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Texts -- Genesis 29:1-35 (NET)

Context
The Marriages of Jacob
29:1 So Jacob moved on and came to the land of the eastern people . 29:2 He saw in the field a well with three flocks of sheep lying beside it, because the flocks were watered from that well . Now a large stone covered the mouth of the well . 29:3 When all the flocks were gathered there , the shepherds would roll the stone off the mouth of the well and water the sheep . Then they would put the stone back in its place over the well’s mouth . 29:4 Jacob asked them, “My brothers , where are you from?” They replied , “We’re from Haran .” 29:5 So he said to them, “Do you know Laban , the grandson of Nahor ?” “We know him,” they said . 29:6 “Is he well ?” Jacob asked . They replied , “He is well . Now look , here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep .” 29:7 Then Jacob said , “Since it is still the middle of the day , it is not time for the flocks to be gathered . You should water the sheep and then go and let them graze some more.” 29:8 “We can’t ,” they said , “until all the flocks are gathered and the stone is rolled off the mouth of the well . Then we water the sheep .” 29:9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep , for she was tending them . 29:10 When Jacob saw Rachel , the daughter of his uncle Laban , and the sheep of his uncle Laban , he went over and rolled the stone off the mouth of the well and watered the sheep of his uncle Laban . 29:11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep loudly . 29:12 When Jacob explained to Rachel that he was a relative of her father and the son of Rebekah , she ran and told her father . 29:13 When Laban heard this news about Jacob , his sister’s son , he rushed out to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house . Jacob told Laban how he was related to him. 29:14 Then Laban said to him, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood .” So Jacob stayed with him for a month . 29:15 Then Laban said to Jacob , “Should you work for me for nothing because you are my relative ? Tell me what your wages should be.” 29:16 (Now Laban had two daughters ; the older one was named Leah , and the younger one Rachel . 29:17 Leah’s eyes were tender , but Rachel had a lovely figure and beautiful appearance .) 29:18 Since Jacob had fallen in love with Rachel , he said , “I’ll serve you seven years in exchange for your younger daughter Rachel .” 29:19 Laban replied , “I’d rather give her to you than to another man . Stay with me .” 29:20 So Jacob worked for seven years to acquire Rachel . But they seemed like only a few days to him because his love for her was so great. 29:21 Finally Jacob said to Laban , “Give me my wife , for my time of service is up . I want to have marital relations with her.” 29:22 So Laban invited all the people of that place and prepared a feast . 29:23 In the evening he brought his daughter Leah to Jacob, and Jacob had marital relations with her. 29:24 (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant .) 29:25 In the morning Jacob discovered it was Leah ! So Jacob said to Laban , “What in the world have you done to me! Didn’t I work for you in exchange for Rachel ? Why have you tricked me?” 29:26 “It is not our custom here ,” Laban replied , “to give the younger daughter in marriage before the firstborn . 29:27 Complete my older daughter’s bridal week . Then we will give you the younger one too , in exchange for seven more years of work .” 29:28 Jacob did as Laban said. When Jacob completed Leah’s bridal week , Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife . 29:29 (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant .) 29:30 Jacob had marital relations with Rachel as well . He loved Rachel more than Leah , so he worked for Laban for seven more years .
The Family of Jacob
29:31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved , he enabled her to become pregnant while Rachel remained childless . 29:32 So Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son . She named him Reuben , for she said , “The Lord has looked with pity on my oppressed condition . Surely my husband will love me now .” 29:33 She became pregnant again and had another son . She said , “Because the Lord heard that I was unloved , he gave me this one too .” So she named him Simeon . 29:34 She became pregnant again and had another son . She said , “Now this time my husband will show me affection , because I have given birth to three sons for him.” That is why he was named Levi . 29:35 She became pregnant again and had another son . She said , “This time I will praise the Lord .” That is why she named him Judah . Then she stopped having children .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Marriage

