---
title: "Clarke"
description: "Verse Genesis 29:1. Then Jacob went on his journey — The original is very remarkable: And Jacob lifted up his feet, and he travelled unto the land of the"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/genesis/29"
---

![Clarke](/images/commentaries/clarkes-commentary.jpg)

 The Clarke's Commentary
 
Include 66 books
 
Denomination: arminianism
 
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Verse [Genesis 29:1](../../../kjv/genesis/29/1). ***Then Jacob went on his journey*** — The original is very remarkable: *And Jacob lifted up his feet, and he travelled unto* *the land of the children of the east*. There is a certain *cheerfulness* marked in the original which comports well with the state of mind into which he had been brought by the vision of the ladder and the promises of God. He now saw that having God for his protector he had nothing to fear, and therefore he went on his way rejoicing.
***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.

Verse [Genesis 29:2](../../../kjv/genesis/29/2). ***Three flocks of sheep*** — צאן *tson*, small cattle, such as *sheep, goats*, c. [Genesis 12:16](../../../kjv/genesis/12/16). Sheep, in a healthy state, seldom drink in cold and comparatively cold countries: but it was probably different in hot climates. The *three flocks*, if *flocks* and not *shepherds* be meant, which were lying now at the well, did not belong to *Laban*, but to three other chiefs; for Laban's flock was yet to come, under the care of Rachel, [Genesis 29:6](../../../kjv/genesis/29/6).

Verse [Genesis 29:3](../../../kjv/genesis/29/3). ***All the flocks*** — Instead of העדרים *hadarim, flocks*, the Samaritan reads [Samaritan] *haroim, shepherds*; for which reading *Houbigant* strongly contends, as well in this verse as in [Genesis 29:8](../../../kjv/genesis/29/8). It certainly cannot be said that *all the flocks rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and* *watered the sheep*: and yet so it appears to read if we prefer the common Hebrew text to the Samaritan. It is probable that the same reading was originally that of the second verse also.
***And put the stone again upon the well's mouth*** — It is very likely that the stone was a *large one*, which was necessary to prevent ill-minded individuals from either disturbing the water, or filling up the well; hence a great stone was provided, which required the joint exertions of several shepherds to remove it; and hence those who arrived first waited till all the others were come up, that they might water their respective flocks in concert.

Verse [Genesis 29:4](../../../kjv/genesis/29/4). ***My brethren, whence be ye?*** — The language of Laban and his family was *Chaldee* and not Hebrew; (see [Genesis 31:47](../../../kjv/genesis/31/47)); but from the *names* which Leah gave to her children we see that the two languages had many words in common, and therefore Jacob and the shepherds might understand each other with little difficulty. It is possible also that Jacob might have learned the Chaldee or Aramitish language from his mother, as this was his *mother's* *tongue*.

Verse [Genesis 29:5](../../../kjv/genesis/29/5). ***Laban the son of Nahor*** — *Son* is here put for *grandson*, for Laban was the son of Bethuel the son of Nahor.

Verse [Genesis 29:6](../../../kjv/genesis/29/6). **Is*****he well?*** — השלום לו *hashalom lo*? Is there peace to him? *Peace* among the Hebrews signified *all kinds of* *prosperity*. Is he a prosperous man in his family and in his property? And they said, He is well, שלום *shalom*, he prospers.
***Rachel - cometh with the sheep.*** — רחל *rachel* (the *ch* sounded strongly guttural) signifies a *sheep* or *ewe*; and she probably had her name from her fondness for these animals.

Verse [Genesis 29:7](../../../kjv/genesis/29/7). ***It is yet high day*** — The day is but about half run; *neither* is it *time that the cattle should be gathered* *together*-it is surely not time yet to put them into the folds; give them therefore water, and take them again to pasture.

