4. Jacob said, My brethren—Finding from the shepherds who were reposing there with flocks and who all belonged to Haran, that his relatives in Haran were well and that one of the family was shortly expected, he enquired why they were idling the best part of the day there instead of watering their flocks and sending them back to pasture. read more
"More than any other book in the OT, Genesis emphasizes the east (see Genesis 3:24; Genesis 4:16; Genesis 10:30; Genesis 11:2; Genesis 13:11; Genesis 25:6 [and Genesis 29:1]) as a direction of some significance." [Note: Hamilton, The Book . . . Chapters 18-50, p. 252.] Jacob had travelled about 450 miles from Beersheba to Haran (Genesis 29:4). Notice the absence of prayer for divine guidance to the woman of God’s choosing, which dominates the story of Abraham’s servant’s visit to the same area... read more
7. Jacob’s marriages and Laban’s deception 29:1-30The 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 of Jacob’s sons, the forefathers of the tribes of Israel (Genesis 29:31-35).Jacob met Rachel at the well and watered the flocks in spite of opposition against doing so. His love for her led him to serve Laban for seven... read more
Jacob in Mesopotamia with LabanThe divine care and blessing promised to Jacob at Bethel (Genesis 28:15) are illustrated in the narrative of the sojourn of the patriarch at Haran, which apparently lasted for twenty years (Genesis 31:41), after which he returned to the land of promise, blessed with a numerous family, and rich in goods. But equally marked is the severe discipline to which he was subjected in order that the darker features in his character might be purified, and that he might learn... read more
THE TÔLDÔTH ISAAC (Genesis 25:19 to Genesis 35:29). THE BIRTH OF ISAAC’S SONS.Abraham begat Isaac—The Tôldôth in its original form gave probably a complete genealogy of Isaac, tracing up his descent to Shem, and showing thereby that the right of primogeniture belonged to him; but the inspired historian uses only so 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... read more
Rachel the Placid Genesis 29:0 You will meet her type continually in the modern world. Do you not know women who seem to go through life easily? I. When Rachel is keeping her father's sheep at the Well of Haran she sees advancing a young man. It is her cousin Jacob. He has come as a fugitive, flying from his brother's vengeance. Jacob breaks into the red heat of love. He is dazzled by Rachel's beauty. He makes an offer to Laban for the hand of his younger daughter. He promises to serve him for... read more
CHAPTER 29 Jacob with Laban 1. Jacob’s arrival at Padan-aram (Genesis 29:1-14 ) 2. His service for Rachel (Genesis 29:15-20 ) 3. Laban’s deception (Genesis 29:21-25 ) 4. Jacob receives Rachel (Genesis 29:26-31 ) 5. Leah’s sons (Genesis 29:32-35 ) 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... read more
29:4 And Jacob said unto them, My {c} brethren, whence [be] ye? And they said, Of Haran [are] we.(c) It seems that in those days the custom was to call even strangers, brethren. read more
JACOB MEETS RACHEL AND LABAN After many days of travel Jacob came to the land of his relatives. He could not phone to find his directions to their home, nor did he have any street and house number, but it did not take long for him to contact them. A well was of course the most likely place to meet people. Three flocks of sheep were nearby, waiting to be watered, which they could not until a huge stone was removed from the mouth of the well (v.2). The stone was evidently necessary to prevent... read more
Get a Bible verse delivered to your inbox every day!
Read on Mobile
Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 29:4
Genesis 29:4. My brethren, whence, &c.— Jacob, himself a shepherd, addresses his brethren of the same occupation with much courtesy; and either must have learned from his mother the language of this country, or they spoke the same language with the Abrahamic family. He calls Laban the son of Nahor, i.e.. the grandson, Gen 29:5 rather than the son of Bethuel, as the former was the founder of the family. See ch. Genesis 31:53. read more