Genesis 42:1
Jacob ........ he <03290> [when Jacob.]
heard ............... looking <07200> [saw. i.e, heard, from the report of others, that there was plenty in Egypt.]
The operations of one sense are frequently put for those of another in Hebrew; (see the Parallel Passages.)
heard ............... looking <07200> [Why do ye.]
Genesis 29:1-35
Jacob <03290> [Jacob.]
moved on <05375 07272> [went on his journey. Heb. lifted up his feet. came.]
people <01121> [people. Heb. children. east.]
The district of Mesopotamia, and the whole country beyond the Euphrates, are called Kedem, or the East, in the Sacred Writings.
well ................. well ........... well <0875> [a well.]
three <07969> [there.]
large stone <068 01419> [a great stone.]
In Arabia, and other places in the East, they cover up their wells of water, lest the sand, which is put in motion by the winds, should fill and quite stop them up. So great was their care not to leave the well open any length of time, that they waited till the flocks were all gathered together before they began to draw water; and when they had finished, the well was immediately closed again.
flocks <05739> [the flocks.]
Instead of {haadarim,} "the flocks," the Samaritan reads {haroin,} "the shepherds," as does also the Arabic in Walton's Polyglott. This verse describes what was usually done by some mutual compact among the shepherds, and shows the purpose for which the flocks lay by the well; for the stone was not removed till all the flocks had been collected. Scott.
Haran <02771> [Of Haran.]
[Charran.]
grandson ... Nahor <01121 05152> [son of.]
[Is he well? Heb. there peace to him?]
Since <02005> [Lo.]
day <01419 03117> [it is yet high day. Heb. yet the day is great.]
flocks <05739> [until.]
rolled <01556> [roll.]
Rachel <07354> [Rachel.]
tending <07462> [for she kept them.]
In those primitive times, a pastoral life was not only considered useful but honourable: nor was it beneath the dignity of the daughters of the most opulent chiefs to carry water from the well, or tend the sheep. Jacob, Moses, and David were shepherds.
rolled <01556> [rolled.]
kissed <05401> [kissed.]
weep <01058> [and wept.]
relative <0251> [brother.]
ran <07323> [and she.]
news <08088> [tidings. Heb. hearing. he ran.]
kissed <05401> [kissed.]
<01697> [all these.]
flesh <06106> [art my.]
month <02320 03117> [the space of a month. Heb. a month of days.]
Tell ..... wages <05046 04909> [tell me.]
Leah <03812> [was Leah.]
Rachel <07354> [Rachel.]
lovely .... beautiful <03303> [beautiful.]
love <0157> [loved.]
serve <05647> [I will serve.]
In ancient times, it was a custom among many nations to give dowries for their wives; but Jacob, being poor, offered for Rachel seven year's service.
worked <05647> [A.M. 2251. B.C. 1753. served.]
<0160> [for the love.]
Give .... wife <03051 0802> [Give me.]
time <03117> [my days.]
have marital relations <0935> [go in.]
prepared <06213> [and made.]
brought ......... had marital relations <0935> [brought her.]
Zilpah <02153> [Zilpah.]
morning <01242> [in the morning.]
tricked <07411> [wherefore.]
here <04725> [country. Heb. place.]
week <07620> [week.]
give <05414> [we will.]
When ... completed .... week <07620 04390> [fulfilled her week.]
The public marriage feast made on this occasion, seems to have formed the regular method of recognising the marriage, and lasted seven days: it would therefore have been improper to have broken off the solemnities to which all the men of the place had been invited (ver. 22) and probably Laban wished to keep the fraud from the public eye. It is perfectly plain that Jacob did not serve seven years more before he got Rachel to wife.
Bilhah <01090> [Bilhah.]
loved <0157> [he loved.]
worked <05647> [served.]
saw <07200> [saw.]
unloved <08130> [was hated.]
enabled ... to become pregnant <06605> [he opened.]
named <08034> [A.M. 2252. B.C. 1752. his name.]
Reuben <07205> [Reuben. that is, See a son. looked.]
Lord <03068> [A.M. 2253. B.C. 1751. Because.]
So she <07121> [called.]
Simeon <08095> [Simeon. that is, Hearing.]
named <08034> [A.M. 2254. B.C. 1750. was.]
Levi <03878> [Levi. that is, joined.]
she <07121> [A.M. 2255. B.C. 1749. called.]
Judah <03063> [Judah. that is, Praise. left bearing. Heb. stood from bearing.]
That is, for a time; for she had several children afterwards. (See ch. 30:17, etc.).
Genesis 31:1-55
Jacob <03290> [Jacob.]
rich <03519> [glory.]
"Glory" is here used for "wealth," riches, or property; since those who possess riches, generally make them the subject of glory. The original word cavod, signifies both "glory" and "weight."
face <06440> [countenance.]
attitude <08543> [it was.]
[as before. Heb. as yesterday and the day before.]
Return <07725> [Return.]
land <0776> [land.]
[with thee.]
can <07200> [I see.]
God <0430> [the God.]
ten times <06235 04489> [ten times.]
The Hebrew, {asereth monim,} is literally, as Aquila renders, "ten numbers;" and Symmachus, "ten times in number;" which probably implies an indefinite number: see ver. 41.
God <0430> [God.]
dream <02472> [a dream.]
male goats <06260> [rams. or, he-goats. ringstraked.]
spotted <01261> [grisled.]
The original word, {beroodim,} from {barad,} "hail" means marked with white spots like hail; to which our word grisled, from the old french {gresle,} now {grele,} hail, perfectly agrees; hence {gresle,} spotted with white on a dark ground.
angel <04397> [the angel.]
[Here am I.]
Observe <05375> [Lift up.]
Observe ................... observed <07200> [I have seen.]