Verse [Genesis 29:8](../../../kjv/genesis/29/8). ***We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together*** — It is a rule that the stone shall not be removed till all the shepherds and the flocks which have a right to this well be gathered together; then, and not before, we may water the sheep. [Genesis 29:3](../../../kjv/genesis/29/3); [Genesis 29:3](../../../kjv/genesis/29/3).

Verse [Genesis 29:9](../../../kjv/genesis/29/9). ***Rachel came with her father's sheep*** — So we find that young women were not *kept concealed in the house* till the time they were married, which is the common gloss put on עלמה *almah, a* *virgin, one concealed*. Nor was it beneath the dignity of the daughters of the most opulent chiefs to carry water from the well, as in the case of Rebekah; or tend sheep, as in the case of Rachel. The chief *property* in those times consisted in *flocks*: and who so proper to take care of them as those who were interested in their safety and increase? Honest labour, far from being a discredit, is an honour both to *high* and *low*. The *king* himself is served by the field; and without it, and the labour necessary for its cultivation, all ranks must perish. Let every son, let every daughter, learn that it is no discredit to be employed, whenever it may be necessary, in the meanest offices, by which the interests of the family may be *honestly* promoted.

Verse [Genesis 29:10](../../../kjv/genesis/29/10). ***Jacob went near, and rolled the stone*** — Probably the flock of Laban was the last of those which had a right to the well; that flock being now come, Jacob assisted the shepherds to roll off the stone, (for it is not likely he did it by himself,) and so assisted his cousin, to whom he was as yet unknown, to water her flock.

Verse [Genesis 29:11](../../../kjv/genesis/29/11). ***Jacob kissed Rachel*** — A simple and pure method by which the primitive inhabitants of the earth testified their friendship to each other, first abused by *hypocrites*, who pretended affection while their vile hearts meditated terror, (see the case of Joab,) and afterwards disgraced by refiners on morals, who, while they pretended to stumble at those innocent expressions of affection and friendship, were capable of committing the grossest acts of impurity.
***And lifted up his voice*** — It may be, in thanksgiving to God for the favour he had shown him, in conducting him thus far in peace and safety.
***And wept.*** — From a sense of the goodness of his heavenly Father, and his own unworthiness of the success with which he had been favoured. The same expressions of kindness and pure affection are repeated on the part of Laban, [Genesis 29:13](../../../kjv/genesis/29/13).

Verse [Genesis 29:14](../../../kjv/genesis/29/14). ***My bone and my flesh.*** — One of my nearest relatives.

Verse [Genesis 29:15](../../../kjv/genesis/29/15). ***Because thou art my brother, &c.*** — Though thou art my nearest relative, yet I have no right to thy services without giving thee an adequate recompense. Jacob had passed a whole month in the family of Laban, in which he had undoubtedly rendered himself of considerable service. As Laban, who was of a very saving if not *covetous* disposition, saw that he was to be of great use to him in his secular concerns, he wished to secure his services, and therefore asks him what wages he wished to have.

Verse [Genesis 29:17](../../../kjv/genesis/29/17). ***Leah was tender-eyed*** — רכות *raccoth*, *soft,* *delicate, lovely*. I believe the word means just the *reverse* of the signification generally given to it. The design of the inspired writer is to *compare* both the sisters together, that the balance may appear to be greatly in favour of Rachel. The chief recommendation of Leah was her *soft* and *beautiful eyes*; but Rachel was יפת תאר *yephath toar*, beautiful in her *shape*, *person,* *mien*, and *gait*, and יפת מראה *yephath mareh*, beautiful in her *countenance*. The words plainly signify *a fine shape* and *fine* *features*, all that can be considered as essential to personal beauty. Therefore Jacob loved her, and was willing to become a *bond servant* for seven years, that he might get her to wife; for in his destitute state he could produce no dowry, and it was the custom of those times for the father to receive a portion *for* his daughter, and not to give one *with* her. One of the Hindoo lawgivers says, "A person may become a *slave* on account of love, or to obtain a wife." The bad system of education by which women are spoiled and rendered in general good for nothing, makes it necessary for the husband to get a dowry with his wife to enable him to maintain her; whereas in former times they were well educated and extremely useful, hence he who got a *wife* almost invariably got a *prize*, or as Solomon says, got a good thing.