    [ebd] was instituted in Paradise when man was in innocence (Gen. 2:18-24). Here we have its original charter, which was confirmed by our Lord, as the basis on which all regulations are to be framed (Matt. 19:4, 5). It is evident t...
    [isbe] MARRIAGE - mar'-ij: Introduction Scope and Viewpoint of the Present Article 1. Marriage among the Hebrews 2. Betrothal the First Formal Part 3. Wedding Ceremonies 4. Jesus' Sanction of the Institution 5. His Teaching concern...
    [smith] Its origin and history . --The institution of marriage dates from the time of man?s original creation. (Genesis 2:18-25) From (Genesis 2:24) we may evolve the following principles: (1) The unity of man and wife, as implied i...
    [nave] MARRIAGE In family blood lines, Abraham and Sarah, Gen. 11:29; 12:13; 20:3, 9-16. Isaac and Rebekah, Gen. 24:3, 4, 67; 28:2. Jacob and his wives, Gen. 29:15-30; see below, in the elaborated text. Levirate (the brother requ...

  • Laban

    [ebd] white. (1.) The son of Bethuel, who was the son of Nahor, Abraham's brother. He lived at Haran in Mesopotamia. His sister Rebekah was Isaac's wife (Gen. 24). Jacob, one of the sons of this marriage, fled to the house of Laba...
    [smith] (white). Son of Bethuel, brother of Rebekah and father of Leah and Rachel. (B.C. about 1860-1740.) The elder branch of the family remained at Haran, Mesopotamia, when Abraham removed to the land of Canaan, and it is there th...
    [nave] LABAN Son of Bethuel, Gen. 28:5. Brother of Rebekah, Gen. 22:23; 24:15, 29. Receives the servant of Abraham, Gen. 24:29-33. Receives Jacob, and gives him his daughters in marriage, Gen. 29:12-30. Jacob becomes his servan...

  • RELATIONSHIPS, FAMILY

    [isbe] RELATIONSHIPS, FAMILY - re-la'-shun-ships: I. CONSANGUINITY 1. In General 2. Parents and Children 3. Brothers and Sisters 4. Uncles, Aunts, Cousins, Kinsmen II. AFFINITY 1. Husband and Wife 2. Father-in-Law, etc. 3. Brother-...

  • Jacob

    [nave] JACOB Son of Isaac, and twin brother of Esau, Gen. 25:24-26; Josh. 24:4; 1 Chr. 1:34; Acts 7:8. Ancestor of Jesus, Matt. 1:2. Given in answer to prayer, Gen. 25:21. Obtains Esau's birthright for a some stew, Gen. 25:29-34...

  • Haran

    [nave] HARAN 1. Father of Lot and brother of Abraham, Gen. 11:26-31. 2. Son of Caleb, 1 Chr. 2:46. 3. A Levite, 1 Chr. 23:9. 4. Called also Charran. A place in Mesopotamia to which Terah and Abraham migrated, Gen. 11:31; 12:4, 5...

  • Wife

    [nave] WIFE Called Desire of the Eyes, Ezek. 24:16. Help, Gen. 2:18, 20. Fruitful Vine, Psa. 128:3. The judgment denounced against Eve, Gen. 3:16. Relation of, to husband, Gen. 2:18, 23, 24; 1 Cor. 11:3-12. Domestic duties of,...

  • GENESIS, 4

    [isbe] GENESIS, 4 - IV. The Historical Character. 1. History of the Patriarchs: (Genesis 12 through 50): (1) Unfounded Attacks upon the History. (a) From General Dogmatic Principles: In order to disprove the historical character of...

  • FATHER

    [isbe] FATHER - fa'-ther (Anglo-Saxon, Foeder; German, Vater; Hebrew 'abh, etymology uncertain, found in many cognate languages; Greek pater, from root pa, "nourisher," "protector," "upholder"): 1. Immediate Male Ancestor: Immediat...

