The First Book of Moses, called Genesis
Genesis 29
Chapter XXIX · Vol. I, pp. 260–262
1 Jacob cometh to the well of Haran. 9 He taketh acquaintance of Rachel. 13 Laban entertaineth him. 18 Jacob covenanteth for Rachel. 23 He is deceived with Leah. 28 He marrieth also Rachel, and serveth for her seven years more. 31 Leah is fruitful, and beareth Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah.
1 Then Jacob went on his journey,9 and came into athe land of the people1 of the east.2
9 Heb. lifted up his feet, Ps. 119.32,60.
a ch. 28.5,6; 25.20; 24.10; 22.20-23.
1 Heb. children.
2 'Children of the East,' Bene-Kedem, is the general name given in Scripture to the wandering Arabs. Their country lay along the whole eastern border of Palestine, extending to the Red Sea on the south, and to the Persian Gulf and Mesopotamia on the east.—P.
2 And he looked, and behold ba well in the field, and, lo, there were cthree 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
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.
4 And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of dHaran are we.
d ch. 11.31; 24.10. Ac. 7.2.
5 And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the eson of Nahor? And they said, We know him.
e Grandson, ch. 31. 53; 24.24,29.
6 And he said unto them, fIs he well?4 And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.
f ch. 43.27. 1 Sa. 25.5. 2 Sa. 20.9.
4 Heb. is there peace to him?
7 And he said, Lo, git is yet high day,5 neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them.
g Ep. 5.16. Ga. 6.9,10.
5 Heb. yet the day is great.
8 And they said, hWe cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep.
h ch. 34.14; 43.32. According to our established order we cannot do it; nor have we sufficient ability to do it.
9 And iwhile he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep; for she kept them.
A.M. 2245. B.C. 1759.
i ch. 24 15. Ex. 2.15, 16,21. Ca. 1.7,8.
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 watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.
12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's mbrother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father.
m Kinsman; nephew, ver. 13; ch. 13.8.
13 And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings2 of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and nkissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.3
2 Heb. hearing.
n ch. 45.15. Ex. 4.27; 18. 7. Lu. 7.45. Ro. 16. 16.
3 He told him the cause of his journey, and what had happened to him by the way.
14 And Laban said to him, Surely thou art myo bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.4
o My near kinsman, ch. 2.23. Ju. 9.2. 2 Sa. 19. 12. Mi. 7.5. Ep. 5.30. ch. 13.8, ver. 12,15.
4 Heb. a month of days.
15 And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, 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 beautiful and well-favoured.
18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, pI will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.5
p Ho. 12. 12; 3.2. ch. 34.12. Ex. 22.17.
5 In modern times, and in European society, the father gives a dowry with his daughter; in the times and country of Laban, the father received it for his daughter; a custom still prevalent in Arabia and some other eastern countries. How shall we account for this difference of customs? 1. From the system of polygamy so prevalent in the East, which rendered the proportion of unmarried females inadequate to the number of males, and enabled covetous fathers, like Laban, to make a profitable traffic of their daughters. 2. From the nature of the servile employments to which even females of rank (such as Rachel, ver. 6) were appointed. It is evident that, in former times, the wife, in eastern countries, was but a superior servant, or real slave, as she still, down to these days, continues to be, and therefore we can be little surprised that she was purchased as by a master, for whom she was to toil as an inferior, and not endowed as for a husband with whom she was to live as an equal.—Note, It was reserved for Christianity, in every country where it has prevailed, to raise the condition of woman to her proper rank in society.—C.
19 And Laban said, qIt is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.
q Ps. 12. 2. Is. 56. 11. He was shamelessly covetous.
20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, rfor the love he had to her.
r 1 Co. 13. 7. Ca. 8.7. Ep. 5.2.
21 And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days sare fulfilled,6 that I may got in unto her.
23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took xLeah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.
x Being veiled, ch. 24.65; 38.15. Mi. 7.5.
24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for yan handmaid.
A.M. 2252. B.C. 1752.
y ch. 16.1; 24.59.
25 And it came to pass, that zin 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 ahast thou beguiled me?
z 1 Co. 3.13; 4.5.
26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country,7 to give the younger before the first-born.
7 Heb. place.
27 Fulfil her bweek, and we will give thee cthis also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.8
b Seven days of marriage feast, Ju. 14. 10.
c Mal. 2.15. Le. 18.18. Mat. 19.5. 1 Ti. 6.10.
8 The duplicity of Laban in imposing upon Jacob, and now pleading a custom, hitherto unmentioned, or that perhaps never had a being, in justification of it, is utterly to be condemned. The world is full of duplicity, saying one thing and meaning another, promising an act of kindness while intending an act of injury. Like all other evils it leads to more. First, it divides the concentrated affections of Jacob; then it introduces him to polygamy, this leads to envy between the sisters, to a farther extension of the first evil; and terminates in the slavery of Joseph, and nearly brings the gray head of Jacob with sorrow to the grave.—C.
28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week; and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.9
9 1752.
29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.
30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he dloved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.
d De. 21. 15. Mat. 6. 24; 10.37. Jn. 12.25. Lu. 14.26.
32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son; and she called his name gReuben:1 for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.
g That is, see a son, ch. 35. 22, 23; 37. 21, 22, 29; 42.22,37; 46.8,9; 49.3, 4.
1 Son of regard—as if his mother, lamenting the coldness of affection in her husband, which was more ardently turned to Rachel, takes her son as a token, and makes his name a memorial of the regard of God towards her, and her hope of obtaining and securing the regard of her husband. So speaks Mary, in acknowledgment of Gabriel's message (Lu. 1. 47, 48)—'My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.'—C.
33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name hSimeon.
h That is, hearing, ch. 34. 25; 35. 23; 42. 24; 46.10; 49.5,6.
Notes
Ver. 23. Leah being veiled, as ch. 24. 65, and it being dark, Jacob could not discern the fraud. Thus he who beguiled his brother, and imposed on his dim-sighted father, was now, in like manner, beguiled himself.
Ver. 25. [By bitter experience Jacob was now taught how painful, how harrowing to the feelings of others, was that cunning and duplicity which he himself had practised on his father and brother. From this moment till the day of his death he continued to be the victim of deception and falsehood. Retributive justice seems to have followed him until, in God's good providence, it completely purified him. P.]
Ver. 31. To punish Leah for consenting to her father's deceit, she was hated, that is, less loved than Rachel, ver. 30.
Reflections.—Behold how cheerful and prosperous the gracious visits of a reconciled God render men! Behold the plainness, humility, and kindness which once prevailed in the world! How kind is it to assist others unasked; and how unnatural to refuse our relations assistance in the time of their distress! The diligent labourer is worthy of his hire. Virtuous love brings its own reward along with it. Nothing is irksome when done in fervent affection. With what deliberation ought men to proceed in marriage, even when they are assured of God's blessing on it! How powerful is the abominable influence of a covetous heart! It will make parents to sell their children or prostitute them as harlots, and men to impose upon their nearest friends! How justly God marks the sins of his own people in their chastisements; and yet mercifully tries them with disappointments, that the love of creatures may not engross their whole heart! How little comfort men have ever found in transgressing God's original institution by taking a plurality of wives! Real marriage love cannot be divided. Nothing can be heavier to an affectionate wife than to have her husband's love estranged from her. But readily the Lord takes part with them who have least help in man; and makes up in one thing what he denies to them in another. Let us therefore, like Leah, diligently observe the providence of God, not only in the birth of children, but in every other thing which may befall us; that we may acknowledge it with gratitude, trust him more cheerfully, and praise him to his glory.