Genesis 29:1

Then Jacob went on his journey,.... After the above vow at Bethel, and having had some intimation that what he desired would be granted him; or "he lift up his feet" (x), which not only shows that he

Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east. Then Jacob went ... - Hebrew, lifted up his feet.

GENESIS CHAPTER 29 Jacob comes to the well of Haran, ; inquires of the shepherds concerning Laban, . They show him Rachel, Laban’ s daughter, coming with the sheep, . Jacob goeth near to her; waters the flock, ; tells her who he was, . She tells it her father, who brings him to his house, hears what had happened to him, . They bargain that Jacob should serve seven years for Rachel, . He performs his service, and desires her to be given him, ,21. Laban makes a feast, and invites all the men of the place, ; and puts Leah, his eldest daughter, in the room of Rachel, . Jacob obtains Rachel, promising other seven years’ service, . Rachel is beloved and barren; Leah hated, and bears Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, . Heb. Jacob lift up his feet; which may note either the gesture of his body, that he went on foot; or the temper of his mind, that he went not sadly and unwillingly, drawing his legs after him, as we use to say, but readily and cheerfully, being encouraged by God’ s word. The land of the people of the east; which lay eastward from Canaan, as Mesopotamia did.

Genesis 29:1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.Ver. 1. Then Jacob went on his journey.] Heb., Lifted up his feet: indefessi cursoris instar ; as it were a generous and manly horse, refreshed with his wait by the way, he went lightly on his long journey. "The joy of the Lord was" Jacob’ s "strength": it became as oil; wherewith his soul being suppled, he was made more lithe, nimble, and fit for action. He that is once soaked in this oil, and bathed, with Jacob, in this bath at Bethel, will cheerfully do or suffer aught for God’ s sake. Tua praesentia, Domine, Laurentio ipsam craticulam dulcem fecit , saith one. Gaudebat Crispina cum tenebatur, cum audiebatur, cum damnabatur, cum ducebatur , saith Austin. So did many of the Marian martyrs, as were easy to instance. Bernard gives the reasons: The cross is oiled, saith he; and, by the grace of the Spirit helping our infirmities, it is made, not only light, but sweet; and not only not troublous and terrible, but desirable and delectable. From the delectable orchard of the Leonine prison: so that Italian martyr Algerius dated his letter. Another Dutch martyr, feeling the flame to come to his beard, Ah, said he, what a small pain is this, to be compared to the glory to come! Let us pluck up our feet, pass from strength to strength, and take long and lusty strides toward heaven. It is but a little afore us; and a ready heart rids the way apace. Aug. in Psalm cxxxvii. Crux enim inuncta est ,& c. Crucem multi abominantur, crucem videntes, sed non videntes unctionem . - Bern. Act. and Mon., fol. 857. Ibid., fol. 813.

XXIX. OF JACOB WITH LEAH AND RACHEL.(1) Jacob went on his journey.—Heb., Jacob lifted up his feet, that is, hastened forward. Confirmed in the possession of the birthright by God as well as man, and encouraged by the promise of the Divine presence, and of a safe return home, he casts no wistful glances back, but pursues his journey under the inspiriting influence of hope. The people of the East.—Usually the Arabians are designated by this phrase, but it here signifies the tribes who inhabited northern Mesopotamia.

CHAPTER XXIX Jacob proceeds on his journey, 1. Comes to a well where the flocks of his uncle Laban, as well as those of several others, were usually watered, 2, 3. Inquires from the shepherds concerning Laban and his family, 4-6. While they are conversing about watering the sheep, 7, 8, Rachel arrives, 9. He assists her to water her flock, 10; makes himself known unto her, 11, 12. She hastens home and communicates the tidings of Jacob's arrival to her father, 12. Laban hastens to the well, embraces Jacob, and brings him home, 13. After a month's stay, Laban proposes to give Jacob wages, 14, 15. Leah and Rachel described, 16, 17. Jacob proposes to serve seven years for Rachel, 18. Laban consents, 19. When the seven years were fulfilled, Jacob demands his wife, 20, 21. Laban makes a marriage feast, 22; and in the evening substitutes Leah for Rachel, to whom he gives Zilpah for handmaid, 23, 24. Jacob discovers the fraud, and upbraids Laban, 25. He excuses himself, 26; and promises to give him Rachel for another seven years of service, 27. After abiding a week with Leah, he receives Rachel for wife, to whom Laban gives Bilhah for handmaid, 28, 29. Jacob loves Rachel more than Leah, and serves seven years for her, 30. Leah being despised, the Lord makes her fruitful, while Rachel continues barren, 31. Leah bears Reuben, 32, and Simeon, 33, and Levi, 34, and Judah; after which she leaves off bearing, 35. NOTES ON CHAP. XXIX Verse 1. Then Jacob went on his journey] The original is very remarkable: And Jacob lifted up his feet, and he travelled unto the land of the children of the east. There is a certain cheerfulness marked in the original which comports well with the state of mind into which he had been brought by the vision of the ladder and the promises of God. He now saw that having God for his protector he had nothing to fear, and therefore he went on his way rejoicing. People of the east.] The inhabitants of Mesopotamia and the whole country beyond the Euphrates are called קדם kedem, or easterns, in the sacred writings.

1. went on his journey] Heb. lifted up his feet. the children of the east] A phrase generally used of the nomad Arab tribes to the east of Palestine: see note on Genesis 25:6. Cf. Numbers 23:7; Judges 6:3. Here it is used for the Aramaeans of Haran, N.E. of Palestine. In Hosea 12:12 Jacob is said to have “fled into the field of Aram.”

- Jacob’s Marriage 6. רחל rāchēl, Rachel, “a ewe.” 16. לאה lê'âh, Leah, “wearied.” 24. זלפה zı̂lpâh, Zilpah, “drop?” 29. בלהה bı̂lhâh, Bilhah, “timidity.” 32.

1. Went on his journey — Hebrews, lifted up his feet; the necessary movement of one that walks on a journey.