Genesis 29:14

_AND LABAN SAID TO HIM, SURELY THOU ART MY BONE AND MY FLESH. AND HE ABODE WITH HIM THE SPACE OF A MONTH._ He abode ... a month. Among pastoral people a stranger is freely entertained for three days; on the fourth 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....

14._And he abode with him the space of a month_. Though Laban did not doubt that Jacob was his nephew by his sister, he nevertheless puts his character to trial during a month, and then treats with him respecting wages. Hence may be inferred the uprightness of the holy man; because he was not idle while with his uncle, but employed himself in honest labors, that he might not in idleness eat another’s bread for nothing; hence Laban is compelled to acknowledge that some reward beyond his mere food was due to him. When he says, “Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought?” his meaning may be twofold; either that it would be excessively absurd and unjust to defraud a relation of his due reward, for whom he ought to have greater consideration than for any stranger; or that he was unwilling to exact gratuitous service under the color of relationship. This second...

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 29:14. _MY BONE AND MY FLESH._] One of my nearest relatives....

- 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 LABAN SAID TO HIM, SURELY THOU [ART] MY BONE AND MY FLESH,.... Nearly allied in blood, being his sister's son: AND HE ABODE WITH HIM THE SPACE OF A MONTH; or "a month of days" m, a full month to a day; all this while feeding his flocks, and doing whatsoever service he had for him to do. m חדש ימים "mensem dierum", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius, Schmidt....

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

SPACE OF. MONTH. Hebrew. month of days, i.e., by Figure of speech _Hypallage_, the days of. month. Compare Numbers 11:20....