Genesis 29:12

New King James Version

And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's relative and that he was Rebekah's son. So she ran and told her father.

Parallel Translations

English Standard Version
And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's kinsman, and that he was Rebekah's son, and she ran and told her father.

Update Bible Version
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.

New Century Version
He told her that he was from her father's family and that he was the son of Rebekah. So Rachel ran home and told her father.

New English Translation
When Jacob explained to Rachel that he was a relative of her father and the son of Rebekah, she ran and told her father.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son. She ran and told her father.

Amplified Bible
Jacob told Rachel he was her father's relative, Rebekah's son; and she ran and told her father.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he schewide to hir that he was the brothir of hir fadir, and the sone of Rebecca; and sche hastide, and telde to hir fadir.

Young's Literal Translation
and Jacob declareth to Rachel that he [is] her father's brother, and that he [is] Rebekah's son, and she runneth and declareth to her father.

Berean Standard Bible
He told Rachel that he was Rebekah's son, a relative of her father, and she ran and told her father.

Contemporary English Version
He told her that he was the son of her aunt Rebekah, and she ran and told her father about him.

Complete Jewish Bible
Ya‘akov told Rachel that he was her father's relative, and that he was Rivkah's son; and she ran and told her father.

American Standard Version
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.

Bible in Basic English
And Rachel, hearing from Jacob that he was her father's relation and that he was the son of Rebekah, went running to give her father news of it.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Iacob tolde Rachel that he was her fathers brother, and that he was Rebeccaes sonne: Therefore ranne she and tolde her father.

Darby Translation
And Jacob told Rachel that he was a brother of her father, and that he was Rebecca's son; and she ran and told her father.

Easy-to-Read Version
He told her that he was from her father's family. He told her that he was the son of Rebekah. So Rachel ran home and told her father.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
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.

King James Version (1611)
And Iacob told Rachel, that hee was her fathers brother, and that hee was Rebekahs sonne: and she ranne, and told her father.

King James Version
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.

New Life Bible
Jacob told Rachel that he was of her father's family, the son of Rebekah. And she ran and told her father.

New Revised Standard
And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's kinsman, and that he was Rebekah's son; and she ran and told her father.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And when Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son, then ran she, and told her father.

Geneva Bible (1587)
(For Iaakob tolde Rahel, that he was her fathers brother, & that he was Rebekahs sonne) then she ranne and tolde her father.

George Lamsa Translation
And Jacob told Rachel that he was her fathers kinsman and that he was Rebekahs son; and she ran and told her father.

Good News Translation
He told her, "I am your father's relative, the son of Rebecca." She ran to tell her father;

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he told her that he was her father’s brother, and the son of Rebecca: but she went in haste and told her father.

Revised Standard Version
And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's kinsman, and that he was Rebekah's son; and she ran and told her father.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he told Rachel that he was the near relative of her father, and the son of Rebecca; and she ran and reported to her father according to these words.

English Revised Version
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.

Christian Standard Bible®
He told Rachel that he was her father’s relative, Rebekah’s son. She ran and told her father.

Hebrew Names Version
Ya`akov told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rivka's son. She ran and told her father.

Lexham English Bible
And Jacob told Rachel that he was the relative of her father, and that he was the son of Rebekah. And she ran and told her father.

Literal Translation
And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was the son of Rebekah. And she ran and told her father.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and tolde her, yt he was hir fathers brother, and ye sonne of Rebecca. Then ranne she, and tolde her father.

New American Standard Bible
Jacob told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and that he was Rebekah's son, and she ran and told her father.

New Living Translation
He explained to Rachel that he was her cousin on her father's side—the son of her aunt Rebekah. So Rachel quickly ran and told her father, Laban.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Jacob told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and that he was Rebekah's son, and she ran and told her father.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Jacob told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and that he was Rebekah's son, and she ran and told her father.

Contextual Overview

⁹ Now while he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 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. ¹¹ Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept. ¹² And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's relative and that he was Rebekah's son. So she ran and told her father. ¹³ Then it came to pass, when Laban heard the report about Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. So he told Laban all these things. ¹⁴ And Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh." And he stayed with him for a month.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

brother: Genesis 13:8, Genesis 14:14-16

and she: Genesis 24:28

Reciprocal: Genesis 29:14 - art my

Cross-References

Genesis 13:8
So Abram said to Lot, "Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren.

Genesis 24:28
So the young woman ran and told her mother's household these things.

Genesis 29:14
And Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh." And he stayed with him for a month.

Genesis 29:16
Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Jacob told Rachel,.... Or "had told" i her; before he kissed her, and lift up his voice and wept, as Aben Ezra observes:

that he [was] her father's brother; his nephew by his sister, for such were sometimes called brethren, as Lot, Abraham's brother's son, is called his brother, Genesis 14:12:

and that he [was] Rebekah's son; sister to her father, and aunt to her, and whose name and relation she doubtless knew full well:

and she ran and told her father; leaving the care of her flock with Jacob; Rebekah, in a like case, ran and told her mother, Genesis 24:28, which is most usual for daughters to do; but here Rachel runs and tells her father, her mother very probably being dead, as say the Jewish writers k.

i ויגד "et puntiaverat", Pagninus, Montanus; "renuntiaverat", Vatablus. k Bereshit Rabba, sect. 70. fol. 62. 4. Jarchi in loc.

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.