God <0410> [the God.]
return <07725> [return.]
Rachel <07354> [Rachel.]
portion <02506> [yet any.]
sold ..... wasted <04376 0398> [sold us.]
God .................. God <0430> [which God.]
God .................. God <0430> [whatsoever.]
camels <01581> [upon camels.]
set out <0935> [for to go.]
household idols <08655> [images. Heb. teraphim.]
These might have been images devoted to superstitious or idolatrous purposes, as they are termed gods by Laban, in ver. 30. The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan render it, {tzalmanaya,} "images;" the LXX. and Theodoret, [eidolon <\\See definition 1497\\,] "idols;" Aquilla, [morphomata,] "figures;" and the Persian, {asterlabha,} "astrolabes."
Laban <03820 03837> [unawares to Laban. Heb. the heart of Laban. See references on ver. 27.]
crossed <05674> [passed.]
headed <07760 06440> [set his.]
Gilead <01568> [Gilead.]
Aramean <0761> [the Syrian.]
dream <02472> [dream.]
Be careful <08104> [Take heed.]
bless nor curse <02896 05704 07451> [either good or bad. Heb. from good to bad.]
done <06213> [What.]
You've <05090> [carried.]
run away <01272> [Wherefore.]
deceive ...... tell <01589 05046> [steal away from me. Heb. hast stolen me.]
send <07971> [that I.]
celebration <08057> [with mirth.]
tambourines <08596> [tabret.]
kiss <05401> [kiss.]
foolishly <05528> [foolishly.]
power <0410> [the power.]
God <0430> [the God.]
last night <0570> [yesternight.]
Be careful <08104> [Take.]
gods <0430> [my gods.]
afraid <03372> [Because.]
Whoever has <0834> [whomsoever.]
This was rash, and might have produced fatal effects; but Jacob was partial to Rachel, and did not suspect her; and he was indignant at being accused of a crime which he deeply abhorred. Scott.
presence <05048> [before.]
Jacob <03290> [For Jacob.]
Leah's ..................... Leah's <03812> [Leah's.]
taken <03947> [had taken.]
<03733> [furniture.]
The word, {car,} rendered "furniture," properly denotes "a large round pannier," placed one on each side of a camel, for a person, especially women, to ride in. It is a hamper, like a cradle, having a back, head, and sides, like a great chair. Moryson describes them as "two long chairs like cradles, covered with red cloth, to hang on the two sides of the camel." Hanway calls them {kedgavays,} which "are a kind of covered chairs, which the Persians hang over their camels in the manner of {panniers,} and are big enough for one person to sit in." Thevenot, who calls then {counes,} says that they lay over them a cover, which keeps then both from the rain and sun; and Maillet describes them as covered cages, hanging on each side of a camel. The late Editor of Calmet has furnished a correct delineation of these cars, as seen on one side of a camel, copied from Dalton's Prints of Egyptian Figures.
searched <04959> [searched. Heb. felt.]
lord <0113> [my lord.]
stand up <06965> [rise up.]
having <01870> [custom.]
angry <02734> [was wroth.]
Set <07760 03541> [set it here.]
twenty <06242> [twenty.]
ewes <07353> [ewes.]
rams <0352> [the rams.]
torn ....... brought <02966 0935> [torn of.]
<02398> [I bare.]
absorbed ...... always made me pay ... every missing ..... was taken .... or <01589> [or stolen.]
fourteen <0702> [fourteen.]
ten times <06235 04489> [ten times.]
If <03884> [Except.]
fears <06343> [fear.]
saw <07200> [hath seen.]
<03772> [let us.]
proof <05707> [a witness.]
God can put a bridle into the mouth of wicked man to restrain their malice; and then, though they have no love for his people, they will pretend to it, and try to make a merit of necessity. Scott.
relatives <0251> [brethren.]
Gather <03950> [Gather.]
pile ....... pile <01530> [an heap.]
The word {gal,} rendered "heap," properly signifies a round heap or circle; probably like the Druidical remains in this country, which have been traced in India, Persia, Western Asia, Greece, and Northern Europe. These usually consist of irregular circles of large stones, with a principal one in the midst; the former probably being used for seats, and the latter for an altar; corresponding to the stone set up as a pillar by Jacob, and the heap of stones collected by his brethren. They appear to have been used, as Gilgal undoubtedly was, (Jos 4:5; Jud 2:1; 3:19; ch. 20. 1 Sa 7:16; 10:8, 17; 11:15; 13:7; 15:33. 2 Sa 19:15, 40. 2 Ki 2:1.) as temples, and as places for holding councils, and assembling the people. For a satisfactory elucidation of this subject, consult the Fragments to Calmet, Nos. 156, 735, 736.
Jegar Sahadutha <03026> [Jegar-sahadutha. i.e., the heap of witness. Chald. Galeed. i.e., the heap of witness. Heb.]
pile <01530> [This heap.]
Galeed <01567> [Galeed. or, Gilead.]
Mizpah <04709> [Mizpah. i.e., a beacon, or watch-tower.]
[Mizpeh.]
mistreat <06031> [afflict.]
God <0430> [God.]
set <03384> [I have cast.]
For {yarithi,} "I have set up," we may read yaritha, "Thou hast set up," with one Heb. and one Sam. MS: see ver. 45.
God ... Abraham .... god ..... gods <085 0430> [God of Abraham.]
father .............. father <01> [their father.]
For {avihem,} "Their father," several MSS. read avichem, "Your father," for Terah was an idolater: see Jos 24:2.
judge <08199> [judge.]
oath <07650> [sware.]
feared <06343> [fear.]
offered ... sacrifice <02076 02077> [offered sacrifice. or, killed beasts. did eat.]
kissed <05401> [and kissed.]
blessed <01288> [blessed.]
returned <07725> [returned.]