Verse [Genesis 29:20](../../../kjv/genesis/29/20). ***And Jacob served seven years for Rachel.*** — In ancient times it appears to have been a custom among all nations that men should give *dowries* for their wives; and in many countries this custom still prevails. When Shechem asked Dinah for wife, he said, *Ask me never so much - dowry and gift, and I will give* *according as ye shall say unto me*. When Eliezer went to get Rebekah for Isaac, he took a profusion of riches with him, in *silver, gold, jewels*, and *raiment*, with other *costly things*, which, when the contract was made, he gave to Rebekah, her mother, and her brothers. David, in order to be Saul's son-in-law, must, instead of a *dowry*, kill Goliath; and when this was done, he was not permitted to espouse Michal till he had killed one hundred Philistines. The Prophet Hosea bought his wife for *fifteen pieces* *of silver*, *and a homer and a half of barley*. The same custom prevailed among the ancient *Greeks, Indians*, and *Germans*. The *Romans* also had a sort of marriage entitled *per coemptionem*, "by purchase." The *Tartars* and *Turks* still buy their wives; but among the latter they are bought as a sort of *slaves*.
*Herodotus* mentions a very singular custom among the *Babylonians*, which may serve to throw light on Laban's conduct towards Jacob. "In every district they annually assemble all the marriageable virgins on a certain day; and when the men are come together and stand round the place, the crier rising up sells one after another, always bringing forward the *most beautiful* first; and having sold her for a great sum of gold, he puts up her who is esteemed second in beauty. On this occasion the richest of the Babylonians used to contend for the fairest wife, and to outbid one another. But the vulgar are content to take the ugly and lame *with* money; for when all the beautiful virgins are sold, the crier orders the *most deformed* to stand up; and after he has openly demanded who will marry her *with a small sum*, she is at length given to the man that is contented to marry her with the *least*. And in this manner the money arising from the sale of the *handsome* served for a portion to those whose look was disagreeable, or who had any bodily imperfection. A father was not permitted to indulge his own fancy in the choice of a husband for his daughter; neither might the purchaser carry off the woman which he had bought without giving sufficient security that he would live with her as his own wife. Those also who received a sum of money with such as could bring no price in this market, were obliged also to give sufficient security that they would live with them, and if they did not they were obliged to refund the money." Thus Laban made use of the *beauty of Rachel* to dispose of his daughter *Leah*, in the *spirit* of the Babylonian custom, though not in the letter.
***And they seemed unto him but a few days*** — If Jacob had been obliged to wait *seven years* before he married Rachel, could it possibly be said that they could appear to him as a *few days*? Though the *letter* of the text seems to say the contrary, yet there are eminent men who strongly contend that he received Rachel soon after the month was finished, (see [Genesis 29:14](../../../kjv/genesis/29/14),) and then served seven years for her, which might really appear but a few days to him, because of his increasing love to her; but others think this quite incompatible with all the circumstances marked down in the text, and on the supposition that Jacob was not now seventy-seven years of age, as most chronologers make him, but only fifty-seven, ([Genesis 31:55](../../../kjv/genesis/31/55),) there will be time sufficient to allow for all the transactions which are recorded in his history, during his stay with Laban. As to the incredibility of a *passionate lover*, as some have termed him, waiting patiently for *seven years* before he could possess the object of his wishes, and those seven years appearing to him as only a few days, it may be satisfactorily accounted for, they think, two ways:
1. He had the continual company of his elect spouse, and this certainly would take away all tedium in the case.
2. Love affairs were not carried to such a pitch of insanity among the patriarchs as they have been in modern times; *they* were much more sober and sedate, and scarcely ever married before they were forty years of age, and then more for *conveniency*, and the desire of having an *offspring*, than for any other purpose.
At the very lowest computation Jacob was now fifty-seven, and consequently must have passed those days in which *passion* runs away with *reason*. Still, however, the obvious construction of the text shows that he got Rachel the week after he had married Leah.

