the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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New King James Version
Genesis 29:29
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
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- InternationalParallel Translations
(Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.)
And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his female slave to be her slave.
(Laban gave his slave girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.)
(Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.)
And Laban gave to Rachel, his daughter, Bilhah, his handmaid, to be her maid.
Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah, his handmaid, to be her handmaid.
Laban also gave Bilhah his maid to his daughter Rachel as a maid.
he weddide Rachel, to whom the fadir hadde youe Bala seruauntesse.
and Laban giveth to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his maid-servant, for a maid-servant to her.
Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant.
Lavan also gave to his daughter Rachel his slave-girl Bilhah as her slave-girl.
And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her handmaid.
And Laban gave Rachel his servant-girl Bilhah to be her waiting-woman.
And Laban gaue to Rachel his daughter Bilha his handmayde, to be her seruaunt.
And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, Bilhah, his maidservant, to be her maidservant.
(Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maid.)
And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her handmaid.
And Laban gaue to Rachel his daughter, Bilhah his handmayd, to be her mayd.
And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.
Laban also took Bilhah, a woman who served him, and gave her to his daughter Rachel, to serve her.
(Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maid.)
And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid, - to be hers as a handmaid.
Laban also gaue to Rahel his daughter Bilhah his mayde to be her seruant.
And Laban gave Bilhah his maid to Rachel his daughter to be her maid.
(Laban gave his slave woman Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maid.)
To whom her father gave Bala, for her servant.
(Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maid.)
And Laban gave to his daughter his handmaid Balla, for a handmaid to her.
And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her handmaid.
And Laban gave his slave Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her slave.
Lavan gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah, his handmaid, to be her handmaid.
And Laban gave Bilhah his female servant to Rachel his daughter as a female servant.
And Laban gave his slave-girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel, to her for a slave-girl.
And Laban gaue Bilha his mayden vnto Rachel his doughter to be hir mayden.
Laban also gave his female slave Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her slave.
(Laban gave Rachel a servant, Bilhah, to be her maid.)
Laban also gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maid.
Laban also gave his servant-woman Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her servant-woman.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Bilhah: Genesis 29:24, Genesis 30:3-8, Genesis 35:22, Genesis 35:25, Genesis 37:2
Reciprocal: Genesis 31:14 - yet any Genesis 46:25 - Bilhah
Cross-References
Now all the flocks would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from the well's mouth, water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the well's mouth.
But they said, "We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they have rolled the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep."
And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid.
And it happened, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine; and Israel heard about it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:
the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's maidservant, were Dan and Naphtali;
This is the history of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid. As he had given Leah an handmaid he gave Rachel another; and this in the Targum of Jonathan is said to be a daughter of Laban by a concubine also, as the former.
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.
