Genesis 29:12

12 And he told Rachel that he was the near relative of her father, and the son of Rebecca; and she ran and reported to her father according to these words.

Genesis 29:12 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 29:12

And Jacob told Rachel
Or "had told" ^F9 her; before he kissed her, and lift up his voice and wept, as Aben Ezra observes:

that he [was] her father's brother;
his nephew by his sister, for such were sometimes called brethren, as Lot, Abraham's brother's son, is called his brother, ( Genesis 14:12 Genesis 14:14 Genesis 14:16 ) :

and that he [was] Rebekah's son;
sister to her father, and aunt to her, and whose name and relation she doubtless knew full well:

and she ran and told her father;
leaving the care of her flock with Jacob; Rebekah, in a like case, ran and told her mother, ( Genesis 24:28 ) , which is most usual for daughters to do; but here Rachel runs and tells her father, her mother very probably being dead, as say the Jewish writers ^F11.

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FOOTNOTES:

F9 (dgyw) "et puntiaverat", Pagninus, Montanus; "renuntiaverat", Vatablus.
F11 Bereshit Rabba, sect. 70. fol. 62. 4. Jarchi in loc.

Genesis 29:12 In-Context

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 came and rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well, and watered the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother.

11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and cried with a loud voice and wept.

12 And he told Rachel that he was the near relative of her father, and the son of Rebecca; and she ran and reported to her father according to these words.

13 And it came to pass when Laban heard the name of Jacob, his sister's son, he ran to meet him, and embraced and kissed him, and brought him into his house; and he told Laban all these sayings.

14 And Laban said to him, Thou art of my bones and of my flesh; and he was with him a full month.