29.1-35

Genesis

For the third time among the Patriarchs, the bride of the covenant is found outside of the Promised Land. Abraham and Sarah migrated together to Harran, from Ur of the Chaldeans, after the death of his father Terah (Gen 12:1-2). Isaac's bride, Rebekah, was retrieved from Haran by Abraham's servant (Gen 24). And now Jacob himself travels to Haran for the purpose of finding a bride. When he discovers his people watering their sheep at a well, he assists and is overcome with joy at having been blessed to have discovered his mother's brother's people (v11). The kiss of affection greeting a cousin soon enough grew to be a devoted love. After meeting her family, Jacob agrees with her father, Laban, to serve him for seven years as a bride price (v18). The note of Rachel's sister Leah having weak eyes was considered a blemish. Her weak (soft, tender, "blue") eyes would not have been considered beautiful (v17). Jacob's love for Rachel, however, was so strong that the Bible indicates the seven years only felt like a few days to him (v20). Deception is carried out again in the life of Jacob, but this time it is against him (v25). But God's purpose is achieved in all things (reminding us of the outcome of Gen 26, Lk 8:17, Mk 4:22). Jacob worked seven years (v21), but to attain the bride of his heart's desire, he must commit to another seven years labor for his father-in-law (v27). Soon, however, the first four sons of his union with Leah are born (Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. vv32-35). The fourth of which is the one from whose line the Messiah will come.

CHAPTER 29

Jacob’s Love for Rachel

1 Then Jacob took up his journey and came to the land of the sons of the east.
2 And he looked, and behold, a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, for from that well they gave water to the flocks to drink. Now the stone on the mouth of the well was large.
3 And all the flocks would be gathered there, and they would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and give water to the sheep to drink and return the stone back to its place on the mouth of the well.
4 And Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from Haran.”
5 Then he said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” And they said, “We know him.”
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.”
7 And he said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered. Give water to the sheep to drink, and go, pasture them.”
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 give water to the sheep to drink.”
9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
10 Now it happened, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob came near and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well and gave water to the flock of Laban his mother’s brother to drink.
11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and lifted his voice and wept.
12 And 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.
13 So it happened that when Laban heard the report of Jacob his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and he embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Then he recounted to Laban all these things.
14 And Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him one month.
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?”
16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17 And Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and beautiful in appearance.
18 Now Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
19 And Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than to give her to another man; stay with me.”
20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they were in his sight but a few days because of his love for her.

Laban Deceives Jacob

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.”
22 And Laban gathered all the men of the place and made a feast.
23 Now it happened in the evening that he took his daughter Leah and brought her to him; and Jacob went in to her.
24 Laban also gave his servant-woman Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a servant-woman.
25 Now it happened in the morning that, behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served with you? Why then have you deceived me?”
26 But Laban said, “It is not the practice in our place to give the younger before the firstborn.
27 “Fulfill the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you shall serve with me for another seven years.”
28 And Jacob did so and fulfilled her week, and he gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.
29 Laban also gave his servant-woman Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her servant-woman.
30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and indeed he loved Rachel more than Leah, and he served with Laban for another seven years.
31 And Yahweh saw that Leah was unloved, and He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
32 So Leah conceived and bore a son and named him Reuben, for she said, “Because Yahweh has seen my affliction; surely now my husband will love me.”
33 Then she conceived again and bore a son and said, “Because Yahweh has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” So she named him Simeon.
34 And she conceived again and bore a son and said, “Now this time my husband will be joined to me because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore he was named Levi.
35 And she conceived again and bore a son and said, “This time I will praise Yahweh.” Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.