# Genesis 29 đź“–: Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel
[[đź“š Explore the Bible Books]]
[[-Genesis Overview]] | [[Genesis 28]] | [[Genesis 30]]
> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#🧠Chapter Summary]]
> [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]]
> [[#đź’¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#đź“‚ Internal Notes]]
## đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### The Marriages of Jacob
[[#Verse 01.]] So Jacob moved on and came to the land of the eastern people.
[[#Verse 02.]] He saw in the field a well with three flocks of sheep lying beside it, because the flocks were watered from that well. Now a large stone covered the mouth of the well.Â
[[#Verse 03.]] When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone off the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would put the stone back in its place over the well’s mouth.
[[#Verse 04.]] Jacob asked them, “My brothers, where are you from?” They replied, “We’re from Haran.”
[[#Verse 05.]] So he said to them, “Do you know Laban, the grandson of Nahor?” “We know him,” they said.Â
[[#Verse 06.]] “Is he well?” Jacob asked. They replied, “He is well. Now look, here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.”
[[#Verse 07.]] Then Jacob said, “Since it is still the middle of the day, it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. You should water the sheep and then go and let them graze some more.”Â
[[#Verse 08.]] “We can’t,” they said, “until all the flocks are gathered and the stone is rolled off the mouth of the well. Then we water the sheep.”
[[#Verse 09.]] While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was tending them.Â
[[#Verse 10.]] When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his uncle Laban, and the sheep of his uncle Laban, he went over and rolled the stone off the mouth of the well and watered the sheep of his uncle Laban.
[[#Verse 11.]]Â Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep loudly.Â
[[#Verse 12.]] When Jacob explained to Rachel that he was a relative of her father and the son of Rebekah, she ran and told her father.Â
[[#Verse 13.]] When Laban heard this news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he rushed out to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban how he was related to him.
[[#Verse 14.]] Then Laban said to him, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” So Jacob stayed with him for a month.
[[#Verse 15.]] Then Laban said to Jacob, “Should you work for me for nothing because you are my relative? Tell me what your wages should be.”Â
[[#Verse 16.]]Â (Now Laban had two daughters;Â the older one was named Leah, and the younger one Rachel.Â
[[#Verse 17.]] Leah’s eyes were tender, but Rachel had a lovely figure and beautiful appearance.)Â
[[#Verse 18.]] Since Jacob had fallen in love with Rachel, he said, “I’ll serve you seven years in exchange for your younger daughter Rachel.”Â
[[#Verse 19.]] Laban replied, “I’d rather give her to you than to another man. Stay with me.”Â
[[#Verse 20.]] So Jacob worked for seven years to acquire Rachel. But they seemed like only a few days to him because his love for her was so great.
[[#Verse 21.]] Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my time of service is up.And I want to sleep with her.”Â
[[#Verse 22.]] So Laban invited all the people of that place and prepared a feast.
[[#Verse 23.]] In the evening he brought his daughter Leah to Jacob, and he slept with her.Â
[[#Verse 24.]] (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.)
[[#Verse 25.]] In the morning Jacob discovered it was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What in the world have you done to me? Didn’t I work for you in exchange for Rachel? Why have you tricked me?”Â
[[#Verse 26.]] “It is not our custom here,” Laban replied, “to give the younger daughter in marriage before the firstborn.Â
[[#Verse 27.]] Complete my older daughter’s bridal week. Then we will give you the younger one too, in exchange for seven more years of work.”
[[#Verse 28.]] Jacob did as Laban said. When Jacob completed Leah’s bridal week, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.Â
[[#Verse 29.]]Â (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.)Â
[[#Verse 30.]] Jacob slept withRachel as well. He also loved Rachel more than Leah. Then he worked for Laban for seven more years.
### The Family of Jacob
[[#Verse 31.]] When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to become pregnant while Rachel remained childless.Â
[[#Verse 32.]] So Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “The Lord has looked with pity on my oppressed condition. Surely my husband will love me now.”
[[#Verse 33.]] She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, “Because the Lord heard that I was unloved, he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.
[[#Verse 34.]] She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, “Now this time my husband will show me affection, because I have given birth to three sons for him.” That is why he was named Levi.
[[#Verse 35.]] She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” That is why she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.
## đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
###### Verse 17.
###### Verse 18.
###### Verse 19.
###### Verse 20.
###### Verse 21.
###### Verse 22.
###### Verse 23.
###### Verse 24.
###### Verse 25.
###### Verse 26.
###### Verse 27.
###### Verse 28.
###### Verse 29.
###### Verse 30.
###### Verse 31.
###### Verse 32.
###### Verse 33.
###### Verse 34.
###### Verse 35.
## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. Wells were common meeting places for future spouses (24:11; Exodus 2:15-21).
2. Jacob rolled the stone from the well by himself (29:10), a job that usually took several shepherds.
3. Jacob worked seven years as a bride price for Rachel (29:18).
4. Rachel's name means "ewe." Leah's name may mean "cow" or "weary."
5. Leah's eyes are described with a word that can mean "weak" or "tender" (29:17).
6. Brides were veiled during the wedding (24:65), which helps explain how Laban's trick worked.
7. A wedding celebration usually lasted a week (29:27).
8. The later Law forbade marrying two sisters while both were alive (Leviticus 18:18).
9. Reuben means "see, a son," Simeon means "heard," Levi means "attached," and Judah means "praise" (29:32-35).
10. Levi became the priestly tribe, and Judah became the royal tribe.
## 🧠Chapter Summary
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the One who sees the unloved. The Lord saw that Leah was unloved (29:31), and from her came Judah (29:35), the tribe of Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5).
## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## đź’¬ Discussion Questions
1. Jacob the deceiver was deceived (29:25). How does God sometimes let us feel the pain we have caused others?
2. Leah named her sons out of her longing for her husband's love (29:32-34). Where do you look for love that only God can give?
3. With Judah's birth, Leah said she would praise the Lord (29:35). What changes when we move from longing to praise?
## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember
- đź“– verse 20: Seven years seem like only a few days because of Jacob's love for Rachel.
- đź“– verse 31: The Lord sees that Leah is unloved.
- đź“– verse 35: Leah says, "This time I will praise the Lord."
## đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference
- đź”— [[Revelation 05#Verse 05.|Revelation 5:5]] - The Lion of the tribe of Judah.
- đź”— [[Galatians 06#Verse 07.|Galatians 6:7]] - A person reaps what he sows.
- đź”— [[Psalm 27#Verse 10.|Psalm 27:10]] - The Lord will take me in.
- đź”— [[Genesis 49#Verse 10.|Genesis 49:10]] - The scepter will not depart from Judah.
- đź”— [[Matthew 01#Verse 02.|Matthew 1:2-3]] - Judah in Jesus' family line.
## 🙏 Devotional Reflection
đź“ť SOAP: [[Genesis 29- SOAP|Turn Your Perspective to Praise]]
## đź“‚ Internal Notes