The Meaning of Genesis 29:6 Explained

Genesis 29:6

KJV: And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.

YLT: And he saith to them, 'Hath he peace?' and they say, 'Peace; and lo, Rachel his daughter is coming with the flock.'

Darby: And he said to them, Is he well? And they said, He is well; and behold, there comes Rachel his daughter with the sheep.

ASV: And he said unto them, Is it well with him? And they said, It is well. And, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he said  unto them, [Is] he well?  And they said,  [He is] well:  and, behold, Rachel  his daughter  cometh  with the sheep. 

What does Genesis 29:6 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 29:1-20 - Jacob In Laban's Home
Well might Jacob lift up his feet! See margin. When we are sure of God we receive strength that enables us to run with patience the race that is set before us. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and we have a special claim on His guidance in our matrimonial alliances-the most solemn and momentous step of all. There were many good qualities in Rachel, fitting her to be a good wife. Her humility and industry, her patience under the oppression of the unmannerly shepherds, her haste to share her joy with her father-all these elicited Jacob's love. What a touch of old-world and new-world poetry is in those words of Genesis 29:20! Where Love is queen time is too short, labor never hard, distance never long, sacrifice unheard of! Oh, that we so loved our Lord, that for the missionary toiling through long years, and the invalid condemned to a life of pain, affliction might appear light and but for a moment. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 29

1  Jacob comes to the well of Haran
9  He becomes acquainted with Rachel
13  Laban entertains him
18  Jacob covenants for Rachel
23  He is deceived by Laban with Leah
28  He marries also Rachel, and serves for her seven years more
32  Leah bears Reuben;
33  Simeon;
34  Levi;
35  and Judah

What do the individual words in Genesis 29:6 mean?

So he said to them well is he and they said [He is] well and look Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לָהֶ֖ם ؟ הֲשָׁל֣וֹם ל֑וֹ וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ שָׁל֔וֹם וְהִנֵּה֙ רָחֵ֣ל בִּתּ֔וֹ בָּאָ֖ה עִם־ הַצֹּֽאן

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר  So  he  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לָהֶ֖ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
؟ הֲשָׁל֣וֹם  well 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלֹום  
Sense: completeness, soundness, welfare, peace.
ל֑וֹ  is  he 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ  and  they  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
שָׁל֔וֹם  [He  is]  well 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלֹום  
Sense: completeness, soundness, welfare, peace.
וְהִנֵּה֙  and  look 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
רָחֵ֣ל  Rachel 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: רָחֵל  
Sense: daughter of Laban, wife of Jacob, and mother of Joseph and Benjamin.
בִּתּ֔וֹ  his  daughter 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בַּת  
Sense: daughter.
בָּאָ֖ה  is  coming 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
הַצֹּֽאן  the  sheep 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.