Genesis 29
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Summary
Jacob continues his journey into Haran. He meets Rachel, the daughter of Laban, at the well. He goes to the house of Laban and works for him. In return for his work, he asks to marry Rachel after seven years of labor. Laban agrees, and the allotted time passes quickly, because of Jacob’s love for Rachel. At the end of seven years, Laban has a marriage feast for Jacob, but instead of giving him Rachel, he gives him Leah, so that the firstborn will be wed before the younger sibling. When Jacob discovers that he has been tricked, Laban offers Rachel to him if he will work seven more years for him. Jacob marries Rachel and works seven more years for Laban. Jacob loves Rachel more than Leah. Rachel is barren, but Leah conceives and bares Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah.
Commentary
Bible Central Commentary
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Historical Commentaries
Many of the commentaries below are in the public domain and were authored over 100 years ago. In many cases, they do not reflect the findings of modern scholarship, but they may be helpful for understanding the history of biblical scholarship.
Videos
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Historical Settings
Time
*All Dates Are Approximate, according to the narrative of the Bible. These dates may reflect literary significance as opposed to the precise dates of history.
See Biblical Chronology- 1928 BC (Gen 29:28 - 1921 BC)*
Further Reading
Book of Mormon Central, “How Does the Book of Mormon Use an Ancient Storytelling Technique? (Alma 17:24-25),” KnoWhy 414 (March 8, 2018).
Jamie J. Huston, “The Integration of Temples and Families: A Latter-day Saint Structure for the Jacob Cycle,” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 13 (2015): 131–167.
Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible
Matthew Henry (1706)
Commentary on the Bible
Adam Clarke (1831)
Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable
Thomas Constable
Rashi’s Commentary
Rashi (Shlomo Yitzchaki)
Notes on the Bible
Albert Barnes (1834)
Exposition of the Entire Bible
John Gill (1746–63)
Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch (1857–78)
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible
John Wesley (1754–65)