, that is being child, grand child and great grand child of the same parentage, namely Haran, there could have been a genetic cause which would still fall withing 'nature' rather than be directly attributed to the Lord's intervention. However, on the other hand, for the Lord to step in and open a known 'barren womb', then that is of the nature of a true miracle of God. And God did do so for Sarah (See Genesis 16:1, 17:15-17 & 21:1-2) at age 90, and for Rebekah and Rachel after they were determined to also be barren (See Genesis 25:21 & 29:31)	31^a he opened her womb From the Hebrew perspective of tradition, the Lord was considered to be over all things and thus things which we consider to be every day matters and happenstance are all attributed to the Lord as though he is the 'cause' of them all. Thus the common every day matter of conception was attributed to the Lord as an act of God, that it is cause particularly by God in particularly his governing all things. Is it nearly the same concept that one takes concerning any even and/or decission, such as what breakfast cereal to buy and eat. Thus Leah being in the natural common state of being able to bear children was deamed an 'act of God' as though God predestined it to be so and that the case of Rachel being 'barren' was to be deamed as a 'curse' of God against Rachel, rather than being a misfortune.
33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was ^ahated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name ^bSimeon. 34 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called ^aLevi. 35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I ^apraise the LORD: therefore she called his name ^bJudah; and left bearing.