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Christian Standard Bible ®

Genesis 29:22

So Laban invited all the men of the place and sponsored a feast.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Betrothal;   Children;   Covetousness;   Dishonesty;   Father-In-Law;   Jacob;   Laban;   Marriage;   Rachel;   Seven;   Wages;   Thompson Chain Reference - Feasts;   Social Functions;   Social Life;   Wedding Feasts;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Marriage;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Dowry;   Feasts;   Leah;   Rachel;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Jacob;   Laban;   Marriage;   Rachel;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Banquet;   Entertain;   Feast;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Dowry;   Incest;   Jacob;   Laban;   Number Systems and Number Symbolism;   Service;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Israel;   Marriage;   Tribes of Israel;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Laban ;   Leah ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Laban;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Canaan (2);   Leah;   Marriage;   Nahor;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Marriage;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Law in the Old Testament;   Leah;   Rachel;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Banquets;   Costume;   Daughter in Jewish Law;   Head-Dress;   Laban;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Lavan gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
King James Version
And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
Lexham English Bible
So Laban gathered all the men of the place and prepared a feast.
New Century Version
So Laban gave a feast for all the people there.
New English Translation
So Laban invited all the people of that place and prepared a feast.
Amplified Bible
So Laban gathered together all the men of the place and prepared a [wedding] feast [with wine].
New American Standard Bible
So Laban gathered all the people of the place and held a feast.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Wherefore Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
Legacy Standard Bible
And Laban gathered all the men of the place and made a feast.
Contemporary English Version
So Laban gave a big feast and invited all their neighbors.
Complete Jewish Bible
Lavan gathered all the men of the place and gave a banquet.
Darby Translation
And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
Easy-to-Read Version
So Laban gave a party for all the people in that place.
English Standard Version
So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast.
George Lamsa Translation
And so Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast.
Good News Translation
So Laban gave a wedding feast and invited everyone.
Literal Translation
And Laban gathered all the men of the place and made a feast.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The Laban bad all the people of that place, and made a mariage.
American Standard Version
And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
Bible in Basic English
And Laban got together all the men of the place and gave a feast.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then Laban gathered together all the men of that place, and made a feast.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
King James Version (1611)
And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a marriage-feast.
English Revised Version
And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
Berean Standard Bible
So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne many cumpenyes of freendis weren clepid to the feeste, he made weddyngis,
Young's Literal Translation
and Laban gathereth all the men of the place, and maketh a banquet.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Laban assembled all the men of the place, and made a feast.
World English Bible
Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
New King James Version
And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast.
New Living Translation
So Laban invited everyone in the neighborhood and prepared a wedding feast.
New Life Bible
And Laban gathered all the men of the place together, and made a special supper.
New Revised Standard
So Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and made a feast.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a banquet,
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he, having invited a great number of his friends to the feast, made the marriage.
Revised Standard Version
So Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
Update Bible Version
And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Laban gathered all the men of the place and made a feast.

Contextual Overview

15Laban said to him, “Just because you’re my relative, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.” 16Now Laban had two daughters: the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel. 17Leah had tender eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful. 18Jacob loved Rachel, so he answered Laban, “I’ll work for you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay with me.” 20So Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, and they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her. 21Then Jacob said to Laban, “Since my time is complete, give me my wife, so I can sleep with her.” 22So Laban invited all the men of the place and sponsored a feast. 23That evening, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her. 24And Laban gave his slave Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her slave.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

and made: Judges 14:10-18, Ruth 4:10-13, Matthew 22:2-10, Matthew 25:1-10, John 2:1-10, Revelation 19:9

Reciprocal: Genesis 21:8 - feast Genesis 29:28 - fulfilled her week Esther 2:18 - made a great Mark 2:19 - Can

Cross-References

Genesis 29:1
Jacob resumed his journey and went to the eastern country.
Genesis 29:2
He looked and saw a well in a field. Three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it because the sheep were watered from this well. But a large stone covered the opening of the well.
Genesis 29:10
As soon as Jacob saw his uncle Laban’s daughter Rachel with his sheep, he went up and rolled the stone from the opening and watered his uncle Laban’s sheep.
Genesis 29:13
When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran to meet him, hugged him, and kissed him. Then he took him to his house, and Jacob told him all that had happened.
Genesis 29:18
Jacob loved Rachel, so he answered Laban, “I’ll work for you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
Revelation 19:9
Then he said to me, “Write: Blessed are those invited to the marriage feast of the Lamb!” He also said to me, “These words of God are true.”

