Charles Ellicott Commentary Genesis 29
Charles Ellicott Commentary
Genesis 29
Charles Ellicott Commentary
Genesis 29
"Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the children of the east." — Genesis 29:1 (ASV)
Jacob went on his journey. —Hebrew, Jacob lifted up his feet, that is, hastened forward. Confirmed in the possession of the birthright by God as well as man, and encouraged by the promise of the Divine presence, and of a safe return home, he casts no wistful glances back, but pursues his journey under the inspiriting influence of hope.
The people of the East. —Usually the Arabians are designated by this phrase, but it here signifies the tribes who inhabited northern Mesopotamia.
"Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the children of the east. 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. And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him. And he said unto them, Is it well with him? And they said, It is well. And, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep. And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together. Water ye the sheep, and go and feed them. And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and they roll the stone from the well`s mouth. Then we water the sheep. While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father`s sheep. For she kept them. And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother`s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother`s brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well`s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother`s brother. And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father`s brother, and that he was Rebekah`s son. And she ran and told her father. And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister`s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things. And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month. And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? Tell me, what shall thy wages be? And Laban had two daughters. The name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. And Leah`s eyes were tender. But Rachel was beautiful and well favored. And Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man. Abide with me. And Jacob served seven years for Rachel. And they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him. And he went in unto her. And Laban gave Zilpah his handmaid unto his daughter Leah for a handmaid. And it came to pass in the morning that, behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? Did not I serve with thee for Rachel? Wherefore then hast thou beguiled me? And Laban said, It is not so done in our place, to give the younger before the first-born. Fulfil the week of this one, and we will give thee the other also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. And jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. And he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife. And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her handmaid. And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. And Jehovah saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb. But Rachel was barren. And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben. For she said, Because Jehovah hath looked upon my affliction. For now my husband will love me. And she conceived again, and bare a son: and said, Because Jehovah hath heard that I am hated, he hath therefore given me this [son] also. And she called his name Simeon. And she conceived again, and bare a son. And said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have borne him three sons. Therefore was his name called Levi. And she conceived again, and bare a son. And she said, This time will I praise Jehovah. Therefore she called his name Judah. And she left off bearing." — Genesis 29:1-35 (ASV)
THE TÔLDÔTH ISAAC (Genesis 25:19 to Genesis 35:29).
THE BIRTH OF ISAAC’S SONS.
Abraham begot Isaac —The Tôldôth in its original form probably gave a complete genealogy of Isaac, tracing his descent up to Shem, and showing by this that the right of primogeniture belonged to him; but the inspired historian uses only as much of this as is necessary for tracing the development of the Divine plan of human redemption.
The Syrian. —Really, the Aramean, or descendant of Aram. (See Genesis 10:22-23.) The name of the district also correctly is “Paddan-Ararn,” and so far from being identical with Aram-Naharaim, in Genesis 24:10, it is strictly the designation of the region immediately in the neighbourhood of Charran.
The assertion of Gesenius that it meant “Mesopotamia, with the desert to the west of the Euphrates, in opposition to the mountainous district towards the Mediterranean,” is devoid of proof. (See Chwolsohn, Die Ssabier, 1, p. 304.)
In Syriac, the language of Charran, padana means a plough (1 Samuel 13:20), or a yoke of oxen (1 Samuel 11:7); and this also suggests that it was the cultivated district close to the town.
In Hosea 12:12 it is said that Jacob fled to the field of Aram; but this is a very general description of the country in which he found refuge, and affords no basis for the assertion that Padan-aram was the level region. Finally, the assertion that it is an ancient name used by the Jehovist is an assertion only. It is the name of a special district, and the knowledge of it was the result of Jacob’s long-continued stay there. Chwolsohn says that traces of the name still remain in Faddân and Tel Faddân, two places close to Charran, mentioned by Yacut, the Arabian geographer, who flourished in the thirteenth century.
Isaac entreated the Lord. —This barrenness lasted twenty years (Genesis 25:26) and must have greatly troubled Isaac. It would also compel him to reflect deeply on the purpose for which he had been given to Abraham and afterwards rescued from death upon Mount Jehovah-Jireh.
When offspring came, in answer to his earnest pleading of the promise, the delay would serve to impress upon both parents the religious significance of their existence as a separate race and family, and the necessity of training their children worthily.
The derivation of the verb to entreat, from a noun signifying incense, is uncertain but rendered probable by the natural connection of the idea of the ascending fragrance and that of the prayer mounting heavenward (Revelation 5:8; Revelation 8:4).
The children struggled together.— Two dissimilar nations sprang from Abraham, but from mothers totally unlike; so, too, from the peaceful Isaac two distinct races of men were to originate, but from the same mother, and the contest began while they were yet unborn. And Rebekah, apparently unaware that she was pregnant with twins, but harassed with the pain of strange jostlings and thrusts, grew despondent, and exclaimed—
If it be so, why am I thus? —Literally, If so, why am I this? Some explain this as meaning “Why do I still live?” but more probably she meant, If I have conceived in this way, in answer to my husband’s prayers, why do I suffer in this strange manner? It thus prepares for what follows, namely, that Rebekah wished to have her condition explained to her, and therefore went to inquire of Jehovah.
She went to inquire of the Lord. —Not to Shem, nor Melchizedek, as many think, nor even to Abraham, who was still alive, but, as Theodoret suggests, to the family altar. Isaac had several homes, but probably the altar at Bethel, erected when Abraham first took possession of the Promised Land (Genesis 12:7), and therefore especially holy, was the place indicated; and if Abraham were there, he would doubtless join his prayers to those of Rebekah.
"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." — Genesis 29:2 (ASV)
Behold a well in the field. —This was not the well from where Rebekah drew the water; for it was in the field, the open pasture ground, whereas Rebekah’s well was just outside the city (Genesis 24:11), and she obtained the water by going down the steps which led to it (Genesis 24:16).
A great stone was upon the well’s mouth. —The region around Haran, though fertile, is very dry, and the chief use of the stone was to prevent the well from being choked with sand. Since the proper translation is the stone upon the well’s mouth was great, it would also serve to prevent the well from being used, except at fixed times. This is because it probably required the strength of two or three men to remove it (compare Robinson, Bibl. Res. ii. 180), and the language of Genesis 29:10 does not necessarily imply that Jacob rolled it away without the aid of others.
Besides this, the stone may have marked that the well was private property. As we have seen in the account of the covenants of Abraham and Isaac with Abimelech, no possession was more valued than that of wells.
We also find the shepherds all waiting for Rachel. Immediately on her arrival, the stone is rolled away, and her sheep are watered first, while the rest, though they had been there long before her, must wait until her needs are met. This makes it probable that Laban had at least a first claim upon its enjoyment.
In contrast, no such courtesy was shown to the daughters of Jethro (Exodus 2:17).
"And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him." — Genesis 29:5 (ASV)
Laban the son of Nahor. —Laban was really the son of Bethuel and grandson of Nahor; but Nahor was the founder of the family, as he was the original immigrant from Ur who came to supply Abraham’s place on his departure.
"And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together. Water ye the sheep, and go and feed them." — Genesis 29:7 (ASV)
Neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together. —Rather, neither is it time for folding the cattle. As there were still several hours of daylight, Jacob is surprised that they do not immediately upon their arrival give the sheep water, and drive them back to the pasture. But if the well belonged to Laban, their reason for waiting until Rachel came is plain.
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