GE 29:1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the sons of the east.
GE 29:2 He looked, and saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, for from that well they watered the flocks. Now the stone on the mouth of the well was large.
GE 29:3 When all the flocks were gathered there, they would then roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the mouth of the well.
GE 29:4 Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from Haran.”
GE 29:5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” And they said, “We know him.”
GE 29:6 And he said to them, “Is it well with him?” And they said, “It is well, and here is Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep.”
GE 29:7 He said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered. Water the sheep, and go, pasture them.”
GE 29:8 But they said, “We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”
GE 29:9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
GE 29:10 When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.
GE 29:11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted his voice and wept.
GE 29:12 Jacob told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and that he was Rebekah’s son, and she ran and told her father.
GE 29:13 So when Laban heard the news of Jacob his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Then he related to Laban all these things.
GE 29:14 Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him a month.
In the previous chapter, God promised Jacob His presence wherever he goes. Here in this chapter Moses shows God's providence in guiding Jacob to his intended destination. Everything was perfectly timed. Places, events, persons converged in a well-timed fashion.
It so happened that he came to the right place. It so happened that he met the right people who knew his relatives. It so happened that Rachel came out to meet him.
It appears that Moses wants to show his original Israelite readers that just as God was providentially guiding Jacob so He is now with Israel.