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Laban gathered together all the men of the place,.... Of the city of Haran, which may be understood of the chief and principal of them, to make the marriage of his daughter public and authentic:

and made a feast; a marriage or marriage feast, as the Septuagint version, see Matthew 22:2; which was usual, when a marriage was solemnized, expressive of joy on that account.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

- Jacob’s Marriage

6. רחל rāchēl, Rachel, “a ewe.”

16. לאה lê'âh, Leah, “wearied.”

24. זלפה zı̂lpâh, Zilpah, “drop?”

29. בלהה bı̂lhâh, Bilhah, “timidity.”

32. ראוּבן re'uvbēn, Reuben, “behold a son.” A paronomasia in allusion to the phrase בעניי ראה be‛ānyı̂y rā'âh. Derivatives and compounds, being formed by the common speaker, are sometimes founded upon resemblance in sound, and not always on precise forms of the original sentence which prompted them.

33. שׁמעין shı̂m‛ôn, Shim‘on, “hearing, answer.”

34. לוי lêvı̂y, Levi, “junction, union.”

35. יחוּדה yehûdâh, Jehudah, “praised.”

In this chapter and the following, Jacob grows from a solitary fugitive with a staff in his hand Genesis 32:10 to be the father of a large family and the owner of great wealth. He proves himself to be a man of patience and perseverance, and the Lord according to promise is with him.

Genesis 29:1-8

Jacob arrives at the well of Haran. “The land of the sons of the east.” The points of the heavens were defined by the usage of practical life, and not by the standard of a science yet unknown. Hence, the east means any quarter toward the sunrising. Haran was about four degrees east of Beer-sheba, and five and a half degrees north. The distance was about four hundred and fifty miles, and therefore it would take Jacob fifteen days to perform the journey at thirty miles a day. If he reached Bethel the first night, he must have travelled about fifty miles the first day. After this he proceeds on his journey without any memorable incident. In the neighborhood of Haran he comes upon a well, by which lay three flocks. This is not the well near Haran where Abraham’s servant met Rebekah. It is in the pasture grounds at some distance from the town. On its mouth was a large stone, indicating that water was precious, and that the well was the common property of the surrounding natives. The custom was to gather the flocks, roll away the stone, which was too great to be moved by a boy or a female, water the flocks, and replace the stone. Jacob, on making inquiry, learns that Haran is at hand, that Laban is well, and that Rachel is drawing nigh with her father’s flocks. Laban is called by Jacob the son of Nahor, that is, his grandson, with the usual latitude of relative names in Scripture Genesis 28:13. “The day is great.” A great part of it yet remains. It is not yet the time to shut up the cattle for the night; “water the sheep and go feed them.” Jacob may have wished to meet with Rachel without presence of the shepherds. “We cannot.” There was a rule or custom that the flocks must be all assembled before the stone was rolled away for the purpose of watering the cattle. This may have been required to insure a fair distribution of the water to all parties, and especially to those who were too weak to roll away the stone.

Genesis 29:9-14

Jacob’s interview with Rachel, and hospitable reception by Laban. Rachel’s approach awakens all Jacob’s warmth of feeling. He rolls away the stone, waters the sheep, kisses Rachel, and bursts into tears. The remembrance of home and of the relationship of his mother to Rachel overpowers him. He informs Rachel who he is, and she runs to acquaint her father. Laban hastens to welcome his relative to his house. “Surely my bone and my flesh art thou.” This is a description of kinsmanship probably derived from the formation of the woman out of the man Genesis 2:23. A month here means the period from new moon to new moon, and consists of twenty-nine or thirty days.