Verse [Genesis 29:21](../../../kjv/genesis/29/21). ***My days are fulfilled*** — My seven years are now completed, let me have my wife, for whom I have given this service as a *dowry*.

Verse [Genesis 29:22](../../../kjv/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.

Verse [Genesis 29:23](../../../kjv/genesis/29/23). ***In the evening - he took Leah his daughter*** — As the bride was always *veiled*, and the bride chamber generally *dark*, or nearly so, and as Leah was brought to Jacob in the *evening*, the imposition here practised might easily pass undetected by Jacob, till the ensuing day discovered the fraud.

Verse [Genesis 29:24](../../../kjv/genesis/29/24). ***And Laban gave - Zilpah his maid*** — Slaves given in this way to a daughter on her marriage, were the peculiar property of the daughter; and over them the husband had neither right nor power.

Verse [Genesis 29:26](../../../kjv/genesis/29/26). ***It must not be so done in our country*** — It was an early custom to give daughters in marriage according to their *seniority*; and it is worthy of remark that the oldest people now existing, next to the Jews, I mean the *Hindoos*, have this not merely as a *custom*, but as a *positive law*; and they deem it criminal to give a *younger* daughter in marriage while an elder daughter remains unmarried. Among them it is a high offence, equal to adultery, "for a man to marry while his *elder brother* remains *unmarried*, or for a man to give his daughter to such a person, or to give his youngest daughter in marriage while the eldest sister remains unmarried." - Code of Gentoo Laws, chap. xv., sec. 1, p. 204. This was a custom at Mesopotamia; but Laban took care to conceal it from Jacob till after he had given him Leah. The words of Laban are literally what a Hindoo would say on such a subject.

Verse [Genesis 29:27](../../../kjv/genesis/29/27). ***Fulfil her week*** — The marriage feast, it appears, lasted *seven days*; it would not therefore have been proper to break off the solemnities to which all the men of the place had been invited, [Genesis 29:22](../../../kjv/genesis/29/22), and probably Laban wished to keep his *fraud* from the public eye; therefore he informs Jacob that if he will fulfil the marriage *week* for Leah, he will give him Rachel at the end of it, on condition of his serving seven other years. To this the necessity of the case caused Jacob to agree; and thus Laban had *fourteen* years' service instead of *seven*: for it is not likely that Jacob would have served even seven *days* for Leah, as his affection was wholly set on Rachel, the wife of his own choice. By this stratagem Laban gained a settlement for both his daughters. What a man soweth, that shall he reap. Jacob had before practised deceit, and is now deceived; and Laban, the instrument of it, was afterwards deceived himself.

Verse [Genesis 29:28](../../../kjv/genesis/29/28). ***And Jacob did so - and he gave him Rachel*** — It is perfectly plain that Jacob did not serve seven years more *before* he got Rachel to wife; but having spent a week with Leah, and in keeping the marriage feast, he then got Rachel, and served afterwards seven years for *her*. Connections of this kind are now called *incestuous*; but it appears they were allowable in those ancient times. In taking both sisters, it does not appear that any blame attached to Jacob, though in consequence of it he was vexed by their jealousies. It was probably because of this that the law was made, *Thou shalt not take a wife to her sister*, *to vex* *her, besides the other in her life-time*. After this, all such marriages were strictly forbidden.

