Genesis 29:1-14 - Jacob Meets Rachel - The Mysteries of God's Word

Join us as we explore Genesis 29:1-14, where Jacob's steps are charged with divine enthusiasm following his encounter with God at Bethel. We unravel the captivating narrative of Jacob's mission to find a wife among the daughters of Laban. Discover the massive stone guarding the well and God's providence as Rachel joins the other shepherds. 

This episode dives into profound lessons embedded in Jacob's arrival at the well and his interactions with the local shepherds. From the conversation that confirms Laban's well-being to the striking moment Rachel arrives with her sheep, we uncover how these events set the stage for a timeless story of faith and transformation. Tune in and let these verses from Genesis speak to you through their historical context and the enduring relevance of God's Word.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:15

Thank you for joining me for the Mysteries of God's Word. Over the past six weeks I'd been posting sermons, I'd preached at local churches. But today we're going to dive back into Genesis, starting at chapter 29, verse 1. This is the chapter where Jacob marries Leah and Rachel. This is the chapter where Jacob marries Leah and Rachel. Today we're going to study through verse 14, and we begin at verse 1.

Speaker 1: 0:44

Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east and as he looked he saw a well in the field and behold, three flocks of sheep lying beside it. For out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well's mouth was large. Here in these first three verses, we're reminded that Jacob had gone on his journey. The word for journey here in the Hebrew implies an energetic walk. It means that Jacob lifted up his feet. After Jacob's encounter with the Lord in Bethel, jacob was renewed in his spirit and his steps were enthusiastic, as he recognized God was with him on this journey. Just a short review Jacob had gone on this journey because his father, isaac, asked him to go and find a wife from the daughters of Laban on Jacob's journey from Beersheba all the way to Haran, which is a journey of over 600 miles. Jacob had stopped just outside of the town of Bethel and that's where he had a dream, a dream with stairs ascending and descending and angels going up and down the stairs. The dream is often referred to as Jacob's ladder, and the Lord was at the top of that stairs, and the Lord again affirmed to Jacob the Abrahamic covenant. So Jacob was light on his feet. He was excited that God was with him as he went to find his wife.

Speaker 1: 2:35

Now it says that Jacob came to the people of the east. This is the land of Paddan Aram. It's where the city of Haran is located in northwestern Mesopotamia. This area is primarily north of where Jacob had come from in Beersheba. However, the scriptures refer to Abraham's family beyond the Euphrates River and Abraham's descendants that went into Arabia as Easterners. In scripture, the East is often associated with people who have been expelled or have moved away from the presence of God.

Speaker 1: 3:15

So in verses 2 and 3, we see that Jacob comes to a well. So in verses 2 and 3, we see that Jacob comes to a well and right now there are three flocks of sheep that are laying beside it. That shows us that there were multiple shepherds using this particular well. We see three separate flocks of sheep with three shepherds who are gathered Now. If you've ever taken care of animals, you know that animals generally have a sense of timing if you regularly water them or regularly feed them. So when they feel like it's time to go, they'll start to head towards the barn or they'll start to head towards the well. At this time there are three flocks gathered at the well. This time there are three flocks gathered at the well. We also notice that there's a special notation made on the size of the stone at this well. The Hebrew word for large here is often translated great and it emphasizes the size of this stone. It was great.

Speaker 1: 4:28

We are told in verse 3 that the shepherds plural would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and this massive stone served as a guardian for the well both from the sun's scorching heat and also from a single man easily taking advantage of the water Picking up. In verse 4, jacob said to them my brothers, where do you come from? And they said we are from Haran. He said to them Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor? They said we know him. He said to them Is it well with him? They said it is well. And see, rachel, his daughter, is coming with the sheep. He said Behold, it is still high day. It's not time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep and go pasture them. But they said we cannot until all the flocks are gathered together and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep.

Speaker 1: 5:33

In verse 4, we see Jacob call these men his brothers. The term brother here refers to his countrymen. While Jacob was not quite certain how close he was to Haran, he is feeling like he's come home to his people. He's feeling like he's come back to his grandpa Abraham's home territory. And the men say we're from Haran. So the men tell Jacob that they happen to be just from that city of Haran. Now, haran is the city that Abram and his father, terah, had settled in after they had left the region of the Chaldeans, and they settled there because Terah, abram's father, was ailing. Terah eventually died in the city of Haran, after which Abram continued his journey toward the land of Canaan.

Speaker 1: 6:34

When Jacob hears that these men are from Haran, he asks them Do you know of Laban, the son of Nahor? Now just a reminder on who Laban was. Laban was Rebekah's brother and you remember Rebekah married Isaac, jacob's father. Again, rebekah's brother is Laban and Laban's father was Nahor and Nahor's brother was Abram. And we first met Laban back in Genesis, chapter 24, verse 29, when Abraham's servant went to find a wife for Isaac and we began to see back then that Laban was a little bit of a shifty guy. We're going to continue to see Laban's crooked character throughout this narrative.

