Summary https://marksbiblejourney.blogspot.com/2019/10/genesis.html
"Jacob travels to Haran in the eastern country. He comes upon a well near Haran. Rachel has brought her father Laban's sheep there to water them. Jacob helps her, and they kiss. Jacob tells Rachel that he is her cousin, Rebekah's son. Rachel runs back home to tell her father that Jacob has arrived. Laban gives Jacob a warm welcome. Jacob starts working for Laban, and after one month Laban offers to pay him for his work. Jacob replies that he will work for seven years in order to marry Rachel. Laban agrees, and Jacob works for seven years on Laban's land. After the seven years of work, Laban deceives Jacob by giving his older daughter Leah to him in marriage. Laban gives an excuse to Jacob after the fact, saying the older daughter must be married before the younger daughter. Laban says that if Jacob works for him another seven years he can marry Rachel after all. Jacob agrees, marries Rachel, and works for Laban another seven years. Jacob loves Rachel, but she is barren at the start of their marriage. Leah is unloved by Jacob, but God opens her womb. Leah has four sons by Jacob: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. Leah stopped having children after this."
Reading from the Amplified Bible (AMP) version..
- "While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. When Jacob saw [his cousin] Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother, and Laban’s sheep, he came up and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered the flock of Laban, his uncle. Then Jacob kissed Rachel [in greeting], and he raised his voice and wept. Jacob told Rachel he was her father’s relative, Rebekah’s son; and she ran and told her father." v.9-12
- "Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, “I will serve you [as a hired workman] for seven years [in return] for [the privilege of marrying] Rachel your younger daughter.” Laban said, “It is better that I give her [in marriage] to you than give her to another man. Stay and work with me.” So Jacob served [Laban] for seven years for [the right to marry] Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her." v.16-20
- "But in the evening he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob went in to [consummate the marriage with] her. Laban also gave Zilpah his maid to his daughter Leah as a maid. But in the morning [when Jacob awoke], it was Leah [who was with him]! And he said to Laban, “What is this that you have done to me? Did I not work for you [for seven years] for Rachel? Why have you deceived and betrayed me [like this]?” v.23-25
- "But Laban only said, “It is not the tradition here to give the younger [daughter in marriage] before the older. Finish the week [of the wedding feast] for Leah; then we will give you Rachel also, and in return you shall work for me for seven more years.” So Jacob complied and fulfilled Leah’s week [of celebration]; then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his [second] wife." v.26-28
My personal observations and reflections...
- RACHEL THE SHEPHERDESS. The first woman in the Bible that I know who was a shepherd, wow. I wonder how Jacob felt when he finally arrived in his destination (after a month/or more than), and when he finally met Laban's men (or servants), and then his cousin Rachel. He must have felt "home" somehow, after being alone in his journey. He must have felt relieved, and overwhelmed.
- GREETING KISS? Was this just a sisterly and brotherly kiss at first, or Jacob has fallen in love with Rachel at first sight, knowing that he was charged by his parents to go to his Uncle Laban for a wife.. Anyway, we read that his Uncle Laban has warmly welcomed Jacob too, embraced and kissed him and brought him to his house. This is such a good (extended) family reunion.
- JACOB WORKED FOR LABAN. After a month of stay, Uncle Laban took the initiative to ask Jacob what he wanted for a wage, in return of his help/service.
- 7 YEARS OF WORK FOR RACHEL. There is that number 7 again! What a really significant number of God, that denotes completion or perfection (https://www.biblestudy.org/bibleref/meaning-of-numbers-in-bible/7.html).
*Different translations of Genesis 29:17 (https://biblehub.com/genesis/29-17.htm)
- Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. (NIV)
- There was no sparkle in Leah’s eyes, but Rachel had a beautiful figure and a lovely face. (NLT)
- Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. (KJV)
- Leah had ordinary eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful. (HCSB)
- Leah looked rather plain, but Rachel was lovely in form and appearance. (ISV)
* According to some Bible Footnotes, "tender eyed" might be a polite way of saying Leah was not very pretty.