  • Rachel

    [ebd] ewe, "the daughter", "the somewhat petulant, peevish, and self-willed though beautiful younger daughter" of Laban, and one of Jacob's wives (Gen. 29:6, 28). He served Laban fourteen years for her, so deep was Jacob's affecti...
    [isbe] RACHEL - ra'-chel (rachel, "ewe"; Rhachel (Gen 29:6; Jer 31:15, the King James Version "Rahel")): 1. Biography: An ancestress of Israel, wife of Jacob, mother of Joseph and Benjamin. Rachel was the younger daughter of Laban,...
    [nave] RACHEL, daughter of Laban and wife of Jacob. Meets Jacob at the well, Gen. 29:9-12. Jacob serves Laban fourteen years to secure her for his wife, Gen. 29:15-30. Sterility of, Gen. 29:31. Her grief in consequence of her ste...

  • Wages

    [ebd] Rate of (mention only in Matt. 20:2); to be punctually paid (Lev. 19:13; Deut. 24:14, 15); judgements threatened against the withholding of (Jer. 22:13; Mal. 3:5; comp. James 5:4); paid in money (Matt. 20:1-14); to Jacob in ...
    [isbe] WAGES - wa'-jez, wa'-jiz (chinnam, maskoreth, pe`ullah, sakhar, sakhar; misthos, opsonion): (1) Chinnam means "gratis," without cost or any advantage, for nought, or in vain; wages in the sense of reasonable return. Jeremiah...
    [smith] The earliest mention of wages is of a recompense, not in money, but in kind, to Jacob from Laban. (Genesis 29:15,20; 30:28; 31:7,8,41) In Egypt money payments by way of wages were in use, but the terms cannot now be ascertain...
    [nave] WAGES Of Jacob, Gen. 29:15-30; 30:28-34; 31:7, 41. Parable concerning, Matt. 20:1-15. See: Master; Servant. Unclassified Scriptures Relating to Lev. 19:13; Deut. 24:14, 15; Deut. 25:4; Jer. 22:13; Hag. 1:6; Mal. 3:5; Luk...

  • Leah

    [ebd] weary, the eldest daughter of Laban, and sister of Rachel (Gen. 29:16). Jacob took her to wife through a deceit of her father (Gen. 29:23). She was "tender-eyed" (17). She bore to Jacob six sons (32-35), also one daughter, D...
    [isbe] LEAH - le'-a (le'ah; Leia, "weary," "dull"(?), "wild cow"): Rachel's sister, and the elder daughter of Laban (Gen 29:16). We are told that her eyes were "tender" rakkoth). Gesenius renders it "weak," Septuagint astheneis; ac...
    [smith] (wearied), the daughter of Laban. (Genesis 29:16) The dullness or weakness of her eyes was so notable that it is mentioned as a contrast to the beautiful form and appearance of her younger sister Rachel. Her father took advan...
    [nave] LEAH Daughter of Laban, Gen. 29:16. Married to Jacob, Gen. 29:23-26. Children of, Gen. 29:31-35; 30:9-13, 17-21. Flees with Jacob, Gen. 31:4, 14, 17; 33:2-7. "Builder of the house of Israel,'' Ruth 4:11.

  • Children

    [nave] CHILDREN In answer to prayer: To Abraham, Gen. 15:2-5, with Gen. 21:1, 2; Isaac, Gen. 25:21; Leah, Gen. 30:17-22; Rachel, Gen. 30:22-24; Haah, 1 Sam. 1:9-20; Zacharias, Luke 1:13. Treatment of, at birth, Ezek. 16:4-6; Luke ...

  • Seven

    [nave] SEVEN Interesting facts concerning the number. Days Week consists of, Gen. 2:3; Ex. 20:11; Deut. 5:13, 14. Noah in the ark before the flood, Gen. 7:4, 10; remains in the ark after sending forth the dove, Gen. 8:10, 12. M...

  • Greed

    [nave] GREED. Ex. 18:21; Ex. 20:17 Deut. 5:21. Neh. 5:7; Job 20:15; Job 31:24, 25, 28; Psa. 10:3; Psa. 119:36; Prov. 1:19; Prov. 11:24, 26; Prov. 15:27; Prov. 21:25, 26; Prov. 22:16; Prov. 23:4, 5; Prov. 30:8, 9; Eccl. 1:8 vs. 2-8...

