17 And the eyes of Leah were tender; but Rachel was of beautiful form and beautiful countenance.
And it came to pass when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a woman fair to look upon.
And the maiden was very fair in countenance; a virgin, and no man had known her. And she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.
And he said to them, Is he well? And they said, [He is] well; and behold, there comes Rachel his daughter with the sheep. And he said, Behold, it is yet high day; it is not time that the cattle should be gathered together; water the sheep, and go, feed [them]. And they said, We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well, and we water the sheep. While he was still speaking to them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 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 went near, and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well, and watered the sheep of Laban his mother's brother. And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept. And Jacob told Rachel that he was a brother of her father, and that he was Rebecca's son; and she ran and told her father.
And Jacob loved Rachel, and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
And when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, Am I in God's stead, who has withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?
And Rachel died, and was buried on the way to Ephrath, which [is] Bethlehem. And Jacob erected a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel's grave to [this] day.
The sons of Rachel Jacob's wife: Joseph and Benjamin. And to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asnath bore to him, the daughter of Potipherah the priest in On. -- And the sons of Benjamin: Belah, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera and Naaman, Ehi and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard. -- These are the sons of Rachel who were born to Jacob: all the souls were fourteen.
And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was yet a certain distance to come to Ephrath; and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath, that is, Bethlehem.
When thou goest from me to-day, thou shalt meet two men by Rachel's sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to thee, The asses are found which thou wentest to seek, and behold, thy father has dismissed the matter of the asses, and is anxious about you, saying, What shall I do for my son?
Gracefulness is deceitful and beauty is vain; a woman [that] feareth Jehovah, she shall be praised.
Thus saith Jehovah: A voice hath been heard in Ramah, the wail of very bitter weeping, -- Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted for her children, because they are not.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Genesis 29
Commentary on Genesis 29 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 29
This chapter gives us an account of God's providences concerning Jacob, pursuant to the promises made to him in the foregoing chapter.
Gen 29:1-8
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,
Gen 29:9-14
Here we see,
Gen 29:15-30
Here is,
Gen 29:31-35
We have here the birth of four of Jacob's sons, all by Leah. Observe,