Jacob Meets And Serves Rachel – The Deceiver Gets Deceived (G-29-HBS)

JACOB LEAVES BETHEL AND RESUMES HIS JOURNEY

Jacob was seventy-seven when he left Beersheba for Haran.

He would spend twenty years serving his uncle Laban, thirty-three years back in Canaan, and the last seventeen years of his life in Egypt.

Arriving in Paddan Aram, he was guided to the very field where some shepherds from Haran were tending their flocks.

Genesis 29:1-8 KJV

[1] 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.

[4] 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.

[7] 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.

Genesis 29:1 KJV

Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.


  • Hebrew, “lifted up his feet.” He resumed his way next morning with a light heart and elastic step after the vision of the ladder; for tokens of the divine favor tend to quicken the discharge of duty (Nehemiah 8:10).
  • Mesopotamia and the whole region beyond the Euphrates are by the sacred writers designated “the East” (Judges 6:31 Kings 4:30Job 1:3).
  • Between the first and the second clause of this verse is included a journey of four hundred miles.

Genesis 29:2 KJV

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.


  • As he approached the place of his destination, he, according to custom, repaired to the well adjoining the town where he would obtain an easy introduction to his relatives.

Genesis 29:3 KJV

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.


  • In Arabia, owing to the shifting sands and in other places, owing to the strong evaporation, the mouth of a well is generally covered, especially when it is private property.
  • Over many is laid a broad, thick, flat stone, with a round hole cut in the middle, forming the mouth of the cistern.
  • This hole is covered with a heavy stone which it would require two or three men to roll away. Such was the description of the well at Haran.

Genesis 29:4 KJV

And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.


  • Finding from the shepherds who were reposing there with flocks and who all belonged to Haran, that his relatives in Haran were well and that one of the family was shortly expected, he enquired why they were idling the best part of the day there instead of watering their flocks and sending them back to pasture.

Genesis 29:5 KJV

And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.


  • Oh yes, they knew him. But Jacob didn’t know him—yet. But, oh my, Jacob is going to get acquainted with him.

Genesis 29:6 KJV

And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.


  • Here Jacob has just arrived in the land and he is telling them how to water their sheep and what they should do!
  • This is typical of him, by the way.

Genesis 29:7 KJV

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.


  • An insight into Jacob’s personality and his interest in Rachel.

Genesis 29:8 KJV

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.


  • In order to prevent the consequences of too frequent exposure in places where water is scarce, the well is not only covered, but it is customary to have all the flocks collected round it before the covering is removed in presence of the owner or one of his representatives; and it was for this reason that those who were reposing at the well of Haran with the three flocks were waiting the arrival of Rachel.

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