Genesis 29:9

_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 29:9. _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 opulent chiefs to carry water from the well, as in the case of Rebekah; or tend sheep, as in the case of Rachel. The chief _property_ in those times consisted in _flocks_: and who so proper to take care of them as those who were interested in their safety and increase? Honest labour, far from being a discredit, is an honour both to _high_ and _low_. The _king_ himself is served by the field; and without it, and the labour necessary for its cultivation, all ranks must perish. Let every son, let every daughter, learn that it is no discredit to be employed, whe...

- 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 WHILE HE YET SPAKE WITH THEM,.... While Jacob was thus discoursing with the shepherds: RACHEL CAME WITH HER FATHER'S SHEEP; to water them at the well. She was within sight when Jacob first addressed the shepherds, but now she was come to the well, or near it, with the sheep before her: FOR SHE KEPT THEM: or "she was the shepherdess" d; the chief one; she might have servants under her to do some parts of the office of a shepherd, not so fit for her to do; it may be Laban's sons, for some he had, Genesis 31:1; were not as yet grown up, and Leah, the eldest daughter, having tender eyes, could not bear the open air, and light of the sun, nor so well look after the straying sheep; and therefore the flock was committed to the care of Rachel the younger daughter, whose name signifies a sheep. The Jews say e, that the hand of God was upon Laban's flock, and

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

HER FATHER'S SHEEP. Shepherds usually slaves, younger sons, or daughters. Compare David, 1 Samuel 17:13.Exodus 2:16; Exodus 2:17. Note exception. Genesis 37:14, and reason....

PART FORTY-ONE THE STORY OF JACOB: HIS EXPERIENCES IN PADDAN-ARAM (Genesis 29:1 to Genesis 31:16) The Biblical Account 1. Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the children of the east. 2 And he looked, and, behold, a well in the field, and, lo, three flocks of sheep lying there by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and the stone upon the well's mouth was great. 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 its place. And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence are ye? And they said, Of Haran are we. 5 And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him. 6 And he said unto them, Is it well with him? And th