1Then JacobH3290 went onH5375 his journeyH7272, and cameH3212 into the landH776 of the peopleH1121 of the eastH6924. 2And he lookedH7200, and behold a wellH875 in the fieldH7704, and, lo, there were threeH7969 flocksH5739 of sheepH6629 lyingH7257 by it; for out of that wellH875 they wateredH8248 the flocksH5739: and a greatH1419 stoneH68 was upon the well'sH875 mouthH6310. 3And thither were all the flocksH5739 gatheredH622 : and they rolledH1556 the stoneH68 from the well'sH875 mouthH6310, and wateredH8248 the sheepH6629, and putH7725 the stoneH68 againH7725 upon the well'sH875 mouthH6310 in his placeH4725. 4And JacobH3290 saidH559 unto them, My brethrenH251, whenceH370 be ye? And they saidH559, Of HaranH2771 are we. 5And he saidH559 unto them, KnowH3045 ye LabanH3837 the sonH1121 of NahorH5152? And they saidH559, We knowH3045 him. 6And he saidH559 unto them, Is he wellH7965? And they saidH559, He is wellH7965: and, behold, RachelH7354 his daughterH1323 comethH935 with the sheepH6629. 7And he saidH559, LoH2005, it is yet highH1419 dayH3117, neither is it timeH6256 that the cattleH4735 should be gathered togetherH622 : waterH8248 ye the sheepH6629, and goH3212 and feedH7462 them. 8And they saidH559, We cannotH3201, until all the flocksH5739 be gathered togetherH622, and till they rollH1556 the stoneH68 from the well'sH875 mouthH6310; then we waterH8248 the sheepH6629. 9And while he yetH5750 spakeH1696 with them, RachelH7354 cameH935 with her father'sH1 sheepH6629: for she kept themH7462 . 10And it came to pass, when JacobH3290 sawH7200 RachelH7354 the daughterH1323 of LabanH3837 his mother'sH517 brotherH251, and the sheepH6629 of LabanH3837 his mother'sH517 brotherH251, that JacobH3290 went nearH5066, and rolledH1556 the stoneH68 from the well'sH875 mouthH6310, and wateredH8248 the flockH6629 of LabanH3837 his mother'sH517 brotherH251. 11And JacobH3290 kissedH5401 RachelH7354, and lifted upH5375 his voiceH6963, and weptH1058 . 12And JacobH3290 toldH5046 RachelH7354 that he was her father'sH1 brotherH251, and that he was Rebekah'sH7259 sonH1121: and she ranH7323 and toldH5046 her fatherH1. 13And it came to pass, when LabanH3837 heardH8085 the tidingsH8088 of JacobH3290 his sister'sH269 sonH1121, that he ranH7323 to meetH7125 him, and embracedH2263 him, and kissedH5401 him, and broughtH935 him to his houseH1004. And he toldH5608 LabanH3837 all these thingsH1697. 14And LabanH3837 saidH559 to him, SurelyH389 thou art my boneH6106 and my fleshH1320. And he abodeH3427 with him the spaceH3117 of a monthH2320. 15And LabanH3837 saidH559 unto JacobH3290, Because thou art my brotherH251, shouldest thou therefore serveH5647 me for noughtH2600? tellH5046 me, what shall thy wagesH4909 be? 16And LabanH3837 had twoH8147 daughtersH1323: the nameH8034 of the elderH1419 was LeahH3812, and the nameH8034 of the youngerH6996 was RachelH7354. 17LeahH3812 was tenderH7390 eyedH5869; but RachelH7354 was beautifulH3303 H8389 and wellH3303 favouredH4758. 