Verse [Genesis 29:31](../../../kjv/genesis/29/31). ***The Lord saw that Leah was hated*** — From this and the preceding verse we get the genuine meaning of the word שנא *sane,* *to hate*, in certain disputed places in the Scriptures. The word simply signifies *a less degree of love*; so it is said, [Genesis 29:30](../../../kjv/genesis/29/30): "Jacob loved Rachel *more* than Leah," i.e., he loved Leah *less* than Rachel; and *this* is called *hating* in [Genesis 29:31](../../../kjv/genesis/29/31): *When the Lord saw that Leah was hated*-that she had *less* *affection* shown to her than was her due, as one of the legitimate wives of Jacob, *he opened her womb*-he blessed her with children. Now the frequent intercourse of Jacob with Leah (see the following verses) sufficiently proves that he did not *hate* her in the sense in which this term is used among us; but he felt and showed *less* *affection* for her than for her sister. So *Jacob have I loved,* *but Esau have I hated*, simply means, I have shown a greater degree of affection for Jacob and his posterity than I have done for Esau and his descendants, by giving the former a better earthly portion than I have given to the latter, and by choosing the family of Jacob to be the progenitors of the Messiah. But not one word of all this relates to the *eternal* states of either of the two nations. Those who endeavour to support certain peculiarities of their creed by such scriptures as these, do greatly err, not knowing the Scripture, and not properly considering either the *sovereignty* or the *mercy* of God.

Verse [Genesis 29:32](../../../kjv/genesis/29/32). ***She called his name Reuben*** — ראובן *reuben*, literally, *see ye* or *behold a son; for Jehovah hath looked upon*, *raah, beheld*, my affliction; *behold* then the consequence, I have got a son!

Verse [Genesis 29:33](../../../kjv/genesis/29/33). ***She called his name Simeon.*** — שמעון *shimon, hearing*; i.e., God had blessed her with another son, *because* he had *heard* *that she was hated*- loved less than Rachel was.

Verse [Genesis 29:34](../../../kjv/genesis/29/34). ***Therefore was his name called Levi.*** — לוי *levi,* *joined*; because she supposed that, in consequence of all these children, Jacob would become *joined* to her in as strong affection, at least, as he was to Rachel. From Levi sprang the tribe of *Levites*, who instead of the *first-born*, were *joined* unto the priests in the service of the sanctuary. See [Genesis 18:2](../../../kjv/genesis/18/2); [Genesis 18:4](../../../kjv/genesis/18/4).

Verse [Genesis 29:35](../../../kjv/genesis/29/35). ***She called his name Judah*** — יהודה *yehudah*, a *confessor*; one who *acknowledges* God, and acknowledges that all good comes from his hands, and gives him the praise due to his grace and mercy. From this patriarch the *Jews* have their name, and could it be now rightly applied to them, it would intimate that they were a people that *confess* God, *acknowledge* his bounty, and *praise* him for his grace.
***Left bearing.*** — That is, *for a time*; for she had several children afterwards. Literally translated, the original תעמד מלדת *taamod milledeth - she stood still from bearing*, certainly does not convey the same meaning as that in our translation; the one appearing to signify that she *ceased entirely* from having children; the other, that she only *desisted for a time*, which was probably occasioned by a temporary suspension of Jacob's company, who appears to have deserted the tent of Leah through the jealous management of Rachel.
The intelligent and pious care of the original inhabitants of the world to call their children by those names which were descriptive of some *remarkable event* in *providence, circumstance* of their *birth*, or *domestic occurrence*, is worthy, not only of *respect*, but of *imitation*. As the *name* itself continually called to the mind, both of the parents and the child, the circumstance from which it originated, it could not fail to be a lasting blessing to both. How widely different is our custom! Unthinking and ungodly, we impose names upon our offspring as we do upon our cattle; and often the dog, the horse, the monkey, and the parrot, share in common with our children the names which are called *Christian*! Some of our Christian names, so called, are *absurd*, others are *ridiculous*, and a third class *impious*; these last being taken from the demon gods and goddesses of heathenism. May we hope that the rational and pious custom recommended in the Scriptures shall ever be restored, even among those who profess to *believe* in, *fear*, and *love* God!

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