Genesis 29:10

_AND WHILE HE YET SPAKE WITH THEM, RACHEL CAME WITH HER FATHER'S SHEEP: FOR SHE KEPT THEM._ While he yet spake ... Rachel came. Among the pastoral tribes the young unmarried daughters of the greatest sheikhs tend the flocks, going out at sunrise, and continuing to watch their fleecy charge until sunset. This practice of employing young women to watch the flocks obtains still among the modern Bedouins; and among some tribes these are exclusively employed, insomuch that Burckhardt declares, 'a boy would feel himself insulted were any one to say "Go, and drive your father's sheep to pasture." These words, in his opinion, would signify 'you are no better than a girl.' Watering them, which is done twice a day, is a work of time and labour, and Jacob rendered no small service in volunteering his aid to the young shepherdess. It was an act of civility on the part of a stranger, readily accepte...

9-14 See Rachel's humility and industry. Nobody needs to be ashamed of honest, useful labour, nor ought it to hinder any one's preferment. When Jacob understood that this was his kinswoman, he was very ready to serve her. Laban, though not the best humoured, bade him welcome, and was satisfied with the account Jacob gave of himself. While we avoid being foolishly ready to believe every thing which is told us, we must take heed of being uncharitably suspicious....

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 whom he was as yet unknown, to water her flock....

- Jacob’s Marriage 6. רחל _rāchēl_, Rachel, “a ewe.” 16. לאה _lê'âh_, Leah, “wearied.” 24. זלפה _zı̂lpâh_, Zilpah, “drop?” 29. בלהה _bı̂lhâh_, Bilhah, “timidity.” 32. ראוּבן _re'uvbēn_, Reuben, “behold a son.” A paronomasia in allusion to the phrase בעניי ראה _be‛ānyı̂y_ _rā'âh_. Derivatives and compounds, being formed by the common speaker, are sometimes founded upon resemblance in sound, and not always on precise forms of the original sentence which prompted them. 33. ש

EXPOSITION GENESIS 29:1 THEN JACOB WENT ON HIS JOURNEY (literally, _lifted up his feet—a _graphic description of traveling. Inspired by new hopes, and conscious of loftier aims than when he fled from Beersheba, the lonely furtive departed from Bethel), AND CAME INTO THE LAND OF THE PEOPLE OF THE EAST—literally, _the land of the sons of the east_,_ i_._e_._ _Mesopotamia, about 450 miles distant from Beersheba. GENESIS 29:2 AND HE LOOKED (either to discover where he was, or in search of water), AND BEHOLD A WELL IN THE FIELD,—not the well at which Eliezer's caravan halted, which was a well for the village maidens, situated in front of the town,

AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN JACOB SAW RACHEL, THE DAUGHTER OF LABAN HIS MOTHER'S BROTHER,.... Coming with her flock towards the well, and for whom and whose flock only the shepherds might be waiting: AND THE SHEEP OF LABAN HIS MOTHER'S BROTHER; wherefore out of respect to him and his, he being so nearly allied to him, it was THAT JACOB WENT NEAR, AND ROLLED THE STONE FROM THE WELL'S MOUTH, either with the help of the shepherds, or of himself by his own strength; which the Jewish writers h say amazed the shepherds, that he should do that himself, which required their united strength. The Targum of Jonathan says, he did it with one of his arms; and Jarchi, that he removed it as easily as a man takes off the lid cover of a pot: AND WATERED THE FLOCK OF LABAN HIS MOTHER'S BROTHER; this he did partly out of respect to his relations, and partly that he might be taken notice of by Rachel. h P...

CHAPTER 29 JACOB WITH LABAN _ 1. Jacob's arrival at Padan-aram (Genesis 29:1)_ 2. His service for Rachel (Genesis 29:15) 3. Laban's deception (Genesis 29:21) 4. Jacob receives Rachel (Genesis 29:26) 5. Leah's sons (Genesis 29:32) The Lord brought him to Padan-aram, where he was to dwell as an exile for twenty years. During these twenty years Jehovah did not manifest Himself to him, even as Israel dispersed among the nations has no communications from the Lord. His sojourn in Padan-aram produce

JACOB SERVES SEVEN YEARS FOR RACHEL. LABAN SUBSTITUTES LEAH AND SECURES FOURTEEN YEARS'SERVICE IN EXCHANGE FOR THE TWO. Apart from bits of P (Genesis 29:24; Genesis 29:28_ b_, Genesis 29:29) the section belongs to JE. Analysis is very uncertain. Probably Genesis 29:1 is from E, Genesis 29:2 from J. Opinions differ as to Genesis 29:15; for our purpose further analysis is unnecessary. Jacob comes in his journey to a well, and finds three flocks waiting to

_went near, and rolled_ Jacob disregards the rule of the well; and at the risk of incurring the wrath of the local herdsmen and shepherds, by a feat of great personal strength, removes unaided the stone covering, and renders Rachel the service of watering Laban's flock. The shepherds were apparently kept quiet by the appearance of the stranger's energy and strength. For the whole scene, cf. the story of Moses, Exodus 2:16-21....

ROLLED THE STONE, &C.— Out of complaisance to his relation Rachel, and to shew his officiousness in her service, Jacob assisted the shepherds to roll away the stone, when she approached with her flock; and, touched with the tenderest feelings on beholding so near and amiable a relation, the tears of sympathetic joy burst from his eyes. How pleasing and affecting a description! He did not long conceal himself from Rachel, who hasted to inform her father, and Jacob found a kind and hospitable reception....