Genesis 29
29
Jacob Meets a Woman at the Well
1Jacob resumed his journey # 29:1 Or “Jacob lifted up his feet.” This unusual Hebrew expression could be double entendre, telling us that Jacob lifted up his feet not only to go on his journey but also to go up the Stairway he had just seen in his dream. To move forward is always to move higher up with God. and entered the land east of Canaan. # 29:1 Or “the land of the sons of the east,” that is, east of Canaan. Jacob arrived at Paddan-Aram in Mesopotamia. 2One day, Jacob came to a well out in the open country where the shepherds watered their animals. Three flocks of sheep and goats were lying near the well, which had a large, heavy stone covering the opening. 3Whenever all the flocks gathered there, the shepherds would roll away the stone from the mouth of the well, water their sheep, and then roll the stone back over the top of the well.
4Jacob approached them and said, “Good day, friends; where are you from?”
“We’re from Haran,” they answered.
5“Do you happen to know Laban, # 29:5 Laban was the son of Bethuel and the grandson of Nahor, Abraham’s brother. a grandson of Nahor?” Jacob said.
“We do,” they replied.
6Jacob asked, “How’s he doing?”
“He’s doing well,” they answered. “As a matter of fact, here comes his daughter Rachel # 29:6 Rachel means “ewe lamb.” right now with her flock.” # 29:6 It is obvious that God led Jacob supernaturally to the very well where Rachel would appear, and she came at an unusual time of day to water her father’s flocks. This was a divine appointment for Jacob. And you can be assured that God has his hands of guidance upon you also.
7Jacob said to them, “Look, it’s not time for the animals to gather together here; it’s now the hottest hour of the day. Let’s go ahead and water the sheep, then you can go and pasture them.”
8They replied, “First, we have to wait until all the flocks are gathered. After that, the stone needs to be rolled away from the mouth of the well, then we’ll water the animals.”
9While they were still speaking, Rachel, the shepherdess, drew near to the well with her father’s sheep. 10As soon as Jacob took one good look at Rachel, the beautiful daughter of his uncle Laban, he quickly went over to the mouth of the well and single-handedly rolled away the stone and watered all the flock of his uncle Laban! # 29:10 At the sight of the lovely Rachel, Jacob’s soul was so moved that he gained the strength to roll away the stone all by himself. “One flash of [her] eyes” (Song. 4:9) made him a momentary “superman.” After he moved the heavy stone, Jacob drew gallons and gallons of water for her flocks. 11Immediately, he walked up to Rachel and kissed her! Unable to hold back his tears, Jacob wept aloud. # 29:11 This entire scene is filled with emotion. Jacob saw the girl of his dreams and became supercharged to move the heavy stone and water her flock. Then he kissed her and lifted up his voice with passionate tears. You can almost hear the tender music playing in the background as this “guy meets girl” scene unfolds. As you read it over again, think of Jesus who also rolled away a heavy stone so that he could come meet you to romance your soul (see Song of Songs). He drew you to faith in him, then offered you a drink from the well of life. 12After he composed himself, he explained to Rachel, “I’m your father’s nephew, your aunt Rebekah’s son.” Upon hearing this, Rachel ran to tell her father. 13When Laban heard the news that his nephew Jacob had arrived at the well, he ran to greet him. Laban hugged and kissed Jacob and welcomed him into his home. After Jacob told him the story of all that happened, 14Laban said to him, “Certainly, you are my own flesh and blood!” Jacob stayed with him for an entire month and worked for him.
Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel
15Afterward, Laban said to Jacob, “Just because you’re my relative doesn’t mean I expect you to work for nothing. Tell me, what do you want your wages to be?” 16(Now, Laban had two daughters; the older was Leah, # 29:16 The etymology of the name Leah is somewhat ambiguous. Some Hebrew scholars equate the name Leah with “weak,” “sluggish,” or “weary.” Tradition has it that Leah was cross-eyed, or perhaps partly blind. Her vision was impaired; seeing dimly. A “Leah” church does not function with clear vision. Leah represents those with limited vision who cannot discern the timing and ways of God. Like the lukewarm Laodiceans, the church is instructed to “purchase eye salve” so that it can see clearly (Rev. 3:18). A vision-impaired church will live by principles, laws, traditions, and customs. It was the “custom” for Leah to marry Jacob (v. 26). Like many today, she was unable to see clearly, felt unloved, and was unable to perceive God’s greater purpose. The fruit of Leah (and her handmaiden, called “the slave girl” in Gal. 4:21–22) was only bondage. Jacob had to “work” after getting her! and the younger was Rachel. 17Rachel had a lovely figure and was gorgeous, # 29:17 Or “Rachel was beautiful of form and beautiful in appearance.” Rachel becomes a picture of the radiant bride of the last days who makes herself ready for her Bridegroom. See Eph. 5:27; Rev. 19:7. but Leah’s eyes were weak. # 29:17 Or “her eyes were sickly” (LXX). The Hebrew is uncertain. )
18Jacob had fallen in love with Rachel, so he answered Laban, “I will serve you for seven years for the hand of your younger daughter, Rachel!”
