Genesis 29
Gen 29:1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the children of the east.
He had no more such happy nights as he had at Beth-el, no more such visions of the Almighty. That was intended for a feast. Then Jacob lifted up his feet; so the margin reads it.
"What Feast"? The Feast of Shavuot!
People of the east - The inhabitants of Mesopotamia and the whole country beyond the Euphrates are called קדם kedem, or easterns, in the sacred writings. The children of the East are the descendants of Abraham thru Keturah.
Gen 25:1 And Abraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah.
Gen 25:5 And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac.
Gen 25:6 But unto the sons of the concubines, that Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts; and he sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.
While the chief part of the inheritance went to Isaac; the other sons (Ishmael included) migrated to “the East country,” that is, Arabia.
NOTE* Why did it call Keturah a concubine?
1Ch 1:32 And the sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine: she bore Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan: Sheba, and Dedan.
She was the mother of (6) six sons representing Arab tribes South and East of Palestine (Gen_25:1-6), so that through the offspring of Keturah Abraham became “the father of many nations.
Gen 29:2 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.
The flocks of sheep belonged to the other shepherds of Haran. They worked communually to water their flocks. The rock was to keep sand and debris out of the water.
Gen 29:3 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 back upon the well's mouth in its place.
Gen 29:7 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.'
Gen 29:8 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.'
Note* Jacob was a shepherd of many years and knew a better way to handle the flocks.
Gen 29:9 While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep; for she tended them.
From Targum of Okelos:
While they were speaking with him, Rahel came with her father's sheep; for she was a shepherdess at that time, because there had been a plague from the Lord among the sheep of Laban, and but few of them were left, and he had dismissed his shepherds, and had put the remaining (flock) before Rahel his daughter. And it was when Jakob saw Rahel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother that Jakob went nigh, and rolled the stone with one of his arms from the mouth of the Well; and the well uprose, and the waters ascended to the top of it; and he watered the sheep of Laban his mothor's brother; and it uprose for twenty years.
Gen 29:10 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.
Note* Same as Exodus 2:15
Exo 2:15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well.
Exo 2:16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.
Exo 2:17 And the shepherds came and drove them (the sheep) away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.
Exo 2:18 And when they came to Reuel their father, he said: 'How is it that ye are come so soon to-day?'
Exo 2:19 And they said: 'An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and moreover he drew water for us, and watered the flock.'
Note* The shephards were driving the sheep away.
Jer 23:1 Woe unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture! saith AHEYEH.
Jer 23:2 Therefore thus saith AHEYEH, the Sovereign of Yeshurun, against the shepherds that feed My people: Ye have scattered My flock, and driven them away, and have not taken care of them; behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith AHEYEH.
The priest of Midian — or, “prince of Midian.” As the officers were usually conjoined, he was the ruler also of the people called Cushites or Ethiopians. Some historians suggest that the worship of Yahweh originated in pre-Israelite peoples of the Levant region, specifically in Midian. The Hebrew Bible mentions that Moshe first encountered Elohim as a burning bush in Midian.
Gen 29:13 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.
Gen 29:14 And Laban said to him: 'Surely thou art my bone and my flesh.' And he abode with him the space of a month.
Note* Among pastoral people a stranger is freely entertained for three days; on the fourth day he is expected to tell his name and errand; and if he prolongs his stay after that time, he must set his hand to work in some way, as may be agreed upon. A similar rule obtained in Laban's establishment, and the wages for which his nephew engaged to continue in his employment was the hand of Rachel.
Gen 29:15 And Laban said unto Jacob: 'Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?'
Note* Apparently Jacob was working with Laban's flocks and Jacobs way of dealing with the flock proved to be better than the previous shepherds. The same as verse 7 above, where Jacob's way of watering the flock proved to be acceptable.
Pro 27:23 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds;
Jacob was a man that "Dwelt in Tents" - What does this mean?
Gen 25:27 And the boys grew; and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents.
It is understood that the Hebraic meaning of "Dwelling in Tents" is that of Torah Learning. Consider Abel and Cain: Abel was a Keeper of Sheep" - meaning a Shepherd of AHEYEH's flock. Cain was a "Tiller of the Ground" - meaning a worshipper of the earth (idols). Jacob's dwelling in tents was indicative of learning from the Torah.
In addition, why is it that Jacob did not have anything to give to Laban for Laban's daughter? We see that when Eliezar went to secure a bride for Isaac, he took with him many gifts to give to Bethuel. (Gen. 24:22)
From the Talmud
When Jacob had departed from his father's house, Esau called to him his son Eliphas, and said to him in secrecy, "Go follow after Jacob with thy bow in thy hand, lie in wait for him, slay him upon the mountains, take for thy own what treasure he has with him, and then return to me."
Eliphas was then but thirteen years of age, yet he was remarkably swift of foot and understood well the handling of the bow. He obeyed his father, and taking some men with him, followed after Jacob and overtook him on the borders of Canaan.
When Jacob saw Eliphas coming after him he halted and awaited his approach, thinking that his nephew carried some message from home. When Eliphas came near he drew his sword. Jacob inquired the reason of his pursuit, and the lad answered, "Thus and thus has my father commanded me, and I dare not disobey his orders."
When Jacob learned Esau's intention, and saw that the lad seemed determined to do as he had been bidden, he turned to him and the men with him, and said:
"Take all that I have, all that my father and my mother gave into my hands, but spare my life. Your kindness will be accounted to you as righteousness."
The Eternal gave Jacob favour in their eyes, and they allowed him to proceed unharmed on his journey. His gold and silver, however, everything of value that he had taken with him from his father's house, Eliphas and his comrades seized and carried to Esau. Esau was strongly displeased because they had listened to Jacob's pleadings, and the treasure which they had seized he added to his own store.
From the Talmud
When Jacob arrived in Charan he told his uncle Laban how Eliphas, the son of Esau, had despoiled him, and bursting into tears, proclaimed himself a beggar.
"Then," said Laban, "surely thou art my bone and my flesh. I will take care of thee even though thou art penniless."
Gen 29:15 And Laban said unto Jacob: 'Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?'
Gen 29:18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and he said: 'I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.'
Gen 29:19 And Laban said: 'It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man; abide with me.'
Gen 29:20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.
The serving of seven years mean what?
The Wedding Feast!
Gen 29:22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
Gen 29:23 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.
Gen 29:24 And Laban gave Zilpah his handmaid unto his daughter Leah for a handmaid.
Note* Jacob was the deceiver and now he becomes the deceived! He came unto the well and changed their way of doing things and now he has become subject to the customs of the people. Laban has now recieved (7) seven years of prosperity because AHEYEH is with Jacob and he doesn't want that benifit to end, buy allowing Jacob to take his wife and leave.
Gen 29:25 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?'
Gen 29:26 And Laban said: 'It is not so done in our place, to give the younger before the first-born.
The same question was asked to Abraham and Isaac when they pretended their wives was the sister. Jacob's mother caused him to beguile his father and receive the favoring of his father. Now, Leah's father has caused her to receive the favor of a husband.
Gen 29:27 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.'
Gen 29:28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week; and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife.
Gen 29:29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her handmaid.
Polygamy - Not the Perfect will of AHEYEH!
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