30 And he went in H935 also unto Rachel, H7354 and he loved H157 also Rachel H7354 more than Leah, H3812 and served H5647 with him yet seven H7651 other H312 years. H8141
And it came to pass, when Rachel H7354 had born H3205 Joseph, H3130 that Jacob H3290 said H559 unto Laban, H3837 Send me away, H7971 that I may go H3212 unto mine own place, H4725 and to my country. H776 Give H5414 me my wives H802 and my children, H3206 for H2004 whom I have served H5647 thee, and let me go: H3212 for thou knowest H3045 my service H5656 which I have done H5647 thee.
And Saul H7586 said H559 to David, H1732 Behold my elder H1419 daughter H1323 Merab, H4764 her will I give H5414 thee to wife: H802 only be thou valiant H1121 H2428 for me, and fight H3898 the LORD'S H3068 battles. H4421 For Saul H7586 said, H559 Let not mine hand H3027 be upon him, but let the hand H3027 of the Philistines H6430 be upon him. And David H1732 said H559 unto Saul, H7586 Who am I? and what is my life, H2416 or my father's H1 family H4940 in Israel, H3478 that I should be son in law H2860 to the king? H4428 But it came to pass at the time H6256 when Merab H4764 Saul's H7586 daughter H1323 should have been given H5414 to David, H1732 that she was given H5414 unto Adriel H5741 the Meholathite H4259 to wife. H802 And Michal H4324 Saul's H7586 daughter H1323 loved H157 David: H1732 and they told H5046 Saul, H7586 and the thing H1697 pleased H3474 H5869 him. And Saul H7586 said, H559 I will give H5414 him her, that she may be a snare H4170 to him, and that the hand H3027 of the Philistines H6430 may be against him. Wherefore Saul H7586 said H559 to David, H1732 Thou shalt this day H3117 be my son in law H2859 in the one of the twain. H8147 And Saul H7586 commanded H6680 his servants, H5650 saying, Commune H1696 with David H1732 secretly, H3909 and say, H559 Behold, the king H4428 hath delight H2654 in thee, and all his servants H5650 love H157 thee: now therefore be the king's H4428 son in law. H2859 And Saul's H7586 servants H5650 spake H1696 those words H1697 in the ears H241 of David. H1732 And David H1732 said, H559 Seemeth H5869 it to you a light H7043 thing to be a king's H4428 son in law, H2859 seeing that I am a poor H7326 man, H376 and lightly esteemed? H7034 And the servants H5650 of Saul H7586 told H5046 him, saying, H559 On this manner H1697 spake H1696 David. H1732 And Saul H7586 said, H559 Thus shall ye say H559 to David, H1732 The king H4428 desireth H2656 not any dowry, H4119 but an hundred H3967 foreskins H6190 of the Philistines, H6430 to be avenged H5358 of the king's H4428 enemies. H341 But Saul H7586 thought H2803 to make David H1732 fall H5307 by the hand H3027 of the Philistines. H6430 And when his servants H5650 told H5046 David H1732 these words, H1697 it pleased H3474 H1697 H5869 David H1732 well to be the king's H4428 son in law: H2859 and the days H3117 were not expired. H4390 Wherefore David H1732 arose H6965 and went, H3212 he and his men, H582 and slew H5221 of the Philistines H6430 two hundred H3967 men; H376 and David H1732 brought H935 their foreskins, H6190 and they gave them in full tale H4390 to the king, H4428 that he might be the king's H4428 son in law. H2859 And Saul H7586 gave H5414 him Michal H4324 his daughter H1323 to wife. H802
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 29
Commentary on Genesis 29 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 29
Ge 29:1-35. The Well of Haran.
1. Then Jacob went, &c.—Hebrew, "lifted up his feet." He resumed his way next morning with a light heart and elastic step after the vision of the ladder; for tokens of the divine favor tend to quicken the discharge of duty (Ne 8:10).
and came into the land, &c.—Mesopotamia and the whole region beyond the Euphrates are by the sacred writers designated "the East" (Jud 6:3; 1Ki 4:30; Job 1:3). Between the first and the second clause of this verse is included a journey of four hundred miles.
2. And he looked, &c.—As he approached the place of his destination, he, according to custom, repaired to the well adjoining the town where he would obtain an easy introduction to his relatives.
