And he said unto them, [Is] he well? And they said, [He is] well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.
6. Rachel ] The name means “Ewe,” a personal name, though, possibly, also tribal. In very early times, the designation of an animal seems often to have been transferred to a family or clan in connexion with the “totem,” or animal associated in worship with the spirit-god of the community.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 6. Is he well?] hashalom lo? Is there peace to him? Peace among the Hebrews signified all kinds of prosperity. Is he a prosperous man in his family and in his property? And they said, He is well, shalom, he prospers.
Rachel – cometh with the sheep.] rachel (the ch sounded strongly guttural) signifies a sheep or ewe; and she probably had her name from her fondness for these animals.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
According to the manner of those times, Exo 2:16; Son 1:7,8, when humility, innocency, simplicity, and industry were in fashion, both among men and women of great quality. There are some that quarrel with the Scripture, and question the truth of such relations, because they judge of the state of ancient times and things by the present age, whereby they discover great folly and deep ignorance of the state of former ages.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
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 blessings of life:
and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep; at that very instant she was coming out of the city with her father’s flock of sheep, to water them at the well; an instance of great humility, diligence, and simplicity; this was very providential to Jacob.
b “nunquid pax ei”, Montanus, Vatablus, Fagius, Cartwright, Schmidt.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Gen 29:6. Is he well? In the margin of our Bibles it is, Is there peace to him? which is agreeable to the Hebrew. Peace, with them, was a word comprehensive of all happiness; hence used in salutation, See Luk 10:5; Luk 24:36. Joh 20:19. Pax (peace) is sometimes used in the same sense by the Latins;* and very frequently , (peace) in the New Testament. Rachel, in the Hebrew, signifies a sheep. It was common with the ancients, who held all rural employments in great honour, to take their names from the animals they tended: thus at Rome there were the families of the Porcii, Ovilii, Caprilii, Equitii, Tauri, &c. Rachel can scarce be supposed to have been alone in her attendance upon the flocks; some of her father’s servants, no doubt, accompanied her.
*“Tu munera supplex Trende, petens pacem.” VIRG. Georg. IV. v. 534. “Thou suppliant offer gifts, and sue for peace.” WARTON. Grace and peace is the usual apostolical blessing.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Gen 29:6 And he said unto them, [Is] he well? And they said, [He is] well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.
Ver. 6. And, behold, Rachel his daughter. ] Note, that our least and ordinary actions are ordered and directed by God; as Nathanael’s being under the fig tree, Joh 1:48 &c. Birds flying seem to fly at liberty, yet are guided by an overruling hand of Heaven: so are our thoughts, affections, actions. Sic curat Deus universos, quasi singulos; sic singulos, quasi solos , saith Augustine, Rachel, by a divine providence, meets Jacob at the well: so doth the Church (that shepherdess, Son 1:7-8 ) meet Christ in his ordinances. Psa 23:2-3
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Is he well: Heb. there peace to him, Gen 37:14, Gen 43:27, Exo 18:7, 1Sa 17:22, 1Sa 25:5, 2Sa 20:9
Reciprocal: Gen 29:17 – Rachel Exo 2:16 – they came 2Sa 11:7 – how Joab did 2Ki 4:26 – Is it well with thee
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 29:6. Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep According to the custom of those times, when simplicity and industry were in fashion among persons of great quality, and of both sexes. They who find fault with the Scriptures, and question the truth of such accounts, discover great ignorance of the state of former ages.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
29:6 And he said unto them, {d} [Is] he well? And they said, [He is] well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.
(d) Or, “he is in peace?” by which the Hebrews mean prosperity.