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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. 9 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. 13 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. 15 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. 19 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. 21 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? 26 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. 31 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. 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. 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. 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.
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[AD 373] Ephrem the Syrian on Genesis 29:11
Jacob continued on and turned aside to a well where he saw Rachel the shepherd girl, who, with her bare feet, her shabby clothing and her face burned from the sun, could not be distinguished from the charred brands that come out of the fire. Jacob knew at once that he who had provided the beautiful Rebekah at the spring now provided Rachel in her shabby clothing at the well. Then he performed a heroic deed in her presence, for, through the Son who was hidden in it, he rolled away the stone that even many could raise only with great difficulty. When he betrothed her to God through this marvelous deed, Jacob then returned and married himself to her with a kiss.

Source: COMMENTARY ON GENESIS 27:1
[AD 444] Cyril of Alexandria on Genesis 29:11
In addition Rachel is interpreted as a “sheep of God.” And some consider her to be with good reason a symbol of the church among the nations. She is also the sheep of Christ, mixed in the ancient folds, and finally received in the fold of the Savior. Therefore he said, “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” And the holy disciples acted as shepherds of the church of Christ, when they supported her as reasonable creatures and when they were her lovers and bridegrooms and presented her to God as a pure virgin3 without spots or wrinkles, or as something similar, “holy and immaculate.”

Source: GLAPHYRA ON GENESIS, 4.4
[AD 542] Caesarius of Arles on Genesis 29:11
We have frequently mentioned to your charity, dearly beloved, that blessed Jacob was a type and figure of our Lord and Savior. Moreover, how Christ was to come into the world to be joined to the church was prefigured also in blessed Jacob when he traveled into a distant country to choose a wife. Therefore blessed Jacob, as you have heard, went into Mesopotamia to take a wife. When he had come to a certain well, he saw Rachel coming with her father’s sheep—after he recognized her as his cousin, he kissed her as soon as the flock was supplied with water. If you notice carefully, brothers, you can recognize that it was not without reason that the holy patriarchs found their wives at wells or fountains. If this had happened only once, someone might say it was accidental and not for some definite reason. Blessed Rebekah who was to be united to blessed Isaac was found at the well; Rachel whom blessed Jacob was to marry was recognized at the well; and Zipporah who was joined to Moses was found at the well. Doubtless then we ought to understand some mysteries in these facts. Since all three of those patriarchs typified our Lord and Savior, for this reason they found their wives at fountains or wells, because Christ was to find his church at the waters of baptism. Moreover, when Jacob came to the well, Rachel first watered the flock, and then he kissed her. It is true, dearly beloved, unless the Christian people are first washed from all evil by the waters of baptism, they do not deserve to possess the peace of Christ. Could not blessed Jacob have kissed his cousin upon seeing her, before the flock was watered? Doubtless he could have, but a mystery was involved: for it was necessary for the church to be freed from all iniquity and dissension by the grace of baptism and thus to merit peace with God.

Source: SERMON 88.1
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Genesis 29:15
Notice, I ask you, how when someone is helped by the hand from on high, everything goes favorably for him. “You shall not serve me for nothing,” Laban says. “Tell me what your wages should be.” In fact, this blessed man was acting out of love and was content simply to receive board and lodging and return him sincere thanks for it. But, since Jacob demonstrated great humility, Laban took the initiative in promising to pay him whatever wage he named.

Source: HOMILIES ON GENESIS 55.6
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Genesis 29:18
See in this case too, I ask you, his keen discernment and how he had no desire for accumulating money. Far from haggling with Laban in the manner of a hireling and demanding something more, Jacob remembered his mother and his father’s directions and showed his extraordinary meekness in saying, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” You see, on seeing her from the outset at the well, he fell in love with her. See the man’s right attitude: He sets a time for himself and by means of this period of years he provides himself with an adequate incentive for his own continence. Why are you surprised, dearly beloved, that he promised to serve seven years for the maiden he loved? To show, in fact, how his great love reduced the labor and the period of time, sacred Scripture says, “Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and in his eyes they were but a few days when measured against his love for her.” The period of seven years, it is saying, was counted but a few days because of his surpassing love for the maiden. You see, when someone is smitten with love’s desire, far from seeing any problem, he easily puts up with everything, albeit fraught with danger and much difficulty besides, having in view one thing only—obtaining the object of his desire.

Source: HOMILIES ON GENESIS 55.7
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Genesis 29:23
Do you see with how much solemnity they conducted weddings in ancient times? Take heed, you who are swept up in the excitement of satanic rituals and besmirch the solemnity of marriage at its very beginnings. Surely there’s no place for flutes? Surely there’s no place for cymbals? Surely there’s no place for satanic dances? Why is it, tell me, that you introduce such a nuisance into the house and call in people from the stage and the theater so as to undermine the girl’s chastity with this regrettable expenditure and make the young person shameless?

Source: HOMILIES ON GENESIS 56.2
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Genesis 29:23
Don’t idly pass by this sentence, either. Much can be understood from it. [First], there is Jacob’s simplicity in being deceived through his own ignorance of any wickedness; second, the fact that everything was conducted with such extreme decorum, no unnecessary display of lamps and dancers and torches, that Laban’s deception took effect. It is possible, however, to learn from this incident Laban’s affection for Jacob. You see, his purpose in devising this scheme was to keep the good man with him longer. I mean, he realized that Jacob was madly in love with one daughter and that, had he attained the object of his desire, he would then not have chosen to undergo servitude for the sake of Leah or reside with Laban. Hence, seeing Jacob’s virtue and realizing that he would not otherwise get the better of him or persuade him, he had recourse to this deception and gave him Leah with her maidservant Zilpah.