19Laban replied, “I’d rather give her to you than to some other man. Stay and work for me.” 20So Jacob served Laban for seven years in exchange for Rachel, but because he loved her so deeply, the seven years seemed like only a few days. # 29:20 Love can make long, hard service short and easy. This is why the Scriptures speak of a labor of love (1 Thess. 1:3; Heb. 6:10). In Hos. 12:12, we learn that Jacob tended sheep for those seven years in order to get the bride he loved. There is another who has now waited for nearly seven thousand years for his bride that he dearly loves! And what has he been doing for all those years? He has been carrying his lambs close to his heart and tending his flock like a Shepherd (see Isa. 40:11).
21After the seven years, Jacob said to Laban, “My time is fulfilled; give me your daughter so that I may marry her and sleep with her.” 22So Laban prepared a wedding feast # 29:22 Or “drinking party.” and invited all the people of the surrounding area. 23That night, Laban tricked Jacob by bringing his older daughter Leah to Jacob’s tent, and he slept with her on his wedding night! # 29:23 Perhaps Jacob was drunk on wine, and Leah was wearing a bridal veil. 24(Laban assigned Zilpah # 29:24 Zilpah means “small” or “a trickling.” to be Leah’s servant.)
25When Jacob woke up the next morning, he was shocked to find Leah lying next to him! So he confronted Laban and said, “What have you done to me? Didn’t I serve you these seven years for Rachel? Why have you tricked me?”
26Laban answered, “It’s not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older daughter is married. 27Wait until this bridal week of festivities is over, then I’ll give you Rachel, but you must serve me for another seven years.” # 29:27 For those seven years, God was teaching Jacob submission to the rights of the firstborn. It was not right to marry the younger before the older. All that Jacob had circumvented in stealing the blessing from Esau he must now learn by serving for another seven years and learn the timing of God. After the first seven years were over, Laban tricked Jacob by giving him Leah, not Rachel, on his wedding night. Jacob was fooled by the veil over the bride’s face, thinking she was Rachel, even as he had fooled his father with a hairy skin over his arms, confusing him with Esau. Every “Jacob” will one day meet his “Laban.”
28-30Jacob complied with Laban’s request. After he completed the prescribed week of Leah’s wedding feast, Laban gave his daughter Rachel to be his wife, and he slept with her. Rachel was his true love, not Leah. (Laban assigned Bilhah # 29:28–30 The name Bilhah may come from an Arabic word for “stupid” or “unconcerned.” If it comes from Hebrew, it means “troubled.” as his daughter Rachel’s servant.) And Jacob remained there serving Laban for another seven years.
Leah’s Four Sons
31When Yahweh saw that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb, but Rachel remained childless. 32Leah conceived, gave birth to a son, and named him Reuben, # 29:32 Reuben means “See! A son!” Leah defined fulfillment by how much Jacob loved her. Envy can often be traced back to an inward struggle to gain identity. Leah and Rachel competed for Jacob’s heart. Leah called her firstborn Reuben, which in Hebrew sounds like “he has seen my misery.” saying, “Because Yahweh looked upon me with compassion in my misery, surely, my husband will love me now!” 33She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and named him Simeon, # 29:33 Simeon’s name comes from the Hebrew verb meaning “to hear.” God saw Leah’s pain and heard her cry. She named her first two children after God’s mercy and compassion for the downcast and rejected. There is a mercy-chord in God’s heart that is touched by the broken, poor, and rejected. God gives greater honor to dishonored ones (see 1 Cor. 12:24). It is the nature of God to be drawn to those who hurt. God saw her pain, her loneliness, and her heartache. If only she had understood how greatly the Lord loved her. saying, “Yahweh has heard that I am despised, and in his mercy, he has given me this son also.” 34Leah conceived the third time, gave birth to a son, and named him Levi, # 29:34 The name Levi sounds like the Hebrew word meaning “to join,” “bind,” or “attach.” saying, “This time my husband will be joined to me, because now I’ve given him three sons!” 35Once again, Leah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Judah, # 29:35 The name Judah sounds like the Hebrew verb meaning “to praise.” Over the years of struggling with the pain of being unloved, Leah finally opened her heart to the Lord, and grace touched her. God was tenderly wooing her to himself through her disappointment in her marriage. At last, she gave birth to her fourth son and resolved to praise the Lord no matter what. Leah had now become a worshiper of the Almighty. She found her fulfillment in God, so she named her son Judah and declared, “This time I will praise the Lord!” Leah, not Rachel, became the mother of Judah and the ancestor of Jesus. saying, “This time I will praise the Lord!” Then she stopped bearing children for a while.