  • Shepherd

    [isbe] SHEPHERD - shep'-erd (ro`eh, ro`i; poimen, "a feeder"): The sheep owner frequently tends the flocks himself (Gen 4:4; 30:40; compare Ezek 34:12), but more often he delegates the work to his children (Gen 29:9; 1 Sam 16:19; 1...
    [smith] In a nomadic state of society every man, from the sheikh down to the slave, is more or less a shepherd. The progenitors of the Jews in the patriarchal age were nomads, and their history is rich in scenes of pastoral life. The...
    [nave] SHEPHERD One who cares for flocks, Gen. 31:38-40; Psa. 78:52, 53; Jer. 31:10; Amos 3:12; Luke 2:8. David the, defends his flock against a lion and a bear, 1 Sam. 17:34, 35. Causes the flock to rest, Psa. 23:2; Song 1:7; Je...

  • Contracts

    [nave] CONTRACTS Between Abraham and Abimelech, concerning wells of water, Gen. 21:25-32; violated, Gen. 26:15. First contract between Laban and Jacob for Laban's daughter, Gen. 29:15-20, 27-30; violated, Gen. 29:23-27; second con...

  • Betrothal

    [nave] BETROTHAL Of Jacob, Gen. 29:18-30. Exempts from military duty, Deut. 20:7. A quasi marriage, Matt. 1:18; Luke 1:27. Figurative Isa. 62:4; Hos. 2:19, 20; 2 Cor. 11:2. See: Courtship; Marriage.

  • Dishonesty

    [nave] DISHONESTY. Lev. 6:2-7; Lev. 19:13, 35, 36; Deut. 25:13, 15, 16; Job 24:2-11; Psa. 37:21; Psa. 50:18; Psa. 62:10; Prov. 3:27, 28; Prov. 11:1; Prov. 20:10, 14, 17, 23; Isa. 32:7; Jer. 7:8-10; Jer. 9:4-6, 8; Jer. 22:13; Ezek....

  • Polygamy

    [nave] POLYGAMY Forbidden, Deut. 17:17; Lev. 18:18; Mal. 2:14, 15; Matt. 19:4, 5; Mark 10:2-8; 1 Tim. 3:2, 12; Tit. 1:6. Authorized, 2 Sam. 12:8. Tolerated, Ex. 21:10; 1 Sam. 1:2; 2 Chr. 24:3. Practiced, Job 27:15; by Lamech, Ge...

  • Family

    [nave] FAMILY. Of Saints Blessed, Psa. 128:3, 6. Should be taught God's word, Deut. 4:9, 10. Worship God together, 1 Cor. 16:19. Be duly regulated, Prov. 31:27; 1 Tim. 3:4, 5, 12. Live in unity, Gen. 45:24; Psa. 133:1. Live ...
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Arts

Questions

  • I'm going to copy some articles on this subject, but let me give you my summation of all of them. In the Old Testament, the firstborn son was the one who normally received a double inheritance, and was the one who would inher...
  • The following material from The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia should be helpful here: III. Significant numbers Numbers are also used with a symbolical or theological significance. One is used to convey th...

