Matthew Henry Commentary Genesis 29
Matthew Henry Commentary
Genesis 29
Matthew Henry Commentary
Genesis 29
"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." — Genesis 29:1-8 (ASV)
Jacob proceeded cheerfully in his journey, after the sweet communion he had with God at Beth-el. Providence brought him to the field where his uncle's flocks were to be watered.
What is said of the care of the shepherds for their sheep may remind us of the tender concern which our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, has for his flock, the church; for he is the good Shepherd, that knows his sheep, and is known of them.
The stone at the well's mouth was to secure it; water was scarce and not there for everyone's use: but separate interests should not keep us from helping one another. When all the shepherds came together with their flocks, then, like loving neighbours, they watered their flocks together.
The law of kindness in the tongue has a commanding power (Proverbs 31:26). Jacob was civil to these strangers, and he found them civil to him.
"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." — Genesis 29:9-14 (ASV)
See Rachel's humility and industry. Nobody needs to be ashamed of honest, useful labour, nor should it hinder anyone's advancement. When Jacob understood that this was his female relative, he was very ready to serve her. Laban, though not the most good-humoured, welcomed him and was satisfied with the account Jacob gave of himself. While we avoid being foolishly ready to believe everything that we are told, we must be careful not to be uncharitably suspicious.
"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." — Genesis 29:15-30 (ASV)
During the month that Jacob spent as a guest, he was not idle. Wherever we are, it is good to engage in some useful work.
Laban desired that Jacob should continue with him. We should not take advantage of lesser relatives; it is our duty to reward them. Jacob told Laban about the affection he had for his daughter Rachel.
And having no worldly goods with which to endow her, he promised seven years of service.
Love makes long and hard services short and easy; thus we read of the labour of love (Hebrews 6:10). If we know how to value the happiness of heaven, the sufferings of this present time will be as nothing to us. An age of work will seem like only a few days to those who love God and long for Christ's appearing.
Jacob, who had deceived his father, was then deceived by Laban, his father-in-law, by a similar deception.
In this, however unrighteous Laban was, the Lord was righteous . Even the righteous, if they take a false step, are sometimes repaid in this way on earth.
And many who, unlike Jacob, are not disappointed in the person they marry, soon find themselves, much to their grief, disappointed in the character. The choice of a spouse ought to be made with good advice and careful thought on both sides. There is reason to believe that Laban's excuse was not true.
His way of settling the matter made things worse. Jacob was drawn into the unsettling situation of having multiple wives. He could not refuse Rachel, for he had pledged himself to her; still less could he refuse Leah.
At that time, there was no explicit command against marrying more than one wife. For the patriarchs, it was a sin of ignorance; but it does not justify the same practice now, when God's will has been plainly made known by the divine law (Leviticus 18:18), and more fully since by our Savior, who taught that only one man and one woman are to be joined together (1 Corinthians 7:2).
"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 29:31-35 (ASV)
The names Leah gave her children expressed her respect and regard for both God and her husband. Reuben, meaning "See a son," reflected her thought, Now will my husband love me; and Levi, meaning "joined," her expectation, Now will my husband be joined unto me.
Mutual affection is both the duty and comfort of the married relationship, and spouses should strive to please each other (1 Corinthians 7:33–34). She thankfully acknowledged God's kind providence in hearing her.
Whatever supports and comforts us in afflictions, or leads to our deliverance from them, God must be acknowledged in it. Her fourth son she called Judah, meaning "praise," saying, Now will I praise the Lord. This was he from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came. Whatever is the cause of our rejoicing should also be the cause of our thanksgiving.
Fresh blessings should stir us to praise God for former blessings; now I will praise the Lord more and better than I have done. All our praises must center in Christ, both as their subject and as their Mediator. He descended according to the flesh from him whose name was "Praise," and He is our praise.
Is Christ formed in my heart? Now I will praise the Lord.
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