Genesischapter 29

Jacob Tends Laban's Flocks and Meets Rachel — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain

A.Jacob Meets Rachel at the Wellvv. 1-14

1 Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. 2 He looked and saw a well in the field, and near it lay three flocks of sheep, because the sheep were watered from this well. And a large stone covered the mouth of the well. 3 When all the flocks had been gathered there, the shepherds would roll away the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well. 4 “My brothers,” Jacob asked the shepherds, “where are you from?” “We are from Haran,” they answered. 5 “Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked. “We know him,” they replied. 6 “Is he well?” Jacob inquired. “Yes,” they answered, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.” 7 “Look,” said Jacob, “it is still broad daylight; it is not yet time to gather the livestock. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.” 8 But they replied, “We cannot, until all the flocks have been gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep.” 9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 As soon as Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, with Laban’s sheep, he went up and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. 12 He told Rachel that he was Rebekah’s son, a relative of her father, and she ran and told her father. 13 When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran out to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, where Jacob told him all that had happened. 14 Then Laban declared, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” After Jacob had stayed with him a month,

B.Seven Years, and Seven Morevv. 15-30

15 Laban said to him, “Just because you are my relative, should you work for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.” 16 Now Laban had two daughters; the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel. 17 Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful. 18 Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19 Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her. 21 Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Grant me my wife, for my time is complete, and I want to sleep with her.” 22 So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast. 23 But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her. 24 And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant. 25 When morning came, there was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob said to Laban. “Wasn’t it for Rachel that I served you? Why have you deceived me?” 26 Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older. 27 Finish this week’s celebration, and we will give you the younger one in return for another seven years of work.” 28 And Jacob did just that. He finished the week’s celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. 29 Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant. 30 Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years.

C.Leah's First Four Sonsvv. 31-35

31 When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. 32 And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.” 33 Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has given me this son as well.” So she named him Simeon. 34 Once again Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi. 35 And once more she conceived and gave birth to a son and said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” So she named him Judah. Then Leah stopped having children.

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

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Chapter summary

Jacob arrives at Haran and meets Rachel at the well; he rolls the stone, waters her flock, and kisses her weeping.

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Jacob arrives at Haran and meets Rachel at the well; he rolls the stone, waters her flock, and kisses her weeping. Laban receives him with kinsman's warmth. The seven-year bargain for Rachel becomes the famous morning surprise. Leah, not Rachel, in his tent. ‘Thus it must not be so done in our country.’ Another seven years is negotiated for Rachel. Leah, unloved, becomes fruitful: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah. The last named ‘praise’. The tribal genealogy begins here with tears. Henry notes the deceiver deceived: Jacob who put the younger before the elder now has the elder put before the younger.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Law · Moses — Genesis overview

A. 1–14 Jacob Meets Rachel at the Well
B. 15–30 Seven Years, and Seven More
C. 31–35 Leah's First Four Sons

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Genesis 245 verses
- Genesis 24:10Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all manner of good things from his master in hand. And he set out for Nahor’s hometown in Aram-naharaim.
- Genesis 24:24She replied, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milcah bore to Nahor.”
- Genesis 24:28The girl ran and told her mother’s household about these things.
- Genesis 24:29Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he rushed out to the man at the spring.
- Genesis 24:65and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?” “It is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself.
- Read Genesis 24 →
Genesis 315 verses
- Genesis 31:4So Jacob sent word and called Rachel and Leah to the field where his flocks were,
- Genesis 31:7And although he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, God has not allowed him to harm me.
- Genesis 31:15Are we not regarded by him as outsiders? Not only has he sold us, but he has certainly squandered what was paid for us.
- Genesis 31:41Thus for twenty years I have served in your household—fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks—and you have changed my wages ten times!
- Genesis 31:53May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.
- Read Genesis 31 →
Genesis 305 verses
- Genesis 30:1When Rachel saw that she was not bearing any children for Jacob, she envied her sister. “Give me children, or I will die!” she said to Jacob.
- Genesis 30:3Then she said, “Here is my maidservant Bilhah. Sleep with her, that she may bear children for me, so that through her I too can build a family.”
- Genesis 30:8Then Rachel said, “In my great struggles, I have wrestled with my sister and won.” So she named him Naphtali.
- Genesis 30:9When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she gave her servant Zilpah to Jacob as a wife.
- Genesis 30:28And he added, “Name your wages, and I will pay them.”
- Read Genesis 30 →
Genesis 343 verses
- Genesis 34:12Demand a high dowry and an expensive gift, and I will give you whatever you ask. Only give me the girl as my wife!”
- Genesis 34:14“We cannot do such a thing,” they said. “To give our sister to an uncircumcised man would be a disgrace to us.
- Genesis 34:25Three days later, while they were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons (Dinah’s brothers Simeon and Levi) took their swords, went into the unsuspecting city, and slaughtered every male.
- Read Genesis 34 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Exodus 23 verses
- Exodus 2:15When Pharaoh heard about this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, where he sat down beside a well.
- Exodus 2:17And when some shepherds came along and drove them away, Moses rose up to help them and watered their flock.
- Exodus 2:21Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage.
- Read Exodus 2 →
Genesis 493 verses
- Genesis 49:5Simeon and Levi are brothers; their swords are weapons of violence.
- Genesis 49:8Judah, your brothers shall praise you. Your hand shall be on the necks of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down to you.
- Genesis 49:31There Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah are buried, and there I buried Leah.
- Read Genesis 49 →
Genesis 292 verses
- Genesis 29:18Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
- Genesis 29:24And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant.
- Read Genesis 29 →
Judges 62 verses
- Judges 6:3Whenever the Israelites would plant their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east would come up and invade them,
- Judges 6:33Then all the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east gathered together, crossed over the Jordan, and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.
- Read Judges 6 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.