3. thither were all the flocks gathered; and a stone, &c.—In Arabia, owing to the shifting sands and in other places, owing to the strong evaporation, the mouth of a well is generally covered, especially when it is private property. Over many is laid a broad, thick, flat stone, with a round hole cut in the middle, forming the mouth of the cistern. This hole is covered with a heavy stone which it would require two or three men to roll away. Such was the description of the well at Haran.
4. Jacob said, My brethren—Finding from the shepherds who were reposing there with flocks and who all belonged to Haran, that his relatives in Haran were well and that one of the family was shortly expected, he enquired why they were idling the best part of the day there instead of watering their flocks and sending them back to pasture.
8. They said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered—In order to prevent the consequences of too frequent exposure in places where water is scarce, the well is not only covered, but it is customary to have all the flocks collected round it before the covering is removed in presence of the owner or one of his representatives; and it was for this reason that those who were reposing at the well of Haran with the three flocks were waiting the arrival of Rachel.
9-11. While he yet spake with them, Rachel came—Among the pastoral tribes the young unmarried daughters of the greatest sheiks tend the flocks, going out at sunrise and continuing to watch their fleecy charges till sunset. Watering them, which is done twice a day, is a work of time and labor, and Jacob rendered no small service in volunteering his aid to the young shepherdess. The interview was affecting, the reception welcome, and Jacob forgot all his toils in the society of his Mesopotamian relatives. Can we doubt that he returned thanks to God for His goodness by the way?
12. Jacob told Rachel, &c.—According to the practice of the East, the term "brother" is extended to remote degrees of relationship, as uncle, cousin, or nephew.
14-20. he abode a month—Among pastoral people a stranger is freely entertained for three days; on the fourth day he is expected to tell his name and errand; and if he prolongs his stay after that time, he must set his hand to work in some way, as may be agreed upon. A similar rule obtained in Laban's establishment, and the wages for which his nephew engaged to continue in his employment was the hand of Rachel.
17. Leah tender-eyed—that is, soft blue eyes—thought a blemish.
Rachel beautiful and well-favored—that is, comely and handsome in form. The latter was Jacob's choice.
18. I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy daughter—A proposal of marriage is made to the father without the daughter being consulted, and the match is effected by the suitor either bestowing costly presents on the family, or by giving cattle to the value the father sets upon his daughter, or else by giving personal services for a specified period. The last was the course necessity imposed on Jacob; and there for seven years he submitted to the drudgery of a hired shepherd, with the view of obtaining Rachel. The time went rapidly away; for even severe and difficult duties become light when love is the spring of action.
21. Jacob said, Give me my wife—At the expiry of the stipulated term the marriage festivities were held. But an infamous fraud was practised on Jacob, and on his showing a righteous indignation, the usage of the country was pleaded in excuse. No plea of kindred should ever be allowed to come in opposition to the claim of justice. But this is often overlooked by the selfish mind of man, and fashion or custom rules instead of the will of God. This was what Laban did, as he said, "It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the first-born." But, then, if that were the prevailing custom of society at Haran, he should have apprized his nephew of it at an early period in an honorable manner. This, however, is too much the way with the people of the East still. The duty of marrying an elder daughter before a younger, the tricks which parents take to get off an elder daughter that is plain or deformed and in which they are favored by the long bridal veil that entirely conceals her features all the wedding day, and the prolongation for a week of the marriage festivities among the greater sheiks, are accordant with the habits of the people in Arabia and Armenia in the present day.
28. gave him Rachel also—It is evident that the marriage of both sisters took place nearly about the same time, and that such a connection was then allowed, though afterwards prohibited (Le 18:18).
29. gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah to be her maid—A father in good circumstances still gives his daughter from his household a female slave, over whom the young wife, independently of her husband, has the absolute control.
31. Leah … hated—that is, not loved so much as she ought to have been. Her becoming a mother ensured her rising in the estimation both of her husband and of society.
32-35. son … his name Reuben—Names were also significant; and those which Leah gave to her sons were expressive of her varying feelings of thankfulness or joy, or allusive to circumstances in the history of the family. There was piety and wisdom in attaching a signification to names, as it tended to keep the bearer in remembrance of his duty and the claims of God.