18And JacobH3290 lovedH157 RachelH7354; and saidH559, I will serveH5647 thee sevenH7651 yearsH8141 for RachelH7354 thy youngerH6996 daughterH1323. 19And LabanH3837 saidH559, It is betterH2896 that I giveH5414 her to thee, than that I should giveH5414 her to anotherH312 manH376: abideH3427 with me. 20And JacobH3290 servedH5647 sevenH7651 yearsH8141 for RachelH7354; and they seemedH5869 unto him but a fewH259 daysH3117, for the love he hadH160 to her. 21And JacobH3290 saidH559 unto LabanH3837, GiveH3051 me my wifeH802, for my daysH3117 are fulfilledH4390, that I may go inH935 unto her. 22And LabanH3837 gathered togetherH622 all the menH582 of the placeH4725, and madeH6213 a feastH4960. 23And it came to pass in the eveningH6153, that he tookH3947 LeahH3812 his daughterH1323, and broughtH935 her to him; and he went inH935 unto her. 24And LabanH3837 gaveH5414 unto his daughterH1323 LeahH3812 ZilpahH2153 his maidH8198 for an handmaidH8198. 25And it came to pass, that in the morningH1242, behold, it was LeahH3812: and he saidH559 to LabanH3837, What is this thou hast doneH6213 unto me? did not I serveH5647 with thee for RachelH7354? wherefore then hast thou beguiledH7411 me? 26And LabanH3837 saidH559, It must not be so doneH6213 in our countryH4725, to giveH5414 the youngerH6810 beforeH6440 the firstbornH1067. 27FulfilH4390 herH2063 weekH7620, and we will giveH5414 thee this also for the serviceH5656 which thou shalt serveH5647 with me yet sevenH7651 otherH312 yearsH8141. 28And JacobH3290 didH6213 so, and fulfilledH4390 her weekH7620: and he gaveH5414 him RachelH7354 his daughterH1323 to wifeH802 also. 29And LabanH3837 gaveH5414 to RachelH7354 his daughterH1323 BilhahH1090 his handmaidH8198 to be her maidH8198. 30And he went inH935 also unto RachelH7354, and he lovedH157 also RachelH7354 more than LeahH3812, and servedH5647 with him yet sevenH7651 otherH312 yearsH8141. 31And when the LORDH3068 sawH7200 that LeahH3812 was hatedH8130, he openedH6605 her wombH7358: but RachelH7354 was barrenH6135. 32And LeahH3812 conceivedH2029, and bareH3205 a sonH1121, and she calledH7121 his nameH8034 ReubenH7205: forH3588 she saidH559, SurelyH3588 the LORDH3068 hath lookedH7200 upon my afflictionH6040; now thereforeH3588 my husbandH376 will loveH157 me. 33And she conceivedH2029 again, and bareH3205 a sonH1121; and saidH559, Because the LORDH3068 hath heardH8085 that I was hatedH8130, he hath therefore givenH5414 me this son also: and she calledH7121 his nameH8034 SimeonH8095. 34And she conceived againH2029, and bareH3205 a sonH1121; and saidH559, Now this timeH6471 will my husbandH376 be joinedH3867 unto me, because I have bornH3205 him threeH7969 sonsH1121: therefore was his nameH8034 calledH7121 LeviH3878. 35And she conceivedH2029 again, and bareH3205 a sonH1121: and she saidH559, NowH6471 will I praiseH3034 the LORDH3068: therefore she calledH7121 his nameH8034 JudahH3063; and leftH5975 bearingH3205 .
