Genesis 29:1-14 - Drawing Water and Wife from the Same Well

Genesis 29:1-14

Jacob Meets Rachel

1 So Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the East. 2 And he looked, and saw a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks. A large stone was on the well’s mouth. 3 Now all the flocks would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from the well’s mouth, water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the well’s mouth.

4 And Jacob said to them, “My brethren, where are you from?”
And they said, “We are from Haran.”

5 Then he said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?”
And they said, “We know him.”

6 So he said to them, “Is he well?”
And they said, “He is well. And look, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep.”

7 Then he said, “Look, it is still high day; it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.”

8 But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they have rolled the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.”

9 Now while he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 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 Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept. 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative and that he was Rebekah’s son. So she ran and told her father.

13 Then it came to pass, when Laban heard the report about Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. So he told Laban all these things. 14 And Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him for a month.

Jacob went to find a wife from among God’s people and not the ungodly around them.  His mission was similar to how his father found his mother, except Jacob went himself while Isaac had sent his faithful servant in his stead.  They both went to the same place among Laban’s flock at likely the same well (Genesis 24:11) to draw water and a wife (Genesis 24:10) from!  Genesis 24:29 told us that Laban was Rebekah’s brother and now her son had come to the well and Rachel the daughter of Laban came to get water just as Jacob was asking about her family.  God had arranged that meeting perfectly with a predetermined plan to bring them together as He had done with his parents before him there.  This time the meeting of divine providence was in person however, not by proxy, and there is a mention of a stone needing to be removed from the well to get to the water that was not mentioned before.  Jacob saw her approach and rolled the stone away for her as all the other sheep of various flocks stood waiting.  Jacob watered her flock first as his choice.  Rachel was the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, his uncle, and she was his cousin therefore, a child of the same God as he sought.  He therefore kissed her with a friendly greeting, not as we imagine today full of unbridled passion, and wept with joy at having found her.  He told her who he was as a family relative and she then ran to tell her father about meeting him.  Laban came to meet and greet Jacob and led him to his house to stay for a month.  Laban called Jacob, “my bone and my flesh,” because they were family as the story unfolded.  Jacob had drawn water and a future wife from that well because he trusted the leading and providence of the LORD to provide a marriage that would continue the lineage of promise towards the Messiah as told to Abraham long before to be fruitful and multiply both a physical nation (Romans 4:13, 16-17) and a heavenly kingdom far better (Hebrews 11:16) to follow.  We also who are in Christ are to be equally yoked with God’s people as man and wife and not with unbelievers (1 Corinthians 7:39, 2 Corinthians 6:14-15) to perpetuate the spiritual lineage of faith in the Lord and this kingdom in place of that of this world which will pass away in the end.  It is best to never be in a relationship or marriage with an unbeliever, for there is no promise they will ever come to believe into Christ (1 Corinthians 7:16) and the effects of that union can only bring troubled times.  We who are in Christ are commanded to draw the water of eternal life (John 4:13-14) and a wife from the same well and not as Esau had done (Genesis 28:6, 9) that consequently brought so much conflict and problems among God’s children.  We are of the family of faith like Abraham and should therefore live accordingly.