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Genesis 29: TPT
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationGenesis 29
29
1And Jacob lifteth up his feet, and goeth towards the land of the sons of the east;
2and he looketh, and lo, a well in the field, and lo, there three droves of a flock crouching by it, for from that well they water the droves, and the great stone [is] on the mouth of the well.
3(When thither have all the droves been gathered, and they have rolled the stone from off the mouth of the well, and have watered the flock, then they have turned back the stone on the mouth of the well to its place.)
4And Jacob saith to them, ‘My brethren, from whence [are] ye?’ and they say, ‘We [are] from Haran.’
5And he saith to them, ‘Have ye known Laban, son of Nahor?’ and they say, ‘We have known.’
6And he saith to them, ‘Hath he peace?’ and they say, ‘Peace; and lo, Rachel his daughter is coming with the flock.’
7And he saith, ‘Lo, the day [is] still great, [it is] not time for the cattle to be gathered; water ye the flock, and go, delight yourselves.’
8And they say, ‘We are not able, till that all the droves be gathered together, and they have rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well, and we have watered the flock.’
9He is yet speaking with them, and Rachel hath come with the flock which her father hath, for she [is] shepherdess;
10and it cometh to pass when Jacob hath seen Rachel, daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the flock of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob cometh nigh and rolleth the stone from off the mouth of the well, and watereth the flock of Laban his mother's brother.
11And Jacob kisseth Rachel, and lifteth up his voice, and weepeth,
12and Jacob declareth to Rachel that he [is] her father's brother, and that he [is] Rebekah's son, and she runneth and declareth to her father.
13And it cometh to pass, when Laban heareth the report of Jacob his sister's son, that he runneth to meet him, and embraceth him, and kisseth him, and bringeth him in unto his house; and he recounteth to Laban all these things,
14and Laban saith to him, ‘Only my bone and my flesh [art] thou;’ and he dwelleth with him a month of days.
15And Laban saith to Jacob, ‘Is it because thou [art] my brother that thou hast served me for nought? declare to me what [is] thy hire.’
16And Laban hath two daughters, the name of the elder [is] Leah, and the name of the younger Rachel,
17and the eyes of Leah [are] tender, and Rachel hath been fair of form and fair of appearance.
18And Jacob loveth Rachel, and saith, ‘I serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter:’
19and Laban saith, ‘It is better for me to give her to thee than to give her to another man; dwell with me;’
20and Jacob serveth for Rachel seven years; and they are in his eyes as some days, because of his loving her.
21And Jacob saith unto Laban, ‘Give up my wife, for my days have been fulfilled, and I go in unto her;’
22and Laban gathereth all the men of the place, and maketh a banquet.
23And it cometh to pass in the evening, that he taketh Leah, his daughter, and bringeth her in unto him, and he goeth in unto her;
24and Laban giveth to her Zilpah, his maid-servant, to Leah his daughter, a maidservant.
25And it cometh to pass in the morning, that lo, it [is] Leah; and he saith unto Laban, ‘What [is] this thou hast done to me? for Rachel have I not served with thee? and why hast thou deceived me?’
26And Laban saith, ‘It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn;
27fulfil the week of this one, and we give to thee also this one, for the service which thou dost serve with me yet seven other years.’
28And Jacob doth so, and fulfilleth the week of this one, and he giveth to him Rachel his daughter, to him for a wife;
29and Laban giveth to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his maid-servant, for a maid-servant to her.
30And he goeth in also unto Rachel, and he also loveth Rachel more than Leah; and he serveth with him yet seven other years.
31And Jehovah seeth that Leah [is] the hated one, and He openeth her womb, and Rachel [is] barren;
32and Leah conceiveth, and beareth a son, and calleth his name Reuben, for she said, ‘Because Jehovah hath looked on mine affliction; because now doth my husband love me.’
33And she conceiveth again, and beareth a son, and saith, ‘Because Jehovah hath heard that I [am] the hated one, He also giveth to me even this [one];’ and she calleth his name Simeon.
34And she conceiveth again, and beareth a son, and saith, ‘Now [is] the time, my husband is joined unto me, because I have born to him three sons,’ therefore hath [one] called his name Levi.
35And she conceiveth again, and beareth a son, and saith this time, ‘I praise Jehovah;’ therefore hath she called his name Judah; and she ceaseth from bearing.
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