Genesis 29:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.

NIV: Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud.

NASB: Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and raised his voice and wept.

CSB: Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept loudly.

NLT: Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and he wept aloud.

KJV: And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.

NKJV: Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept.

When Jacob saw his cousin Rachel arrive at the well with his uncle's sheep, he became very bold and emotional. Without apparently saying anything to Rachel, Jacob immediately watered her flock of sheep (Genesis 29:10). Now he kisses his cousin and starts crying loudly! Jacob seems to have been overcome with joy that he had so quickly found his family upon arriving in the region, as well as making contact with a woman who could be a potential wife. Isaac had sent him to marry one of Laban's daughters, after all (Genesis 28:1–2).

Jacob's joyful response is similar to that of Abraham's servant upon realizing that the young woman he had found at a well as a potential wife for Isaac was also a close relative of Abraham (Genesis 24:22–27).

To kiss a relative would not necessarily have been seen as a romantic gesture in this era. It may, however, have seemed strange to do without first identifying oneself as a relative, especially when bursting into tears immediately afterwards. We would assume Rachel was confused.

Genesis 29:1–30 describes Jacob's arrival at his uncle's household. Laban is happy to see his nephew, likely for the first time. Jacob falls in love with Laban's more attractive daughter, Rachel, and agrees to work for Laban seven years to marry her. On the wedding night, however, Laban treacherously switches Rachel for her older sister Leah. Jacob agrees to marry Rachel the next week, but now must work another seven years.

Jacob's journey from his home brings him to his uncle's household in Haran. He falls in love with Laban's younger daughter Rachel and agrees to work for Laban for seven years to marry her. When the time comes, Laban switches out Rachel for her older, less attractive sister Leah. Jacob is surprised to find he has consummated the marriage with the wrong sister. Manipulative Laban assures Jacob he can still marry Rachel the next week, as long as he will work another seven years. Jacob loves Rachel more than Leah, but with the Lord's help, unloved Leah bears Jacob his first four sons.

The previous chapter described Jacob fleeing from home to seek his uncle in Mesopotamia. This was both to escape the rage of his brother, Esau, and to look for a suitable wife. Now Jacob arrives and falls in love with his uncle's daughter Rachel. After working seven years to marry her, Jacob is tricked by his uncle into marrying the older daughter, Leah, instead. Laban allows Jacob to marry Rachel, as well, in exchange for another seven years' work. Though she is unloved by Jacob, the Lord notices Leah's heartbreak and allows her to bear four sons. In the next chapter, Rachel's jealousy sets off something of a birth war, as she and Leah compete to obtain children.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.

Accessed 5/9/2024 8:01:25 PM