Gen 29 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Gen 29:1-31:55: 29:1–31:55 These chapters tell how God kept his promise by abundantly blessing Jacob with family and possessions. God also disciplined Jacob, leaving him to struggle with Laban for many years. Laban was Jacob’s match in deception, and thus a means of correction. • The story of Jacob and Laban parallels Israel’s later sojourn in Egypt. Jacob struggled while serving his uncle but finally emerged with a large family (the founders of the twelve tribes) and great wealth. In Egypt, the Israelites suffered under their oppressors, but they also flourished, becoming a great nation of twelve large tribes and escaping with great riches. 29:1 Jacob hurried on: The Hebrew text says that he “picked up his feet” as if he felt the wind at his back; he continued his journey with fresh enthusiasm. His changed outlook was the direct result of the vision he received at Bethel, a marvelous revelation that God was going to protect and bless him. He now sought the fulfillment of God’s promises to him, not just an escape from Esau. Jacob’s attitude had become positive and magnanimous to the point of being naive and vulnerable.

Summary for Gen 29:1-31:55: 29:1–31:55 ^a These chapters tell how God kept his promise by abundantly blessing Jacob with family and possessions. God also disciplined Jacob, leaving him to struggle with Laban for many years. Laban was Jacob’s match in deception, and thus a means of correction.

• The story of Jacob and Laban parallels Israel’s later sojourn in Egypt. Jacob struggled while serving his uncle but finally emerged with a large family (the founders of the twelve tribes) and great wealth. In Egypt, the Israelites suffered under their oppressors, but they also flourished, becoming a great nation of twelve large tribes and escaping with great riches. 29:1 ^b Jacob hurried on: The Hebrew text says that he “picked up his feet” as if he felt the wind at his back; he continued his journey with fresh enthusiasm. His changed outlook was the direct result of the vision he received at Bethel, a marvelous revelation that God was going to protect and bless him. He now sought the fulfillment of God’s promises to him, not just an escape from Esau. Jacob’s attitude had become positive and magnanimous to the point of being naive and vulnerable.
Summary for Gen 29:2-12: 29:2-12 ^c Jacob’s meeting Rachel at the well was providentially timed by the sovereign God who was leading Jacob to fulfillment of the promises (cp. 24:12-20 ^d). The well was a reminder of God’s blessing (cp. 16:13-14 ^e; 21:19 ^f; 26:19-25 ^g, 33 ^h).
29:10 ⁱ In contrast to the lazy, unhelpful shepherds (29:7-8 ^j), Jacob is portrayed as generous, industrious, and energetic.

• Jacob ... watered his uncle’s flock: Laban’s flocks would flourish under Jacob’s care.
29:11 ^k Jacob kissed Rachel: Kissing relatives was a proper greeting (29:13 ^l; cp. Song 8:1 ^m).
Summary for Gen 29:14-30: 29:14-30 ⁿ Jacob’s joyful prospect of marriage to the lovely Rachel became an occasion for Laban’s shrewdness and Jacob’s discipline. Jacob and his mother had deceived his father and brother to gain the blessing; now his mother’s brother deceived him. Jacob received a dose of his own duplicity through twenty years of labor, affliction, and deception in Laban’s service (31:38 ^o). In God’s justice, people harvest what they plant (Gal 6:7 ^p). Laban’s deception was perfectly designed to make Jacob aware of his own craftiness. God often brings people into the lives of believers to discipline them. But Jacob was tenacious, and God blessed him abundantly with a large family and many possessions (30:25-43 ^q) during this time of service. 29:14 ^r You really are my own flesh and blood! Laban welcomed Jacob into his house and treated him much like a son.
29:18 ^s Seven years of service was a high bride-price in the ancient world, but Rachel was beautiful (like Sarah and Rebekah), and Jacob was in love with her.
Summary for Gen 29:23-26: 29:23-26 ^t Like Isaac, Jacob was plied with food and wine (cp. 27:25 ^u), deprived of sight in the darkness (cp. 27:1 ^v), baffled by clothing (cp. 27:15 ^w), and misled by touch (cp. 27:23 ^x). The marriage had been consummated (29:23 ^y; see 2:24 ^z), so Jacob was bound to Leah.

• It’s not our custom here to marry off a younger daughter ahead of the firstborn: Laban’s words are a reminder of what Jacob did when he, the younger son, pretended to be his older brother to gain the blessing (ch 27 ^aa). Now Leah, the older sister, pretended to be the younger sister to get a husband. God gave the deceiver a dose of his own deception as a discipline in his life.
Summary for Gen 29:28-30: 29:28-30 ^ab After the bridal week ended (29:27 ^ac), Jacob also received Rachel as his wife, though he then would have to work an additional seven years (cp. 31:41 ^ad). Laban seemed to have gained the upper hand.
29:30 ^ae Jacob loved Rachel much more than Leah: Favoritism was an ongoing cause of dysfunction in Jacob’s family (cp. 25:28 ^af; 37:3 ^ag). Jacob’s favoritism had lasting effects: his family was never together, and their descendants, the tribes of Israel, were rarely unified.
Summary for Gen 29:31-30:24: 29:31–30:24 ^ah The rivalry between these sisters explains much of the later rivalry among their sons, and then among the tribes, just as the rivalry between Jacob and Laban foreshadowed conflict between Israel and the Arameans of Damascus (2 Sam 8:5-6 ^ai; 10:8-19 ^aj; 1 Kgs 20:1-34 ^ak; 2 Kgs 5:1–8:29 ^al; 13:1-25 ^am; Isa 7:1-9 ^an).

• God champions the cause of the poor and oppressed; he exalted Leah, the despised first wife, as the first to become a mother. Judah’s kingly tribe and Levi’s priestly line came through her despite Jacob’s favoritism for Rachel and her children. Despite the tension and jealousy resulting from Laban’s treachery and Jacob’s favoritism, God still built Jacob’s family and brought about the births of the tribal ancestors.
Summary for Gen 29:31-35: 29:31-35 ^ao Leah’s first four sons were born in rapid succession, but Rachel could not conceive. She was barren, like Sarah and Rebekah (cp. 16:1 ^ap; 25:21 ^aq; see also 1 Sam 1:1-28 ^ar; Luke 1:5-25 ^as).

• Each name is a memorable wordplay on Leah’s experience and hopes.
29:32 ^at Reuben (Hebrew re’uben) sounds like the Hebrew for “He has seen my misery” (ra‘ah be‘onyi). His birth gave Leah consolation from God and hope for Jacob’s love. Jacob seems not to have seen her misery, but God did (cp. 16:14 ^au; 24:62 ^av; 25:11 ^aw). The name was a reminder of God’s intervention.
29:33 ^ax Leah named her second son Simeon. The name suggests that she had cried out to the Lord and was heard (cp. 16:11 ^ay).
29:34 ^az Leah named her third son Levi, hoping that her husband would become “attached” to her since she had given him three sons. This hope was not fulfilled.
29:35 ^ba Leah reconciled herself to the reality that nothing would turn Jacob’s affections toward her. She named her fourth son Judah with the sentiment, “I will praise the Lord.” She seems to have given up on Jacob, taking her consolation from the Lord.