Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east. Ver. 1. _Then Jacob went on his journey._] Heb., Lifted up his feet: _indefessi cursoris instar_; as it were a generous and manly horse, refreshed with his wait by the way, he went lightly on his long journey. "The jo... [ Continue Reading ]
And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there [were] three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone [was] upon the well's mouth. Ver. 2. _Three flocks of sheep lying by it._] Semblably Christ, the chief Shepherd, "feeds" and "leads... [ Continue Reading ]
And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place. Ver. 3. And they put the stone again upon the well's mouth.] To keep the waters clean and filth free. The Turks had procured... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence [be] ye? And they said, Of Haran [are] we. Ver. 4. _And Jacob said._] These petty passages are recorded, when the acts of mighty monarchs are unmentioned; to show God's dear respect to his poor servants. The lion and eagle were not offered in sacrifice... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know [him]. Ver. 5. _See Trapp on "_ Gen 29:4 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said unto them, [Is] he well? And they said, [He is] well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep. Ver. 6. _And, behold, Rachel his daughter._] Note, that our least and ordinary actions are ordered and directed by God; as Nathanael's being under the fig tree, Joh 1:48 &c. Bir... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said, Lo, [it is] yet high day, neither [is it] time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go [and] feed [them]. Ver. 7. _Neither is it time, &c._] Time is a precious commodity, and must be thriftily husbanded. The common complaint is, We want time: but the tru... [ Continue Reading ]
And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and [till] they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep. Ver. 8. _We cannot, until all the flocks._] As we are not, by the example of these shepherds, to enterprise things above our strength, Psa 131:1 so nei... [ Continue Reading ]
_And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep: for she kept them._ Ver. 9. _For she kept them._] Leah might be left at home, for the tenderness of her eyes. A man is to see that all under his roof have a fit employment; as the master gave each servant his task, his talent,... [ Continue Reading ]
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 well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother. Ver. 10. _Went near, and rolled the stone, &c._]... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. Ver. 11. _Lifted up his voice, and wept._] For joy, that he had so happily lighted upon his kinswoman. It argued also his great affection, and passion of mind, for her sake; love is ecstatical; _nec iuris se sinit esse sui. Animus est ubi... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jacob told Rachel that he [was] her father's brother, and that he [was] Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father. Ver. 12. That he was her father's brother.] And therefore made so bold with her, upon no further acquaintance. His kisses were not unchaste, but modest; such as were common am... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things. Ver. 13. _He ran to meet him, and embraced him._] All in hypocrisy, as the Hebrews hold. There be... [ Continue Reading ]
And Laban said to him, Surely thou [art] my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month. Ver. 14. _Surely thou art my bone, &c._] Good words cost nothing; and the veriest countrymen are commonly freer of them than of real courtesies. Pertinax the emperor was surnamed Cρηστολογος,... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou [art] my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what [shall] thy wages [be]?_ Ver. 15. _Shouldest thou therefore serve me._] He pretends love and equity to his covetous aims and reaches. Candid he would needs seem (according to his n... [ Continue Reading ]
And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder [was] Leah, and the name of the younger [was] Rachel. Ver. 16. _The name of the elder was Leah,_] i.e., Weak and wearish, by her natural constitution _a_ No marvel, therefore, though she were weak-sighted, as Genesis 29:17 . _ a_ _Debilis, nec ben... [ Continue Reading ]
Leah [was] tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. Ver. 17. _Leah was tender-eyed._] Purblind or squint, as one _a_ interprets it. Now, a froward look and squint eyes, saith the historian, _b_ are the certain notes of a nature to be suspected. The Jerusalem Targum tells us, that he... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. Ver. 18. _I will serve thee seven years._] He had nothing to endow her with; he would therefore earn her with his hard labour: which, as it shows Laban's churlishness to suffer it, and his baseness to m... [ Continue Reading ]
And Laban said, [It is] better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me. Ver. 19. _It is better that I give her to thee._] Indeed, he _sold_ her to him for seven years' service. This was Laban, or Nabal, choose you which. Their names were not more like than... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him [but] a few days, for the love he had to her. Ver. 20. _And they seemed unto him but a few days._] And yet lovers' hours are full of eternity. But love facilitated the service, and made the time seem short. _a_ Should anything seem h... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jacob said unto Laban, Give [me] my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. Ver. 21. _Give me my wife, for my days, &c._] Jacob had served out his time, and now demands his due. David also is said to have "served the will of God, for his own age"; Act 13:36 and John Baptist... [ Continue Reading ]
And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. Ver. 22. _And made a feast._] Never more seasonable, surely, than at the recovery of the lost rib. The wedding day is called, "The day of the rejoicing of a man's heart". Son 3:11 Our Saviour graced such a feast with his presen... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. Ver. 23. _He took Leah his daughter._] The elder, for the younger; by a like fraud, as Rebekah his mother had not long before, in a cunning disguise, substituted him, the younger son... [ Continue Reading ]
And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid [for] an handmaid. Ver. 24. _Zilpah his maid._] Who, very likely, was of the conspiracy.... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it [was] Leah: and he said to Laban, What [is] this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me? Ver. 25. _In the morning, behold, it was Leah._] A foul disappointment: but so the world ever ser... [ Continue Reading ]
And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. Ver. 26. _It must not be so done in our country._] A sorry excuse; but better, he thought, than none at all. A subtle fox he was, and far too hard for honest Jacob, who was "simple to evil," but of a la... [ Continue Reading ]
Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. Ver. 27. _We will give thee this also._] See here the guise of wicked and deceitful men: when one fetch has been born in their minds, they devise another; and make no end of overre... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. Ver. 28. _And Jacob did so._] A mirror of patience; which, in Jacob here, had line and rope, "her perfect work"; showing him to be "perfect and entire, wanting nothing". Jam 1:3-4 Godly people can bear wrong... [ Continue Reading ]
And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid. Ver. 29. _Bilhah his handmaid._] Who afterward played false play with her master and husband, and incestuously lay with Reuben.... [ Continue Reading ]
And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. Ver. 30. _And he went in also unto Rachel._] Which incestuous fact cannot ordinarily be justified, nor may at all be imitated. Wicked Julia, soliciting Caracalla to incestuous marria... [ Continue Reading ]
And when the LORD saw that Leah [was] hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel [was] barren. Ver. 31. _When the Lord saw that Leah was hated._] That is, less loved and respected. So God hated Esau; and accounts the neglects of wife or husband, no better than hatred. Eph 5:25 _ But Rachel was barren._... [ Continue Reading ]
And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me. Ver. 32. _Therefore my husband will love me._] This was her greatest care (and is every good wife's) - to "please her husband," 1C... [ Continue Reading ]
And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I [was] hated, he hath therefore given me this [son] also: and she called his name Simeon. Ver. 33. _And she conceived again._] God usually heapeth his favours upon those whom others slight, and look aloof on.... [ Continue Reading ]
And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi. Ver. 34. _And she conceived again._] So, what she wanted in beauty, she had in fecundity or fruitfuiness: and this redounded to... [ Continue Reading ]
And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing. Ver. 35. _Now will I praise the Lord._] So she had done before, at the birth of her other children: but now she would do it anew, upon the receipt of a new mercy... [ Continue Reading ]