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary 1 All the stages Israel's march to Canaan are distinctly noticed, but no particular journal is kept of Jacob's expedition further than Beth-el; no, he had no more such happy nights as he had at Beth-el, no more such visions of the Almighty. That was intended for a feast; he must not expect it to be his daily bread. But, 1. We are here told how cheerfully he proceeded in his journey after the sweet communion he had with God at Beth-el:
Then Jacob lifted up his feet; so the margin reads it,
Gen 29:1. Then he went on with cheerfulness and alacrity, not burdened with his cares, nor cramped with his fears, being assured of God's gracious presence with him. Note, After the visions we have had of God, and the vows we have made to him in solemn ordinances, we should run the way of his commandments with enlarged hearts,
Hebre 12:1. 2. How happily he arrived at his journey's end. Providence brought him to the very field where his uncle's flocks were to be watered, and there he met with Rachel, who was to be his wife. Observe, (1.) The divine Providence is to be acknowledged in all the little circumstances which concur to make a journey, or other undertaking, comfortable and successful. If, when we are at a loss, we meet seasonably with those that can direct us - if we meet with a disaster, and those are at hand that will help us - we must not say that it was by chance, nor that fortune therein favoured us, but that it was by Providence, and that God therein favoured us. Our ways are ways of pleasantness, if we continually acknowledge God in them. (2.) Those that have flocks must look well to them, and be diligent to know their state,
Prov 27:23. What is here said of the constant care of the shepherds concerning their sheep (
Gen 29:2,
Gen 29:3,
Gen 29:7,
Gen 29:8) may serve to illustrate the tender concern which our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, has for his flock, the church; for he is the good Shepherd, that knows his sheep, and is known of them,
John 10:14. The stone at the well's mouth, which is so often mentioned here, was either to secure their property in it (for water was scarce, it was not there
usus communis aquarum -
for every one's use ), or it was to save the well from receiving damage from the heat of the sun, or from any spiteful hand, or to prevent the lambs of the flock from being drowned in it. (3.) Separate interests should not take us from joint and mutual help; when all the shepherds came together with their flocks, then, like loving neighbours, at watering-time, they watered their flocks together. (4.) It becomes us to speak civilly and respectfully to strangers. Though Jacob was no courtier, but a plain man, dwelling in tents, and a stranger to compliment, yet he addresses himself very obligingly to the people he met with, and calls them his
brethren, Gen 29:4. The law of kindness in the tongue has a commanding power,
Prov 31:26. Some think he calls them brethren because they were of the same trade, shepherds like him. Though he was now upon his preferment, he was not ashamed of his occupation. (5.) Those that show respect have usually respect shown to them. As Jacob was civil to these strangers, so he found them civil to him. When he undertook to teach them how to despatch their business (
Gen 29:7), they did not bid him meddle with his own concerns and let them alone; but, though he was a stranger, they gave him the reason of their delay,
Gen 29:8. Those that are neighbourly and friendly shall have neighbourly and friendly usage.
9 Here we see, 1. Rachel's humility and industry:
She kept her father's sheep (
Gen 29:9), that is, she took the care of them, having servants under her that were employed about them. Rachel's name signifies
a sheep. Note, Honest useful labour is that which nobody needs be ashamed of, nor ought it to be a hindrance to any one's preferment. 2. Jacob's tenderness and affection. When he understood that this was his kinswoman (probably he had heard of her name before), knowing what his errand was into that country, we may suppose it struck his mind immediately that his must be his wife. Being already smitten with her ingenuous comely face (though it was probably sun-burnt, and she was in the homely dress of a shepherdess), he is wonderfully officious, and anxious to serve her (
Gen 29:10), and addresses himself to her with tears of joy and kisses of love,
Gen 29:11. She runs with all haste to tell her father; for she will by no means entertain her kinsman's address without her father's knowledge and approbation,
Gen 29:12. These mutual respects, at their first interview, were good presages of their being a happy couple. 3. Providence made that which seemed contingent and fortuitous to give speedy satisfaction to Jacob's mind, as soon as ever he came to the place which he was bound for. Abraham's servant, when he came upon a similar errand, met with similar encouragement. Thus God guides his people with his eye,
Pss 32:8. It is a groundless conceit which some of the Jewish writers have, that Jacob, when he kissed Rachel, wept because he had been set upon in his journey by Eliphaz the eldest son of Esau, at the command of his father, and robbed of all his money and jewels, which his mother had given him when she sent him away. It was plain that it was his passion for Rachel, and the surprise of this happy meeting, that drew these tears from his eyes. 4. Laban, though none of the best-humoured men, bade him welcome, was satisfied in the account he gave of himself, and of the reason of his coming in such poor circumstances. While we avoid the extreme, on the one hand, of being foolishly credulous, we must take heed of falling into the other extreme, of being uncharitably jealous and suspicious. Laban owned him for his kinsman:
Thou art my bone and my flesh, Gen 29:14. Note, Those are hard-hearted indeed that are unkind to their relations, and that
hide themselves from their own flesh, Isa 58:7.
