Genesis 29:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!”

NIV: Then Jacob asked them, 'Is he well?' 'Yes, he is,' they said, 'and here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.'

NASB: And he said to them, 'Is it well with him?' And they said, 'It is well, and here is his daughter Rachel coming with the sheep.'

CSB: "Is he well? " Jacob asked."Yes," they said, "and here is his daughter Rachel, coming with his sheep."

NLT: Is he doing well?' Jacob asked. 'Yes, he’s well,' they answered. 'Look, here comes his daughter Rachel with the flock now.'

KJV: And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.

NKJV: So he said to them, “Is he well?” And they said, “ He is well. And look, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep.”

Jacob is speaking with shepherds as they wait for their flocks to assemble near a well. Jacob is looking for the family of his mother's brother, Laban, and the men he has found know exactly who Jacob seeks. Not only do they know him, and know that he's doing well, the shepherds surprise Jacob pointing out Laban's daughter Rachel is just arriving at the well with her own flock of sheep.

At this point, it must be obvious to Jacob that the Lord is keeping His promise to be with Jacob on his journey (Genesis 28:15). God has brought Jacob to this well, in this field, at the exact moment one of the daughters of Laban arrives. Jacob's purpose for coming here, in part, was to marry one of the daughters of Laban at the urging of his father Isaac (Genesis 28:1–2). Jacob's father, as well, found a wife when God intervened to bring the right woman to a well at just the right moment (Genesis 24:12–16).

Jacob can likely see the plan for his life beginning to come together.

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 5/4/2024 5:01:23 PM