Genesis 29:12 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman, and that he was Rebekah’s son, and she ran and told her father.

NIV: He had told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and a son of Rebekah. So she ran and told her father.

NASB: Jacob told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and that he was Rebekah’s son, and she ran and told her father.

CSB: He told Rachel that he was her father's relative, Rebekah's son. She ran and told her father.

NLT: He explained to Rachel that he was her cousin on her father’s side — the son of her aunt Rebekah. So Rachel quickly ran and told her father, Laban.

KJV: And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father.

NKJV: And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative and that he was Rebekah’s son. So she ran and told her father.

After watering Rachel's sheep without being asked and then kissing her and bursting into tears, Jacob finally tells her who he is. It may seem out of order to us, but Jacob was apparently overwhelmed with joyful emotion. He has fled his homeland in Canaan to escape his brother's wrath (Genesis 27:41), and also to obey the request of his father to seek a wife (Genesis 28:1–2). Rachel is from the very people-group Jacob was meant to contact. Along the way, Jacob experienced a profound dream where he was given promises by God (Genesis 28:10–12).

Specifically, Jacob tells Rachel that he is related to her father Laban. In fact, he is her aunt Rebekah's son. In response, Rachel ran home to tell Laban the news. Jacob's mother Rebekah responded in a similar way when she learned about Abraham's servant and his mission (Genesis 24:28).

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 5/2/2024 12:11:48 PM