1583 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he called the name of that place Bethel,.... The house of God, which he took this place to be: but the name of that city [was called] Luz at the first; which signifies an almond or hazel nut, Genesis 30:37; perhaps from the number of this sort of trees that grew there, under which Jacob might lay himself down, which was probably in the field...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Jacob vowed a vow,.... Which is the first vow we read of in Scripture: saying, if God will be with me; the word if is not a sign of doubting, but is either an adverb of time, and may be rendered, "when God shall be with me" (t); or as a supposition, expressive of an inference or conclusion drawn, "seeing God will be with me" (u); which he had...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
So that I come again to my father's house in peace,.... In safety from Esau, and all other enemies, as God promised him he should: then the Lord shall be my God; not as if he should not be his God if he did not do all this for him; which would savour not only of a mercenary spirit, but of great impiety; neither of which were to be found in Jacob:...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house,.... Building an altar of it with some others, and sacrificing to God on it; and wherever God is worshipped, that place is his house, be it what or where it will; and Jacob did as he promised to do, see Genesis 35:3: and of all that thou shalt give me, I will surely give the tenth...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO Genesis 29 This chapter informs us of Jacob's coming to a well near Haran, where meeting with some shepherds he inquires after Laban, Genesis 29:1; and there also with Rachel his daughter, the shepherds made known to him, and acquainted her who he was, Genesis 29:9; upon which she ran to her father, and told him who was at the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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 walked afoot, but that he went on his journey with great cheerfulness; for having such gracious promises made him, that God would be with him, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he looked, and behold a well in the field,.... Near Haran; he might purposely look out for a well, as knowing that there people frequently came for water for their families, or shepherds to water their flocks, of whom he might get intelligence concerning Laban's family, and where they dwelt; or he might lookout for this particular well, where...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And thither were all the flocks gathered,.... The three above mentioned, Genesis 29:2: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep; that is, when they watered the sheep, they used to roll away the stone from the mouth of the well in order to do it; for as yet the flocks, now lying by it, had not been watered, as appears...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Jacob said unto them,.... To the shepherds, though not expressly mentioned; it cannot be imagined he spoke to the flocks, but to the keepers of them: my brethren, whence [be] ye? a kind and affable way of speaking, used even to strangers, since all men are brethren by nature; or might be used by Jacob, because they were of the same occupation...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said unto them, know ye Laban the son of Nahor?.... He was the son of Bethuel, and grandson of Nahor; grandsons being called the sons of their grandfather; and Nahor might be more known than Bethuel, Haran being Nahor's city, Genesis 24:10; and not Bethuel his mother's father, but Laban her brother is inquired after; perhaps Bethuel was...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said unto them, [is] he well?.... In good health, he and his family, or "is peace unto him" (b); does he enjoy prosperity and happiness? for this word was used in the eastern nations, and still is, for all kind of felicity: and they said, [he is] well; or has peace; he and his family are in good health, enjoying all the comforts and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said, lo, [it is] yet high day,.... Noonday, when the sun is highest; at which time in those hot countries flocks used to be made to lie down in shady places, and by still waters, to which the allusion is in Psalms 23:2; or however the sun was still up very high, and there was a great deal of the day yet to come; for so the phrase is, "yet...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they said, we cannot,.... That is, water the sheep; either because the stone was a great one, as Jarchi observes, and therefore used to be removed by the joint strength of all the shepherds when they came together, though Jacob rolled it away of himself afterwards; but this is imputed to his great strength: or rather it was a custom that...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And while he yet spake with them,.... While Jacob was thus discoursing with the shepherds: Rachel came with her father's sheep; to water them at the well. She was within sight when Jacob first addressed the shepherds, but now she was come to the well, or near it, with the sheep before her: for she kept them: or "she was the shepherdess" (d); the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban his mother's brother,.... Coming with her flock towards the well, and for whom and whose flock only the shepherds might be waiting: and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother; wherefore out of respect to him and his, he being so nearly allied to him, it was that Jacob went near,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Jacob kissed Rachel,.... Which he did in a way of courtesy and civility; this was done after he had acquainted her with his relation to her; he saluted her upon that: and lifted up his voice, and wept; for joy at the providence of God that had brought him so opportunely to the place, and at the sight of a person so nearly related to him; and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Jacob told Rachel,.... Or "had told" (i) her; before he kissed her, and lift up his voice and wept, as Aben Ezra observes: that he [was] her father's brother; his nephew by his sister, for such were sometimes called brethren, as Lot, Abraham's brother's son, is called his brother, Genesis 14:12: and that he [was] Rebekah's son; sister to her...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son,.... That there was such a man at the well, thus related to him, and what he had done there, had rolled away the stone, and watered his flock. The Jewish writers (l) make this report chiefly to respect his great strength showed in the above instance, with other things:...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Laban said to him, surely thou [art] my bone and my flesh,.... Nearly allied in blood, being his sister's son: and he abode with him the space of a month; or "a month of days" (m), a full month to a day; all this while feeding his flocks, and doing whatsoever service he had for him to do. (m) חדש ימים "mensem dierum", Pagninus, Montanus,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Laban said unto Jacob, because thou [art] my brother,.... Or nephew, his sister's son, [See comments on Genesis 29:12]: shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? nearness of kin was no reason why he should serve him freely, or for nothing, but rather why he should be more kind to him than to a stranger, and give him better wages: tell me,...