GENESIS CHAPTER 29
                           ------------------

Verse 1, He went on after the night in the place he called Bethel
  where he had the dream.
  went = "lift up his feet" in the Hebrew. Gill says that this
    shows that he continued his journey with cheerfulness because
    of the great promises that the Lord had made to him in the
    dream.
  He came to the land of Mesopotamia or Syria which lay to the
  east of the land of Canaan.

Verse 2, A well is where his grandfather's servant had found
  his mother, Rebekah.
  The three flocks were lying by it waiting to be watered since
  the stone had to be rolled away before they could be watered.
  Perhaps the great stone on the well's mouth is a picture of
  Christ. It was Moses that struck the rock, at God's command,
  and water flowed out.

Verse 3, When all the flocks were gathered they watered the
  flocks of sheep by rolling the stone away and then putting it
  back in place after they were all watered.
  They did not water these three flocks at this time.

Verses 4-5, Jacob enquires of the shepherds as to where they are
  from, and when they tell him Haran, he asks if they know Leban,
  his mother's brother, and they acknowledge that they know him.

Verse 6, They inform him that Leban is well and the his daughter,
  Rachel is coming to the well to water her father's sheep.

Verse 7, When he learns that Rachel is coming, Jacob tries to
  talk the men into watering the sheep now and then leave and go
  feed them. He wants to be alone with her when he meets her and
  informs her who he is.

Verse 8, They inform Jacob, that they cannot water the sheep
  until they are all gathered, then they water the sheep.

Verse 9, His plan would not have worked because while he was yet
  speaking Rachel came to the well with her father's sheep which
  she kept.

Verse 10, Notice that in this verse the phrase "his mother's"
  appears three times. Jacob loved his mother and notice that in
  the next verse he wept.
  Jacob went up to Rachel and rolled the stone from the well's
  mouth so that Laban's sheep might be watered.

Verse 11, Jacob kisses Rachel with a greeting (see vs 13), Gill
  says, after he had informed her as to who he was.
  He lifted up his voice to tell his story and wept because of
  the family ties and his love for his mother and the joy of
  finding Rachel so quick knowing that God's providence
  prevailed.

Verse 12, Gill says, had already told her before kissing her.
  That he was her father, Leban's, brother (nephew), who was the
  son of Laban's sister, Rebekah.
  Upon hearing this, Rachel runs to tell her father, Laban.

Verse 13, When Laban heard of Jacob, through the words of Rachel,
  he went out to meet him and kissed him  and embraced him, and
  brought Jacob to his house.

  Jacob tells Laban of all the things that have brought him here.
  How that his father had charged him to take a wife from his
  people rather than the Canaanites and how Esau hated him, and
  why, etc.

Verse 14, Laban recognizes him as a relative, being his sister's
  son, and Jacob abides with him for a month serving him,
  feeding his flocks, and whatever service Laban had him doing.

Verse 15, Laban asks Jacob, since he is his brother (of his
  sister's brother, therefore he is his brethren), should Jacob
  serve him for no wage.

Verse 16-18, Jacob loved Rachel and wished to serve Laban for
  seven years for his daughter Rachel.
  Rachel was Laban's youngest daughter, who was very beautiful to
  look at. The Darby version reads, "but Rachel was of beautiful
  form and beautiful countenance." which is what the Hebrew words
  suggest.
  It says that Laban had two daughters, however, and the eldest
  was Leah, who was tender eyed.
  Tender eyed: The Lexicon, says tender hearted. Gill says that
  her eyes were watery and reddish, but others say that her
  beauty was in her eyes.

Verse 19, Laban acknowledges that it would be better for him to
  give his daughter to Jacob, his sister's son, rather than to
  some other man who would be a stranger.

Verse 20, Jacob served Laban for 7 years of one week (see vs 27).
  However the seven years seemed as nothing because of his love
  for Rachel. Such a small price for Rachel.

Verse 21, After the seven years are fulfilled Jacob wants Rachel
  for to be his lawful wife.
  Here is where Jacob gets a "piece of his own medicine." "What
  goes around, comes around."
    Ga 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a
      man soweth, that shall he also reap.
  Here we see the deceiver being deceived.
  Here we see the birthright of the eldest being put before the
  youngest.
  Jacob had disguised himself as the eldest, and now the eldest
  disguises herself as the youngest.
  He had deceived his father and now his father-in-law (and
  uncle) deceives him.

Verse 22, Laban gathered all the men of the place, the city of
  Haran, to make a feast, a wedding feast, for the marriage of
  his daughter to Jacob.

Verse 23, After the wedding feast was over and the guests had
  departed and it was night and sight was dim, similar to the
  dimness of Isaac's eyes when Jacob had deceived him.
  In this setting Laban takes Leah, his eldest daughter, to
  Jacob, all the while Jacob thinks it is Rachel. Gill says that
  it was custom in that land for the bridegroom to go to bed
  first and then the bride was brought vailed to him.
  So Jacob lays with Leah, as a man does with his wife, instead
  of Rachel, whom he thinks she is.

Verse 24, Zilpah was Laban's maid, which term was used for those
  who were born to one's concubines. So, Zilpah was his daughter
  whom his concubine had bore unto him (see vs 29).

Verse 25, In the morning when Jacob can see well, he discovers
  that he has been tricked.

Verse 26, In this verse we see that the firstborn was to be given
  first. Jacob, "In THIS country the firstborn is to be given
  first."
  The right of the firstborn comes back to "haunt" Jacob.

Verse 27, Laban tells Jacob to fulfill another 7 years (one week)
  and he will give Rachel also to be his wife.

Verse 28, Jacob fulfills Rachel's week and Laban gives him Rachel
  to be his wife also.

Verse 29, Laban gives to Rachel his daughter Bilhah, who is a
  daughter by his concubine and called his handmaid, to be her
  maid.

Verse 30, Jacob loves Rachel more than he does Leah.
  Jacob served Laban yet another 7 years in addition to the ones
  that he had served for his two daughters.

Verse 31, The Lord opens Leah's womb that she would conceive,
  because she was hated, that is Jacob loved Rachel more.
  But Rachel was barren.

Verse 32, Reuben is born to Leah by Jacob.
  Reuben = "behold a son"
  Leah thinks that this will cause her husband to love her, for
  he loved Rachel.

Verse 33, She bares Jacob another son, called Simeon.
  She called him Simeon, because the Lord had heard that she was
  hated.
  Simeon or Shimeon = "heard"

Verse 34, She conceives and bares another son to Jacob and named
  him Levi.
  She thinks that now her husband will be joined unto her, "and
  the twain will be one," since she has bore three son to Jacob.
  Levi = "joined to"
  It is interesting that after THREE sons this should cause a
  union.
    1Jo 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the
      Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are
      one.

Verse 35, She conceived again and bare a fourth son and they
  called him Judah.
  Judah = "praised"
  After this she left off conceiving for awhile, for she
  eventually bore two more sons and a daughter (30:17-19).

  In the next chapter we will see the jealousy and hatred that
  polygamy can bring.