Source: HOMILIES ON GENESIS 56.10
[AD 420] Jerome on Genesis 29:27
(Chapter 29, Verse 27) Complete therefore this week, and I will give you this also. After Jacob was deceived by Laban and took Rachel as his wife instead of Leah, it is said that Laban told him to fulfill seven days after the wedding of the first sister, and then he could have Rachel, for whom he would serve another seven years. Therefore, contrary to what some think, Rachel did not become Jacob's wife after another seven years, but after seven days from the wedding of the first wife. And afterward he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. (Gen. XXIX, 30).

Source: Hebrew Questions on Genesis
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Genesis 29:28
You observe once again that the nuptials were conducted with all seemliness. Don’t be disturbed, however, to hear that he married the elder girl and then the younger or judge happenings in those times by present conditions. In those times, you see, since it was the very beginning, people were allowed to live with two or three wives or more so as to increase the race; now, on the contrary, because through God’s grace the human race has expanded into a vast number, the practice of virtue has also increased. I mean, Christ by his coming has sown the seeds of virtue among human beings and turned them into angels, so to say, thus rooting out all that former practice. Do you see how we should not be proposing that practice but rather seek out everywhere what is useful? Take note. Since the practice itself was evil, see how it has been rooted out, and no one is free now to propose it. Consequently I beseech you, far from seeking to adopt it in any way, search rather for what is useful, not what is spiritually harmful. If something good comes our way, even if it is not general practice, let us adopt it; but if it is harmful, even if general practice, let us avoid and turn away from it.

Source: HOMILIES ON GENESIS 56.12
[AD 542] Caesarius of Arles on Genesis 29:30
In that journey Jacob took two wives, and those two wives prefigured the two people of the Jews and the Gentiles. For at Christ’s coming not a small number even of the Jewish people are read to have believed in him, and again in the Acts of the Apostles there is recorded the fact that on one day three thousand people believed, on another day five thousand and afterward many thousands more. The Lord himself in the Gospel confirms the fact that Jews and Gentiles believed in Christ when he said, “And other sheep I have that are not of this fold. I must also bring them, so that there may be one fold and one shepherd.” Therefore those two women who were married to blessed Jacob, that is, Leah and Rachel, prefigured those two people: Leah the Jews and Rachel the Gentiles. Like a cornerstone Christ is joined to those two people, like two walls coming from different directions. In him they have kissed, and in him they have merited to find eternal peace, as the apostle says, “For he himself is our peace, he it is who has made both one.” How did he make both one? By uniting the two flocks and connecting the two walls to himself.

Source: SERMON 88.2
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Genesis 29:31
See God’s creative wisdom. Whereas one woman by her beauty attracted her husband’s favor, the other seemed to be rejected because she lacked it. But it was the latter God awoke to childbirth while leaving the other’s womb inactive. He thus dealt with each in his characteristic love so that one might have some comfort from what was born of her and the other might not triumph over her sister on the score of charm and beauty.

Source: HOMILIES ON GENESIS 56.14
[AD 395] Gregory of Nyssa on Genesis 29:32
Reuben was the firstborn of those born after him, and their resemblance to him bore witness to their relationship to him, so that their brotherhood was not unrecognized, being testified to by the similarity of appearance. Therefore, if through the same rebirth “by water and the spirit,” we also have become brothers of the Lord, he having become for us “the firstborn among the many brothers,” it follows that our nearness to him will show in the character of our life, because “the firstborn of every creature” has informed our life. But what have we learned from the Scripture about the character of his life? What we have said many times: that “he committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth.” Therefore, if we are going to act as brothers of the One who gave us birth, the sinlessness of our life will be a pledge of our relationship to him, and no filth will nullify our union with his purity. But the firstborn is also justice and holiness and love and redemption and such things. So if our life is characterized by such qualities, we furnish clear tokens of our noble birth, and anyone, seeing these qualities in our life, will bear witness to our brotherhood with Christ.

Source: ON PERFECTION
[AD 420] Jerome on Genesis 29:32
(Verse 32.) And she conceived and bore a son, and called his name Reuben. I desire to also mention the etymologies of the names of all the patriarchs for the sake of brevity in reading.

And he called, he said, his name is Ruben, saying: Because the Lord has seen my humility. Ruben () is interpreted as the son of vision.

Source: Hebrew Questions on Genesis
[AD 420] Jerome on Genesis 29:33
(Verse 33.) And she conceived, he said, another son and said: Because the Lord has heard me, since my husband hated me, and also gave me this one: and she called his name Simeon. From the fact that she was heard, she gave him the name Simeon. For Simeon indeed means hearing. But from the third, it follows:

Source: Hebrew Questions on Genesis
[AD 420] Jerome on Genesis 29:34
(Verse 34) And she conceived again, and bore a son, and said: Now my husband will be with me, because I have borne him three sons: therefore she called his name Levi. When we read, 'My husband will be with me,' Aquila interpreted it as, 'My husband will be attached to me,' which is the Hebrew word (), Illave. And among the Hebrew doctors, it is translated differently, so that they say, 'My husband will follow me,' that is, I have no doubt about the love of my husband for me: he will be my companion in this life, and his affection will lead me to death, and he will follow me: for I have borne him three sons.

Source: Hebrew Questions on Genesis
[AD 420] Jerome on Genesis 29:35
(Verse 35.) And she conceived and bore a son, and she said: Now I will confess to the Lord, and for this reason she called his name Judah. Judah means confession. Therefore, the name confession is derived from the confession. However, here confession is understood as thanksgiving or praise, as often in the Psalms and in the Gospel (Matthew 11:25): I will confess to you, Lord, Father of heaven and earth, that is, I thank you or glorify you.

Source: Hebrew Questions on Genesis