Genesis 29:15-20

Jacob serves seven years for Rachel. “What shall thy wages be?” An active, industrious man like Jacob was of great value to Laban. “Two daughters.” Daughters in those countries and times were also objects of value, for which their parents were accustomed to receive considerable presents Genesis 24:53. Jacob at present, however, is merely worth his labor. He has apparently nothing else to offer. As he loves Rachel, he offers to serve seven years for her, and is accepted. Isaac loved Rebekah after she was sought and won as a bride for him. Jacob loves Rachel before he makes a proposal of marriage. His attachment is pure and constant, and hence the years of his service seem but days to him. The pleasure of her society both in the business and leisure of life makes the hours pass unnoticed. It is obvious that in those early days the contact of the sexes before marriage was more unrestrained than it afterward became.

Genesis 29:21-30

Jacob is betrayed into marrying Leah, and on consenting to serve other seven years obtains Rachel also. He claims his expected reward when due. “Made a feast.” The feast in the house of the bride’s father seems to have lasted seven days, at the close of which the marriage was completed. But the custom seems to have varied according to the circumstances of the bridegroom. Jacob had no house of his own to which to conduct the bride. In the evening: when it was dark. The bride was also closely veiled, so that it was easy for Laban to practise this piece of deceit. “A handmaid.” It was customary to give the bride a handmaid, who became her confidential servant Genesis 24:59, Genesis 24:61. In the morning Jacob discovers that Laban had overreached him. This is the first retribution Jacob experiences for the deceitful practices of his former days. He expostulates with Laban, who pleads the custom of the country.

It is still the custom not to give the younger in marriage before the older, unless the latter be deformed or in some way defective. It is also not unusual to practise the very same trick that Laban now employed, if the suitor is so simple as to be off his guard. Jacob, however, did not expect this at his relative’s hands, though he had himself taken part in proceedings equally questionable. “Fulfill the week of this.” If this was the second day of the feast celebrating the nuptials of Leah, Laban requests him to Complete the week, and then he will give him Rachel also. If, however, Leah was fraudulently put upon him at the close of the week of feasting, then Laban in these words proposes to give Rachel to Jacob on fulfilling another week of nuptial rejoicing. The latter is in the present instance more likely. In either case the marriage of Rachel is only a week after that of Leah. Rather than lose Rachel altogether, Jacob consents to comply with Laban’s terms.

Rachel was the wife of Jacob’s affections and intentions. The taking of a second wife in the lifetime of the first was contrary to the law of nature, which designed one man for one woman Genesis 2:21-25. But the marrying of a sister-in-law was not yet incestuous, because no law had yet been made on the subject. Laban gives a handmaid to each of his daughters. To Rebekah his sister had been given more than one Genesis 24:61. Bondslaves had been in existence long before Laban’s time Genesis 16:1. “And loved also Rachel more than Leah.” This proves that even Leah was not unloved. At the time of his marriage Jacob was eighty-four years of age; which corresponds to half that age according to the present average of human life.

Genesis 29:31-35

Leah bears four sons to Jacob. “The Lord saw.” The eye of the Lord is upon the sufferer. It is remarkable that both the narrator and Leah employ the proper name of God, which makes the performance of promise a prominent feature of his character. This is appropriate in the mouth of Leah, who is the mother of the promised seed. “That Leah was hated” - less loved than Rachel. He therefore recompenses her for the lack of her husband’s affections by giving her children, while Rachel was barren. “Reuben” - behold a son. “The Lord hath looked on my affliction.” Leah had qualities of heart, if not of outward appearance, which commanded esteem. She had learned to acknowledge the Lord in all her ways. “Simon” - answer. She had prayed to the Lord, and this was her answer. “Levi” - union, the reconciler. Her husband could not, according to the prevailing sentiments of those days, fail to be attached to the mother of three sons. “Judah” - praised. Well may she praise the Lord; for this is the ancestor of the promised seed. It is remarkable that the wife of priority, but not of preference, is the mother of the seed in whom all nations are to be blessed. Levi the reconciler is the father of the priestly tribe. Simon is attached to Judah. Reuben retires into the background.

Reuben may have been born when Jacob was still only eighty-four, and consequently Judah was born when Jacob was eighty-seven.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Genesis 29:22. Laban - made a feast. — משתה mishteh signifies a feast of drinking. As marriage was a very solemn contract, there is much reason to believe that sacrifices were offered on the occasion, and libations poured out; and we know that on festival occasions a cup of wine was offered to every guest; and as this was drunk with particular ceremonies, the feast might derive its name from this circumstance, which was the most prominent and observable on such occasions.


 
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