Genesis 29:1-20

Jacob Meets Rachel

1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of ¹the sons of the east.

2 He looked, and saw ²a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, for from that well they watered the flocks. Now the stone on the mouth of the well was large.

3 When all the flocks were gathered there, they would then roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the mouth of the well.

4 Jacob said to them, "My brothers, where are you from?" And they said, "We are from ³Haran."

5 He said to them, "Do you know Laban the ⁴son of Nahor?" And they said, "We know him."

6 And he said to them, "Is it well with him?" And they said, "It is well, and here is ⁵Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep."

7 He said, "Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered. Water the sheep, and go, pasture them."

8 But they said, "We cannot *, until * all the flocks are gathered, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep."

9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess.

10 When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.

11 Then Jacob ⁶kissed Rachel, and lifted his voice and wept.

12 Jacob told Rachel that he was a ⁷relative of her father and that he was Rebekah's son, and ⁸she ran and told her father.

13 So when ⁹Laban heard the news of Jacob his sister's son, he ran to meet him, and ¹⁰embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Then he related to Laban all these things.

14 Laban said to him, "Surely you are ¹¹my bone and my flesh." And he stayed with him a month.

15 Then Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall ¹²your wages be?"

16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

17 And Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was ¹³beautiful of form and face.

18 Now Jacob ¹⁴loved Rachel, so he said, "¹⁵I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel."

19 Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than to give her to another man; stay with me."

20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed * to him but a few days ¹⁶because of his love for her.

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Genesis 29:1-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 29

This chapter informs us of Jacob's coming to a well near Haran, where meeting with some shepherds he inquires after Laban, Ge 29:1-8; and there also with Rachel his daughter, the shepherds made known to him, and acquainted her who he was, Ge 29:9-12; upon which she ran to her father, and told him who was at the well, who went forth and brought him to his house, and kindly entertained him, Ge 29:13,14; with whom he agreed to stay and serve seven years for Rachel his daughter, Ge 29:15-20; at the end of which Jacob demands his wife, but instead of Rachel, Leah was brought to him as his wife, Ge 29:21-25; which being discovered, and complained of, it was proposed he should have Rachel also, provided he would serve yet seven years more, to which he agreed, Ge 29:26-30; and the chapter is concluded with an account of four sons being born to Jacob of Leah, Ge 29:31-35.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 16

1. Judges 6:3, 33
2. Genesis 24:10, 11; Exodus 2:15, 16
3. Genesis 28:10
4. Genesis 24:24, 29
5. Exodus 2:16
6. Genesis 33:4
7. Genesis 28:5
8. Genesis 24:28
9. Genesis 24:29-31
10. Genesis 33:4
11. Genesis 2:23; Judges 9:2; 2 Samuel 5:1; 2 Samuel 19:12, 13
12. Genesis 31:41
13. Genesis 12:11, 14; Genesis 26:7
14. Genesis 24:67
15. Hosea 12:12
16. Song of Songs 8:7

Footnotes 5

[a]. Lit "lifted up his feet"
[b]. Lit "behold"
[c]. Lit "brother"
[d]. Lit "brother"
[e]. Lit "beautiful of appearance"