Speaker 1: 7:29

But the men here at the well said we do know him.

Speaker 1: 7:33

Jacob said to them is it well with him?

Speaker 1: 7:36

Jacob literally was asking was there shalom with Laban? Was there shalom with Laban? And the men replied that there was shalom. This kind of peace, this shalom means peace in his personal relationships, peace from war, and it's an indication of prosperity and health. Then these shepherds who are by the well with Jacob now say Look, his daughter is coming with their sheep.

Speaker 1: 8:06

So in God's perfect timing we start to see Rachel, laban's daughter, coming towards Jacob with her flock of sheep to join the other shepherds as they're all waiting to draw water. And we see Jacob say to the other shepherds Behold, it's still high day, it's not time for the livestock to be gathered, water your sheep and go pasture them. So why is Jacob saying this? Jacob believes that the middle of the day was not a common time for the livestock to be gathered and watered, but he believes they should be grazing. Perhaps that's the way Jacob shepherded his sheep. However, that's not the way it's being done here. And Jacob starts to reason with these men that they need to water their sheep and then go find some pasture.

Speaker 1: 9:00

From the larger story we know that Jacob very likely desired to be alone with his cousin, who was still coming toward the well at this point. He wanted to find out if she was going to be a good wife for him. But the other three shepherds says that we cannot do that until all the flocks are gathered. So the three shepherds are essentially telling Jacob no, we have to wait for Rachel to get here, because that's the way it's done. We learn from these three shepherds that they didn't try and use the well until the entire community of shepherd were gathered, presumably so that the water could be shared equally and fairly. And then we see that Rachel comes with her sheep, for she was a shepherdess Again. This does show us how the virgin daughters of this time were expected to be part of the work of the family. The women were not beneath working in the field or carrying water from the well. And here we see how Rachel is responsible for her father's flock. She has a good work ethic and she brings the sheep to the well on time, picking up in verse 10,.

Speaker 1: 10:14

Now, as soon as Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother, jacob came near and rolled the stone from the well's mouth and watered the flock of Laban, his mother's brother. Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. And Jacob told Rachel that he was his father's kinsman and that he was Rebekah's son, and she ran and told her father. As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister's son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. And Jacob told Laban all these things. And Laban said to him Surely, you are my bone and my flesh. And he stayed with him for a month.

Speaker 1: 11:09

In verse 10, we read that as soon as Jacob saw Rachel, he went over to the stone and rolled it away. The passage here suggests that Jacob somehow rolled this giant stone from the mouth of the well himself, and considering the emphasis on the size of the stone earlier and how multiple people were needed to move this stone, many commentators on this passage believe Jacob simply went and joined in and helped move the stone with the other shepherds. But the wording of the passage implies something different. It implies that when Jacob first saw Rachel, he desired to impress Rachel with a heroic act of strength, putting forth all of his might, he rolled this great, massive stone away from the well. Then we see that Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. Kissing Rachel like this was actually a customary greeting of a family member. We actually learn later in verse 13 that when Laban met Jacob, he kissed him. So this isn't a romantic kiss.

Speaker 1: 12:28

Jacob is so overwhelmed at this point, after traveling 600 plus miles, he begins to break down. He starts to cry aloud in the presence of Rachel as he tells her who he is, that he is her kinsman and that he is the son of Rebecca. When Rachel hears she runs, she runs to tell her dad. So Jacob was not the only one who got excited during this encounter. Upon hearing the news from Jacob, rachel became so excited that she ran to her father to tell Laban the news of Jacob's visit and then Laban runs to meet Jacob and we see that when Laban met Jacob he embraced him as family Surely you are my bone and my flesh.

Speaker 1: 13:22

And it says Jacob stayed with him for a month. So Laban brings Jacob into his home, treats him as if he is family. Jacob will be staying with him for a very long time and we have this notation that Jacob stayed with him for a month. Next week we'll go further into this. But traditionally in ancient pastoral cultures, when a stranger would come to your house, it was customary to entertain them for three days as a guest. But by the fourth day that stranger would be expected to disclose who they were and then, if they desired to stay longer, they'd be expected to pitch in and work for some agreed-upon terms. But this notation that Jacob stayed with Laban a month shows that those customs were completely overlooked. Laban has embraced Jacob as family and has given him a place to stay at this point for a month, him a place to stay at this point for a month. Join me next week as we see Laban take advantage of Jacob's young love and this month turns into 14 years. God bless you this week.