Genesis 29:12

12 He explained to Rachel that he was her cousin on her father’s side—the son of her aunt Rebekah. So Rachel quickly ran and told her father, Laban.

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 because Rachel was his cousin—the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother—and because the sheep and goats belonged to his uncle Laban, Jacob went over to the well and moved the stone from its mouth and watered his uncle’s flock.

11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and he wept aloud.

12 He explained to Rachel that he was her cousin on her father’s side—the son of her aunt Rebekah. So Rachel quickly ran and told her father, Laban.

13 As soon as Laban heard that his nephew Jacob had arrived, he ran out to meet him. He embraced and kissed him and brought him home. When Jacob had told him his story,

14 Laban exclaimed, “You really are my own flesh and blood!” Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel After Jacob had stayed with Laban for about a month,