15 Here is, I. The fair contract made between Laban and Jacob, during the month that Jacob spent there as a guest,
Gen 29:14. It seems he was not idle, nor did he spend his time in sport and pastime; but like a man of business, though he had no stock of his own, he applied himself to serve his uncle, as he had begun (
Gen 29:10) when he
watered his flock. Note, Wherever we are, it is good to be employing ourselves in some useful business, which will turn to a good account to ourselves or others. Laban, it seems, was so taken with Jacob's ingenuity and industry about his flocks that he was desirous he should continue with him, and very fairly reasons thus:
Because thou art my brother, shouldst thou therefore serve me for nought? Gen 29:15. No, what reason for that? If Jacob be so respectful to his uncle as to give him his service without demanding any consideration for it, yet Laban will not be so unjust to his nephew as to take advantage either of his necessity or of his good-nature. Note, Inferior relations must not be imposed upon; if it be their duty to serve us, it is our duty to reward them. Now Jacob had a fair opportunity to make known to Laban the affection he had for his daughter Rachel; and, having no worldly goods in his hand with which to endow her, he promises him seven years' service, upon condition that, at the end of the seven years, he would bestow her upon him for his wife. It appears by computation that Jacob was now seventy-seven years old when he bound himself apprentice for a wife,
and for a wife he kept sheep, Hos 12:12. His posterity are there reminded of it long afterwards, as an instance of the meanness of their origin: probably Rachel was young, and scarcely marriageable, when Jacob first came, which made him the more willing to stay for her till his seven years' service had expired.
II. Jacob's honest performance of his part of the bargain,
Gen 29:20. He served seven years for Rachel. If Rachel still continued to keep her father's sheep (as she did,
Gen 29:9), his innocent and religious conversation with her, while they kept the flocks, could not but increase their mutual acquaintance and affection (Solomon's song of love is a pastoral); if she now left it off, his easing her of that care was very obliging. Jacob honestly served out his seven years, and did not forfeit his indentures, though he was old; nay, he served them cheerfully:
They seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had to her, as if it were more his desire to earn her than to have her. Note, Love makes long and hard services short and easy; hence we read of
the labour of love, Hebre 6:10. If we know how to value the happiness of heaven, the sufferings of this present time will be as nothing to us in comparison of it. An age of work will be but as a few days to those that love God and long for Christ's appearing.
III. The base cheat which Laban put upon him when he was out of his time: he put Leah into his arms instead of Rachel,
Gen 29:23. This was Laban's sin; he wronged both Jacob and Rachel, whose affections, doubtless, were engaged to each other, and, if (as some say) Leah was herein no better than an adulteress, it was no small wrong to her too. But it was Jacob's affliction, a damp to the mirth of the marriage-feast, when in the morning behold it was Leah,
Gen 29:25. It is easy to observe here how Jacob was paid in his own coin. He had cheated his own father when he pretended to be Esau, and now his father-in-law cheated him. Herein, how unrighteous soever Laban was, the Lord was righteous; as
Judg 1:7. Even the righteous, if they take a false step, are sometimes thus recompensed on the earth. Many that are not, like Jacob, disappointed in the person, soon find themselves, as much to their grief, disappointed in the character. The choice of that relation therefore, on both sides, ought to be made with good advice and consideration, that, if there should be a disappointment, it may not be aggravated by a consciousness of mismanagement.
