This is a short study and could be taken with Genesis 28
Recap: (For Genesis chapters 1-18 see Genesis 18 recap).
So far in the second section of Genesis, we have looked at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham’s move to the area between Gerar and Beersheba, the birth of Isaac and the driving out of Ishmael, the offering of Isaac, Esau’s attitude to his birthright and Isaac’s deceit in taking the blessing intended for Esau and Isaac’s swift departure to Paddan Aram.
Read Genesis 29:1-20
1 Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples.
2 There he saw a well in the open country, with three flocks of sheep lying near it because the flocks were watered from that well. The stone over the mouth of the well was large. 3 When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone away from the well’s mouth and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.
4 Jacob asked the shepherds, ‘My brothers, where are you from?’
‘We’re from Harran,’ they replied.
Haran was the town where Abraham had left his brother Nahor when he was called to move to Canaan (see previous study for map).
Jacob had never been to the ‘Old Country’ but he knew enough about his origins to be able to travel to the land and end up near to the family settlement. Wells were recognised meeting-places so he was drawn there. Already there were three separate flocks with their shepherds waiting until there were enough present to warrant moving the stone.
We can only imagine how delighted he must have felt when the shepherds said they were from Haran.
5 He said to them, ‘Do you know Laban, Nahor’s grandson?’
‘Yes, we know him,’ they answered.
6 Then Jacob asked them, ‘Is he well?’
‘Yes, he is,’ they said, ‘and here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.’
If he was delighted to meet shepherds from Haran, we can only imagine his feelings when he was told that the woman approaching was Laban’s daughter. However he would prefer not to have to explain his business in the hearing of everyone so he suggests that as it is still daytime, and not time for the flocks to be penned for the night, why don’t they water their flocks and go?
7 ‘Look,’ he said, ‘the sun is still high; it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.’
8 ‘We can’t,’ they replied, ‘until all the flocks are gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep.’
The shepherds have a set system, and they are not changing it for a stranger!
But Jacob impetuously decided to provide water for his own relatives flock.
9 While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherd. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban’s sheep, he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud.
Why did Jacob weep?
12 He had told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and a son of Rebekah. So she ran and told her father.
13 As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, and there Jacob told him all these things. 14 Then Laban said to him, ‘You are my own flesh and blood.’
This was a very happy family reunion.
After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, 15 Laban said to him, ‘Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.’
It seems that although Jacob had explained what the real purpose of his visit was (v13: Jacob told him all these things) he showed no sign of returning home. Obviously he had been working while he was staying there so after a month Laban suggested a proper contract of employment.
16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder one was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. 18 Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, ‘I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.’
Joseph wanted to be sure of himself before committing to marriage, but after a month he was deeply in love. For Laban that was excellent news. He may have expected Jacob to simply take Rachel and go – as Rebekah had, in order to become Isaac’s wife. Here it seems that as long as he could be near Rachel, Jacob was prepared to stay as long as Laban wanted.
It was also a good reason to keep his distance from Esau!
19 Laban said, ‘It’s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.’ 20 So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.
Read Genesis 29:21-35
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, ‘Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.’
22 So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. 23 But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. 24 And Laban gave his servant Zilpah to his daughter as her attendant.
25 When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, ‘What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?’
And so the deceiver is himself deceived. Whether the drink or the darkness played a part we don’t know, but Jacob must have remembered how he had pretended to be Esau – so he couldn’t make too much fuss!
26 Laban replied, ‘It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the elder one. 27 Finish this daughter’s bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.’
28 And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 Laban gave his servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her attendant. 30 Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.
We saw at the beginning of the story that Rachel was a shepherdess. This was obviously something that Jacob understood and it was this work he undertook for Laban (30:32), possibly alongside Rachel.
During the next fourteen years only Leah was able to have children
31 When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless.
Leah had also been tricked – into marrying a man who did not love her. In some respects the marriage was probably as good as she might have expected. But although she obviously had physical love, true love was missing. The Lord took compassion on her, and allowed her to have children to ease her loneliness.
This passage, and the beginning of Chapter 30, contains the origins of the Twelve Tribes of Israel.
32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, ‘It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.’ Reuben sounds like the Hebrew for he has seen my misery; the name means see, a son.
33 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, ‘Because the Lord heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.’ So she named him Simeon. Simeon probably means one who hears.
34 Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, ‘Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.’ So he was named Levi. Levi sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for attached. (Levi would head the Aaronic priestly line)
35 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, ‘This time I will praise the Lord.’ So she named him Judah. Judah sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for praise. (Judah was the ancestor of David and ultimately, Jesus)
Then she stopped having children.
(Of her first four children, two would be highly significant – Levi and Judah)
But still Jacob only loved Rachel – but (v31) Rachel remained childless – and jealous of her sister’s four sons. Very jealous – 30v1: Give me children or I’ll die!
