Genesis 29

Genesis 29:27

Iacob] Iacob being 77 years old, marries both Leah and Rachel, in the first year of his coming to Laban, [Laban by inversion of the letters is Nabal] and at or before the beginning of the 14 years service for them. This appears by his twelve children; Dinah being one: and by the Sequence of their births, within those 14 years, Ch XXIX. and XXX. which are not possible to be, in that maner, and order borne, within the compasse onely of the last seven years: And having seven of them by Leah her self; who yet left bearing a while after her fourth sonne: and Reuben her eldest sonne being so old to gather Mandrakes in the field a year before Issachar, her fifth childe, was borne by her. And this is further evidenced by the age of Iudah, being but fifty upon this account it self, that is, 10 years elder then Joseph, when yet he, and his grandchildren by Tamar, both Hezron and Hamul came down with Iacob into Egypt, XLVI. 12. whereby it also appears, that Iudah marrying at 17 years of age, which was the first year of Jacobs returne from Laban the Syrian into Canaan, XXXVIII. 1, 2, 3. Then both Er, and Onan, and Pharez must needs marry each when they were about 12 or 13 years old, which was rare in that age of the world. And this truth of the time of Jacobs marriage will stand well with the computation of time by the ages and acts of Judah, and his posterity; and with a right rendition of those texts, Gen. XXIX. 20, 21, 25, 27, 28, 30. which should be somewhat altered in our English translations.

Here then those large Annotations 1651. making Jacob to marry both Leah and Rachel at the end of the first seven years service: And the twelve children to be borne within the compasse of the seven later years: And Judah to be but three years elder then Joseph; And to marry at fourteen years of age: And Er and Onan to marry at fourteen apiece: And Hezron and Hamul, to be borne in Egypt, and to come downe with Jacob only in the loynes of their father Pharez; (wherein yet there remaines a contradiction in them, as appears by comparing together their Annotations on Gen. XXXVIII. 1. and XLVI. 12, 27. do in all the said particulars seeme to me to misse the right; and at least to require a more serious review and consideration. See the said Annotations on Gen. XXIX. 27, 30. and XXXVIII. 1, 2, 6. and XLVI. 12.