IV. The excuse and atonement Laban made for the cheat. 1. The excuse was frivolous:
It must not be so done in our country, Gen 29:26. We have reason to think there was no such custom of his country as he pretends; only he banters Jacob with it, and laughs at his mistake. Note, Those that can do wickedly and then think to turn it off with a jest, though they may deceive themselves and others, will find at last that God is not mocked. But if there had been such a custom, and he had resolved to observe it, he should have told Jacob so when he undertook to serve him for his younger daughter. Note, As saith the proverb of the ancients,
Wickedness proceeds from the wicked, 1Sam 24:13. Those that deal with treacherous men must expect to be dealt treacherously with 2. His compounding the matter did but make bad worse:
We will give thee this also, Gen 29:27. Hereby he drew Jacob into the sin, and snare, and disquiet, of multiplying wives, which remains a blot in his escutcheon, and will be so to the end of the world. Honest Jacob did not design it, but to have kept as true to Rachel as his father had done to Rebekah. He that had lived without a wife to the eighty-fourth year of his age could then have been very well content with one; but Laban, to dispose of his two daughters without portions, and to get seven years' service more out of Jacob, thus imposes upon him, and draws him into such a strait by his fraud, that (the matter not being yet settled, as it was afterwards by the divine law,
Lev 18:18, and more fully since by our Saviour,
Matt 19:5) he had some colourable reasons for marrying them both. He could not refuse Rachel, for he had espoused her; still less could he refuse Leah, for he had married her; and therefore Jacob must
be content, and take two talents, 2Kgs 5:23. Note, One sin is commonly the inlet of another. Those that go in by one door of wickedness seldom find their way out but by another. The polygamy of the patriarchs was, in some measure, excusable in them, because, though there was a reason against it as ancient as Adam's marriage (
Mal 2:15), yet there was no express command against it; it was in them a sin of ignorance. It was not he product of any sinful lust, but for the building up of the church, which was the good that Providence brought out of it; but it will by no means justify the like practice now, when God's will is plainly made known, that one man and one woman only must be joined together,
1Cor 7:2. The having of many wives suits well enough with the carnal sensual spirit of the Mahomedan imposture, which allows it; but we have not so learned Christ. Dr. Lightfoot makes Leah and Rachel to be figures of the two churches, the Jews under the law and the Gentiles under the gospel: the younger the more beautiful, and more in the thoughts of Christ when he came in the form of a servant; but he other, like Leah, first embraced: yet in this the allegory does not hold, that the Gentiles, the younger, were more fruitful,
Galat 4:27.
31 We have here the birth of four of Jacob's sons, all by Leah. Observe, 1. That Leah, who was less beloved, was blessed with children, when Rachel was denied that blessing,
Gen 29:31. See how Providence, in dispensing its gifts, observes a proportion, to keep the balance even, setting crosses and comforts one over-against another, that none may be either too much elevated or too much depressed. Rachel wants children, but she is blessed with her husband's love; Leah wants that, but she is fruitful. Thus it was between Elkana's two wives (
1Sam 1:5); for the Lord is wise and righteous.
When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, that is, loved less than Rachel, in which sense it is required that we hate father and mother, in comparison with Christ (
Luke 14:26), then the Lord granted her a child, which was a rebuke to Jacob, for making so great a difference between those that he was equally related to, - a check to Rachel, who perhaps insulted over her sister upon that account, - and a comfort to Leah, that she might not be overwhelmed with the contempt put upon her: thus
God giveth abundant honour to that which lacked, 1Cor 12:24. 2. The names she gave her children were expressive of her respectful regards both to God and to her husband. (1.) She appears very ambitious of her husband's love: she reckoned the want of it her affliction (
Gen 29:32); not upbraiding him with it as his fault, nor reproaching him for it, and so making herself uneasy to him, but laying it to heart as her grief, which yet she had reason to bear with the more patience because she herself was consenting to the fraud by which she became his wife; and we may well bear that trouble with patience which we bring upon ourselves by our own sin and folly. She promised herself that the children she bore him would gain her the interest she desired in his affections. She called her first-born
Reuben (
see a son ), with this pleasant thought,
Now will my husband love me; and her third son
Levi (
joined ), with this expectation,
Now will my husband by joined unto me, Gen 29:34. Mutual affection is both the duty and comfort of that relation; and yoke-fellows should study to recommend themselves to each other,
1Cor 7:33,
1Cor 7:34. (2.) She thankfully acknowledges the kind providence of God in it:
The Lord hath looked upon my affliction, Gen 29:32.
The Lord hath heard, that is, taken notice of it,
that I was hated (for our afflictions, as they are before God's eyes, so they have a cry in his ears),
he has therefore given me this son. Note, Whatever we have that contributes either to our support and comfort under our afflictions or to our deliverance from them, God must be owned in it, especially his pity and tender mercy. Her fourth she called
Judah (
praise ), saying,
Now will I praise the Lord, Gen 29:35. And this was he of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came. Note, [1.] Whatever is the matter of our rejoicing ought to be the matter of our thanksgiving. Fresh favours should quicken us to praise God for former favours.
Now will I praise the Lord more and better than I have done. [2.] All our praises must centre in Christ, both as the matter of them and as the Mediator of them. He descended from him whose name was praise, for he is our praise. Is Christ formed in my heart?
Now will I praise the Lord.
