Verses 1-3 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east. 2 And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well’s mouth. 3 And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well’s mouth in his place.
Does this seem familiar? Remember, Isaac met Rebekah at a well when she came to water the sheep. Notice that there is precisely three flocks of sheep lying by the well. Why not two flocks or five flocks? Because three is the number representing perfection and sheep represent the people of God who need Him to direct their path in life just as real sheep need a shepherd to care for them. God was directing Jacob and He led him to a well of life-giving water along with the sheep. This was a sign.
Application: The human body is predominantly composed of water. Physical life cannot be sustained without water, and water is a gift from God. Spiritually, Jesus Christ is the source of living water. Through His sacrifice on the cross, all of mankind’s sins were washed away so that each person could become clean from sin and spiritual death when accepting of the LORD Jesus Christ and His rightful rule in their life. This is spiritual salvation. Just as water keeps living organisms alive, the LORD’s Spirit keeps believers alive both here on the Earth and in eternity after physical death occurs. John 4:10 records Jesus’ conversation with a woman at a well. “Jesus answered and said unto her, if thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.” While living on the Earth in a body of flesh, a person, like the woman at the well, only has to ask Jesus into his/her life and they will receive the gift of God: forgiveness of sins and eternal life through Jesus. Revelation 7:17 states, “For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” This is the believers’ future.
Verses 4-6 And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we. 5 And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him. 6 And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.
Jacob’s introduction to Rachel mirrored the experience his father, Isaac, had had when seeing Rebekah for the first time. Jacob extended friendly communication with the men gathered at the well and got in return information about his uncle Laban. Calling the men “brethren” did not mean that these strangers were related to Jacob. It just signified a reciprocal relationship in that all the participants in the conversation were developing a friendly relationship, and it indicated that both Jacob and the men he was conversing with were countrymen.
Verses 7-8 And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them. 8 And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.
As mentioned before, flocks or cattle were usually watered in the morning and in the evening. During the day they were eating and getting fat. Scripture does not explain who the “they” were that rolled the stone away from the well, but apparently all the shepherds in the area waited for this task to be done and were not willing to move the stone without permission.
Application: In order for the flocks to receive life giving water, a stone had to be rolled away from the well. In metaphor, in order for Christ Jesus’ “sheep” to receive the New Covenant and the promise of physical resurrection and eternal life in the Kingdom of God, the stone had to be rolled away from the tomb Jesus was using to prove His physical resurrection and that faith in Him would be rewarded. Believers today travel through this physical life waiting in anticipation of eternal life in Heaven.
Verses 9-12 And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep: for she kept them. 10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. 11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son: and she ran and told her father.
History repeated itself in that Jacob watered Rachel’s sheep and then let her know who he was, her cousin. In stating that he was Laban’s brother, in the culture of that time Jacob was simply stating that he had kinship to Laban. Laban was Jacob’s uncle, brother of Jacob’s mother Rebekah, and therefore in today’s culture Jacob was a nephew of Laban and a cousin to Rachael.
Verses 13-14 And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things. 14 And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.
This writer has never been sure that all of Laban’s actions had pure motives. The last time he met a relative, Isaac, he got his sister married and out of the house and received expensive gifts in the process. Could it be that he was so welcoming to Jacob because he knew Isaac was wealthy and because he saw financial gain on the horizon? God only knows as Scripture is not clear. As you read on, decide for yourself the character of Laban.
Verses 15-18 And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be? 16 And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. 18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
Remember that for Rebekah and Jacob his sojourn in Haran was to be a short one until his brother Esau got over his anger and his threat to kill Jacob. But in order to get Rachel for his bride, he would have to work for Laban. Unlike his grandfather’s servant who had gotten a bride for Isaac, Jacob did not arrive at Laban’s with ten camels loaded with expensive gifts to purchase his bride. He had left his home in a hurry. So his labor was what he had to offer for Rachel.
The name “Leah” means “weary”. The name “Rachel” means “ewe”. Apparently, nothing is new under the sun as stated by King Solomon, and looks mattered back then as they do now. Leah was not very attractive, but Rachel was beautiful and Jacob, having his choice of the two sisters, chose beauty.
Verses 19-20 And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me. 20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.
Seven is the number of divine perfection and the number of God. Jacob was indeed faithful and persistent to work for this length of time for a woman he loved. He must have believed that at the end of the seven years he would take Rachel and head for home. He had a goal.
Verses 21-25 And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. 22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. 23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. 24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid. 25 And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?
Jacob experienced at the hand of Laban deception, just as he had deceived his brother, Esau, and his father, Isaac. Since he had engaged in an intimate, physical relationship with Leah, he had no choice but to keep her as a wife. Along with the bargain, he also got her maid, Zilpah, whose name means “a trickling”.
Verses 26-30 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. 28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. 29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid. 30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.
This writer does not know if it was indeed the culture of the time to marry off the eldest daughter first. If it was, one has to wonder why Laban did not make that clear to Jacob seven years prior at the time of their agreement. Laban got seven more years of free labor and both of his daughters married by his deceptive actions, and Jacob got a taste of being at the other end of a person’s deception and he got four wives instead of just one. Bilhah’s name means “troubled”, and it seems an appropriate adjective to describe the life of Jacob after his deception of his brother and his father. Although he was protected and blessed by God, his early life was one of toil and servitude.
Application: No one gets away with committing sin against others or against God. In His time, the person will reap a negative harvest of events, relationships, or things. For the believer who willfully sins it is always important to recognize what was wrong and to ask forgiveness of any person it affected and of the LORD as soon as possible. Perhaps judgement and punishment can be avoided although the consequences of actions are often unavoidable even when forgiven by God and by man.
Verses 31-32 And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren. 32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.
It must have been a very hard thing for Leah to live with a husband and sister that the Scripture reveals had hatred for her. Like her name, she must have been weary of living in this situation she had not chosen for herself. But God had mercy on her and gave her a child to love in this loveless home. Reuben means “behold a son”. In a culture where a woman’s worth was represented by her ability to produce children, Leah now had a better standing in the family. The Hebrew word for “affliction” is “oniy” and it also means “misery”.
Verse 33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.
It is clear from Leah’s words that she knew the LORD and trusted him to help her. The name “Simeon” means “heard”.
Verse 34 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.
The name “Levi” means “joined to”.
Verse 35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.
The name “Judah” means “praised”, and it is from this son that the physical lineage of Jesus Christ descended.
Application: It is interesting to note that the Levitical priesthood and the LORD Jesus Christ who is the Christian believers’ High Priest both came from a woman who was scorned, apparently mistreated, and unappreciated by her family. Yet the Levites became the leaders of the religious system set up by Moses under the direction of Almighty God under the Old Covenant, and Jesus became the head of the Church under the New Covenant. Like Leah, Jesus was scorned, mistreated, and unappreciated by His “chosen people” when ministering here on this Earth.