Aside from this fact, I wonder what other things made Jacob love Rachel instantly. Maybe it's also because Rachel is the younger one, nearer to Jacob's age, though I had no idea how old is Leah.
7 years "seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her." Wow, that is really a sweet line! There is some truth to this, because when a person loves someone, or when a person loves what he/she is doing, it doesn't feel that hard to do, or long to wait (in Jacob's case). One of the amazing things in the spirit of man that God gave.
In some ways, this leads me to think about my love for God. Am I always genuinely in love, with the One who truly loves me, that I am willing to endure, wait, put all my hope, trust and faith, submit and surrender to His will, no matter how hard it is or no matter what happens?
- WEDDING FEAST. LABAN'S TREACHERY. Finally, Jacob completed the 7 years and now he can't wait to get Rachel as his wife. According to the Bible Footnotes, "The wedding feast was usually a lavish event lasting seven (7) days. A wide variety of food was served along with wine, which was sometimes fortified with spices."
It seems that God is in the process of working in Jacob's heart here. Before, Jacob was the one who deceived his father Isaac, to steal the firstborn blessing from Esau. Now, he felt how it is to be taken advantage of by someone, or to be cheated. Is Laban being truthful when he reasoned out that "it is not the tradition to give the younger [daughter in marriage] before the older"? Either way, Jacob had no other choice. Laban is the father/leader of the house, Jacob needs to submit to his now father-in-law's authority. And if he really do love Rachel, he will be willing to take all the conditions, no matter how unfair it seems (to Jacob, and Leah as well.) Laban is also a bit opportunistic here because, knowing that Jacob is kinda in a helpless situation-- he made sure that both of his daughters will get married, and will have descendants from Jacob, eventhough Jacob didn't really like Leah that much.
But,,, considering that Jesus Christ will one day come from and be born out of Leah's sons/descendants-- can I call it, Laban being an opportunistic, for good reason?-- if there's such a thing. God allowed things to happen, for His great plans. Over all, it's just amazing how everything had played out, for the good-- indeed, God will always make a way, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD." Isaiah 55:8
* "It was possible for Jacob to be fooled because of the wedding customs of the day. According to those customs the wife was veiled until she was finally alone with her husband in the “honeymoon suite.” If it was dark by the time Jacob and his new bride were alone together (something Laban would not have difficulty arranging), it helps explain how Jacob was fooled." –David Guzik https://dwellingintheword.wordpress.com/2014/10/10/1420-genesis-29/
- ANOTHER 7 YEARS. Jacob indeed proved he "loved Rachel more than Leah" when he worked for another 7 years, wow. If anything, God really worked in Jacob's determination and endurance, and patience. I would love to read more details about that span of time, but it's not recorded, for a purpose, I guess. Jacob's love seems great, and it's a picture of God's GREATER love too. I am reminded of these verses:
- GOD LOVES THE UNLOVED. We read how Leah was blessed with children, but not really happy and blessed with his husband's (romantic, affectionate) love. I guess, that's just reality, we cannot have everything.. And we are all sinful human beings, not really capable of loving others the way God loves them.. Not to mention, it's two wives for one husband, which can be very difficult (polygamy). The naming of Leah's sons reflects her transition, from pain/bitterness, to acceptance and praising the Lord in the end.
* "Leah, though she was neglected by Jacob and despised by Rachel, had a great purpose in God’s plan. The two greatest tribes came from Leah, not Rachel: Levi (the priestly tribe) and Judah (the royal tribe). And most importantly, the Messiah came from Leah, the uglier sister, who was neglected and despised, but who learned to look to the Lord and praise Him." https://dwellingintheword.wordpress.com/2014/10/10/1420-genesis-29/
Read the Bible here:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+29&version=AMP
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