And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.

GENESIS 29:11KJV
Know the Bible

Genesis 29:11 (KJV)

What does Genesis 29:11 mean?

Genesis 29:11 describes Jacob greeting Rachel with a kiss and then becoming so emotional that he raises his voice and weeps. This moment shows Jacob’s deep feelings upon meeting Rachel, who is a relative he has traveled far to find.

Jacob has just arrived in Haran after a long journey to find his mother’s family. When he meets Rachel at the well, he realizes she is the daughter of his uncle Laban, making her his cousin. The kiss is a customary greeting, and Jacob’s tears likely reflect relief, joy, and the overwhelming emotion of finally reaching family after a difficult journey.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 29:11

  • kissed (נָשַׁק, nashaq): This word often refers to a greeting or sign of affection, not just romantic love. In this setting, it emphasizes family connection and hospitality.
  • wept (בָּכָה, bakhah): The word means to cry or weep openly. Jacob’s weeping highlights the intensity of his feelings—possibly relief, gratitude, and the emotional weight of his journey.

Why Genesis 29:11 matters

  • Genesis 29:11 clears up that Jacob’s kiss is a family greeting, not necessarily a romantic gesture, which fits the customs of the time.
  • The verse emphasizes how significant this meeting is for Jacob, showing his vulnerability and the importance of family ties in the story.
  • This emotional scene connects to the wider narrative, setting up Jacob’s relationship with Rachel and her family, which becomes central in the following chapters.

Where else these words appear

“kissed” Hebrew H5401 · used in 35 verses

  • Genesis 27:26 And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.
  • Exodus 18:7 And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent.
  • 1 Chronicles 12:2 They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow, even of Saul's brethren of Benjamin.

“Rachel” Hebrew H7354 · used in 44 verses

  • Genesis 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.
  • Genesis 30:2 And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?
  • Genesis 33:1 And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids.

“wept” Hebrew H1058 · used in 100 verses

  • Genesis 21:16 And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
  • Judges 21:2 And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;
  • Esther 8:3 And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.