Jacob-Finding True Love--And More Series

Introduction: Jacob had stopped near Bethel (Luz), many miles away from his home and family. He had a dream, probably one of the strangest but most striking he would ever know. He woke up, set up a stone as a pillar, and made a contract, so to speak, with God.

Now he’s closer to Haran, the land where his mother Rebekah had been raised and the land where Isaac, his father, had told him to seek a wife for himself. As Jacob came closer to Haran, what kind of thoughts came to mind? Did he wonder if he would ever find true love? As it turned out, he did find true love—and even more.

1 Jacob’s discovery of the land

Text: Genesis 29:1-3, 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.

If I read the geography correctly, Jacob had a long way to go between Luz/Bethel and Haran, where his uncle Laban lived. This was maybe in the neighborhood of 300 miles or so! Jacob would have had to follow rivers, crossing at least a couple (the Euphrates, for one) and going over, under, around and through mountain ranges. Rebekah’s advice for Jacob to stay with Laban “for a few days” was almost ironic: it may have taken Jacob a month or longer to reach Haran to begin with!

Eventually, Jacob reaches “the land of the people of the east”; probably referring to those who lived east of the Euphrates River. Jacob had no doubt passed through any number of cities, towns, villages, and the like but now it seems he’s in sheep country. He saw a well in the field and, to his interest, three flocks of sheep nearby.

But not only did Jacob see the flocks of sheep, he saw a well in the field. Water was and is very important in every part of the world, especially when flocks of animals are involved. Jacob would also know about wells, because Isaac had seen two of the wells he had dug snatched away by the “herdsmen of Gerar (Genesis 26:18-22)”.

Moses adds a detail that there was a great stone on the well’s mouth, doubtless to keep any impurities out of the well water. Once the shepherds watered the flocks, they put the stone back over the well’s mouth.

In addition to the well and the flocks of sheep, Jacob noticed some people. He needed information and they, more or less reluctantly, answered his questions.

2 Jacob’s dialogue with the shepherds

Text, Genesis 29:4-9, KJV: 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.

Jacob had finally reached Haran, or at least the outskirts, as we’d say these days, and besides the three flocks of sheep, Jacob seems to have met the shepherds. Now he approaches them and begins to ask them a few questions. This makes sense, as there is no record that Jacob had ever gone far from the family campsite and Jacob certainly didn’t want to risk moving in with the wrong family! He was sent for two purposes: Rebekah wanted Jacob out of the way until Esau cooled off (as if that would happen) after Jacob stole the paternal blessing; Isaac wanted him to find a wife from the same “stock” or extended family as Rebekah. Esau had married two Hittite women and—that didn’t set well with Rebekah.

Jacob’s first question was very generic. Paraphrased, it might be something like “where are you from?” According to the book “A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23”, the writer observed that sometimes sheep and shepherds would graze a good distance from their homes. Jacob knew nothing about these men and was simply trying to “break the ice.”