CHAPTER XXIX _Jacob proceeds on his journey_, 1. _Comes to a well where the flocks of his uncle Laban, as well_ _as those of several others, were usually watered_, 2, 3. _Inquires from the shepherds concerning Laban and his family_, 4-6. _While they are conversing about watering the sheep_, 7,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:2. _THREE FLOCKS OF SHEEP_] צאן _tson_, small cattle, such as _sheep, goats_, c. Genesis 12:16. Sheep, in a healthy state, seldom drink in cold and comparatively cold countries: but it was probably different in hot climates. The _three flocks_, if _flocks_ and not _shepherds_ be mea... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:3. _ALL THE FLOCKS_] Instead of העדרים _hadarim, flocks_, the Samaritan reads [Samaritan] _haroim, shepherds_; for which reading _Houbigant_ strongly contends, as well in this verse as in Genesis 29:8. It certainly cannot be said that _all the flocks rolled the stone from the well's... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:4. _MY BRETHREN, WHENCE BE YE?_] The language of Laban and his family was _Chaldee_ and not Hebrew; (see Genesis 31:47); but from the _names_ which Leah gave to her children we see that the two languages had many words in common, and therefore Jacob and the shepherds might understan... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:5. _LABAN THE SON OF NAHOR_] _Son_ is here put for _grandson_, for Laban was the son of Bethuel the son of Nahor.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:6. IS _HE WELL?_] השלום לו _hashalom lo_? Is there peace to him? _Peace_ among the Hebrews signified _all kinds of_ _prosperity_. Is he a prosperous man in his family and in his property? And they said, He is well, שלום _shalom_, he prospers. _RACHEL - COMETH WITH THE SHEEP._] רחל... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:7. _IT IS YET HIGH DAY_] The day is but about half run; _neither_ is it _time that the cattle should be gathered_ _together_-it is surely not time yet to put them into the folds; give them therefore water, and take them again to pasture.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:8. _WE CANNOT, UNTIL ALL THE FLOCKS BE GATHERED TOGETHER_] It is a rule that the stone shall not be removed till all the shepherds and the flocks which have a right to this well be gathered together; then, and not before, we may water the sheep. Genesis 29:3, Genesis 29:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:9. _RACHEL CAME WITH HER FATHER'S SHEEP_] So we find that young women were not _kept concealed in the house_ till the time they were married, which is the common gloss put on עלמה _almah, a_ _virgin, one concealed_. Nor was it beneath the dignity of the daughters of the most opulen... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:10. _JACOB WENT NEAR, AND ROLLED THE STONE_] Probably the flock of Laban was the last of those which had a right to the well; that flock being now come, Jacob assisted the shepherds to roll off the stone, (for it is not likely he did it by himself,) and so assisted his cousin, to wh... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:11. _JACOB KISSED RACHEL_] A simple and pure method by which the primitive inhabitants of the earth testified their friendship to each other, first abused by _hypocrites_, who pretended affection while their vile hearts meditated terror, (see the case of Joab,) and afterwards disgra... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:14. _MY BONE AND MY FLESH._] One of my nearest relatives.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:15. _BECAUSE THOU ART MY BROTHER, C._] Though thou art my nearest relative, yet I have no right to thy services without giving thee an adequate recompense. Jacob had passed a whole month in the family of Laban, in which he had undoubtedly rendered himself of considerable service. As... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:17. _LEAH WAS TENDER-EYED_] רכות _raccoth_, _soft,_ _delicate, lovely_. I believe the word means just the _reverse_ of the signification generally given to it. The design of the inspired writer is to _compare_ both the sisters together, that the balance may appear to be greatly in... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:20. _AND JACOB SERVED SEVEN YEARS FOR RACHEL._] In ancient times it appears to have been a custom among all nations that men should give _dowries_ for their wives; and in many countries this custom still prevails. When Shechem asked Dinah for wife, he said, _Ask me never so much -... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:21. _MY DAYS ARE FULFILLED_] My seven years are now completed, let me have my wife, for whom I have given this service as a _dowry_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:22. _LABAN - MADE A FEAST._] משתה _mishteh_ signifies a feast of _drinking_. As marriage was a very solemn contract, there is much reason to believe that _sacrifices_ were offered on the occasion, and _libations_ poured out; and we know that on festival occasions a cup of _wine_ was... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:23. _IN THE EVENING - HE TOOK LEAH HIS DAUGHTER_] As the bride was always _veiled_, and the bride chamber generally _dark_, or nearly so, and as Leah was brought to Jacob in the _evening_, the imposition here practised might easily pass undetected by Jacob, till the ensuing day disc... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:24. _AND LABAN GAVE - ZILPAH HIS MAID_] Slaves given in this way to a daughter on her marriage, were the peculiar property of the daughter; and over them the husband had neither right nor power.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:26. _IT MUST NOT BE SO DONE IN OUR COUNTRY_] It was an early custom to give daughters in marriage according to their _seniority_; and it is worthy of remark that the oldest people now existing, next to the Jews, I mean the _Hindoos_, have this not merely as a _custom_, but as a _po... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:27. _FULFIL HER WEEK_] The marriage feast, it appears, lasted _seven days_; it would not therefore have been proper to break off the solemnities to which all the men of the place had been invited, Genesis 29:22, and probably Laban wished to keep his _fraud_ from the public eye; the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:28. _AND JACOB DID SO - AND HE GAVE HIM RACHEL_] It is perfectly plain that Jacob did not serve seven years more _before_ he got Rachel to wife; but having spent a week with Leah, and in keeping the marriage feast, he then got Rachel, and served afterwards seven years for _her_. Con... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:31. _THE LORD SAW THAT LEAH WAS HATED_] From this and the preceding verse we get the genuine meaning of the word שנא _sane,_ _to hate_, in certain disputed places in the Scriptures. The word simply signifies _a less degree of love_; so it is said, Genesis 29:30: "Jacob loved Rachel... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:32. _SHE CALLED HIS NAME REUBEN_] ראובן _reuben_, literally, _see ye_ or _behold a son; for Jehovah hath looked upon_, _raah, beheld_, my affliction; _behold_ then the consequence, I have got a son!... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:33. _SHE CALLED HIS NAME SIMEON._] שמעון _shimon, hearing_; i.e., God had blessed her with another son, _because_ he had _heard_ _that she was hated _- loved less than Rachel was.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:34. _THEREFORE WAS HIS NAME CALLED LEVI._] לוי _levi,_ _joined_; because she supposed that, in consequence of all these children, Jacob would become _joined_ to her in as strong affection, at least, as he was to Rachel. From Levi sprang the tribe of _Levites_, who instead of the _fi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 29:35. _SHE CALLED HIS NAME JUDAH_] יהודה _yehudah_, a _confessor_; one who _acknowledges_ God, and acknowledges that all good comes from his hands, and gives him the praise due to his grace and mercy. From this patriarch the _Jews_ have their name, and could it be now rightly applied... [ Continue Reading ]