Sermon Illustrations

Biblical Polygamists

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The events recorded in Genesis stretch historically from Creation to Joseph's death, a period of at least 2500 years. The first part of the book (ch. 1-11) is not as easy to date precisely as the second part (ch. 12-50). The ...
  • Genesis provides the historical basis for the rest of the Bible and the Pentateuch, particularly the Abrahamic Covenant. Chapters 1-11 give historical background essential to understanding that covenant, and chapters 12-50 re...
  • The structure of Genesis is very clear. The phrase "the generations of"(toledotin Hebrew, from yaladmeaning "to bear, to generate") occurs ten times (really eleven times since 36:9 repeats 36:1), and in each case it introduce...
  • The Lord destroyed the corrupt, violent human race and deluged its world, but He used righteous Noah to preserve life and establish a new world after the Flood."Noah's experience presents decisively the author's assertion tha...
  • "The Babel account (11:1-9) is not the end of early Genesis. If it were, the story would conclude on the sad note of human failure. But as with earlier events in Genesis 1-11, God's grace once again supersedes human sin, insu...
  • One of the significant changes in the emphasis that occurs at this point in Genesis is from cursing in the primeval record to blessing in the patriarchal narratives. The Abrahamic Covenant is most important in this respect. H...
  • A major theme of the Pentateuch is the partial fulfillment of the promises to the patriarchs. The promises in Genesis 12:1-3 and 7 are the fountainhead from which the rest of the Pentateuch flows.397Walter Kaiser labeled the ...
  • "The function of this genealogy is not so much to connect Abraham with the preceding events, as the previous genealogies have done, but to provide the reader with the necessary background for understanding the events in the l...
  • "These verses are of fundamental importance for the theology of Genesis, for they serve to bind together the primeval history and the later patriarchal history and look beyond it to the subsequent history of the nation."414"W...
  • The second crisis Abram faced arose because of a famine in Canaan. Abram chose to sojourn in the Nile Valley until it was past. In this incident Abram tried to pass Sarai off as his sister because he feared for his life. By d...
  • Abraham's purchase of a burial site in the Promised Land demonstrated his intention to remain in Canaan rather than going back to his native homeland. Since he was a sojourner in Canaan his friends probably expected him to bu...
  • A new toledotbegins with 25:19. Its theme is "the acquisition of the blessing and its development and protection by the Lord."625Moses set up the whole Jacob narrative in a chiastic structure that emphasizes the fulfillment o...
  • The long account of Jacob's relationship with Laban (chs. 29-31) is the centerpiece of the Jacob story (chs. 25-35). It is a story within a story, and it too has a chiastic structure. At its center is the account of the birth...
  • God formed Jacob's family, the ancestors of the tribes of Israel, as He had promised Jacob at Bethel. Unfortunately Jacob and his wives lived in envy and friction over how God chose to bless them."Jacob had planned to take Ra...
  • Joseph faithfully served his father even bringing back a bad report of his brothers' behavior to him for which Jacob expressed his love by giving Joseph preferential treatment. However his brothers envied and hated him. God c...
  • Joseph experienced God's blessing as he served faithfully in Potiphar's house. His master's wife repeatedly seduced him, but he refused her offers because he did not want to sin against God and betray Potiphar's trust. Joseph...
  • Aalders, Gerhard Charles. Genesis. The Bible Student's Commentary series. 2 vols. Translated by William Heynen. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981.Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • Since he had been unsuccessful in murdering David himself, Saul also tried to get other people to kill him (cf. 2 Sam. 11:15). Saul had promised his daughter in marriage to Goliath's victor (17:25). Nevertheless now Saul adde...
  • David thanked God for vindicating him and for preventing him from doing evil. Abigail had been the instrument that God had used to do this (v. 39). It was proper for David to give thanks since he had left Nabal in the Lord's ...
  • 105:7-11 God remembered His people (v. 7, cf. v. 42) so His people should remember Him (v. 5). God had been faithful to the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 12:1-3, 7; 15:18-21; 22:15-18; 28:13-15). He made this covenant with Abraham...
  • His bride's beauty ravished Solomon. His praise in verses 1 and 7 frames his description of her in verses 1-6.4:1 Women in Solomon's culture did not always wear a veil. Before their wedding they put one on and did not take it...
  • Isaiah next tried to move Ahaz to faith (vv. 10-12), then denounced the king for his failure to trust Yahweh (vv. 13-15), and finally forecast a calamity worse than the division of Israel's united kingdom (vv. 16-17).7:10 Evi...
  • "In the concluding four verses of Daniel 9, one of the most important prophecies of the Old Testament is contained. The prophecy as a whole is presented in verse 24. The first sixty-nine sevens is described in verse 25. The e...
  • The revelation that Yahweh gave Malachi for Israel consisted of six "heavy"messages. The first one reminded God's people of His love for them and of their ungratefulness.1:2a The Lord's first word to His people was short and ...
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