Beginnings #15

Jacob’s Wives

Genesis 29-31

(All scripture in NKJV)

A Lack of Love for Leah (Ch. 29)

Genesis 29:4-6 And Jacob said to them, “My brethren, 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 So he said to them, “Is he well?” And they said, “He is well. And look, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep.” 

Genesis 29:9-11 Now while he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near

and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept. 

Genesis 29:15-20 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah’s eyes were

delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and  appearance. 18 Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger

daughter.” 19 And Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.

Genesis 29:21-25  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 together all the men of the place and made a feast. 23 Now it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. 24 And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. 25 So it came to pass 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 you? Why then have you deceived me?”

Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

Genesis 29:30 “…and he also loved Rachel more than Leah"

 

Genesis 29:31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.

• 1. Reuben (Leah) – “behold a son” (29:32)
• 2. Simeon (Leah) – “one who hears” (29:33)
• 3. Levi (Leah) – “joined or attached” (29:34)
• 4. Judah (Leah) – “may God be praised” (29:35)

Poor Plans & Deceptive Deals (Ch. 30)

Genesis 30:1-3 Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I die!” 2 And Jacob’s anger was aroused against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?”

3 So she said, “Here is my maid Bilhah; go in to her, and she will bear a child on my knees, that I also may have children by her.”

• 5. Dan (Bilhah) – “judge” (30:5-6)
• 6. Naphtali (Bilhah) – “my struggle” (30:7-8)
• 7. God (Zilpah) – “a troop” (30:9-11)
• 8. Asher (Zilpah) – “happy” (30:12-13)

Genesis 30:14-16 Now Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” 15 But she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes also?” And Rachel said, “Therefore he will lie with you tonight for your son’s mandrakes.” 16 When Jacob came out of the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have surely hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” And he lay with her

that night.

9. Issachar (Leah) – “hired or for sale” (30:17-18)

• 10. Zebulun (Leah) – “to dwell” (30:19-20)
• Daughter Dinah (Leah) – “judgment or vindicated”
• 11. Joseph (Rachel) – “to add” (30:22-24)
• 12. Benjamin (Rachel) – “son of my sorrow” (35:16-21)

Genesis 30:25-28 And it came to pass, when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my country. 26 Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go; for you know my service which I have

done for you.” 27 And Laban said to him, “Please stay, if I have found favor in your eyes, for I have learned by

experience that the Lord has blessed me for your sake.” 28 Then he said, “Name me your wages, and I will give it.”

A Failed Escape (Ch. 31)

Genesis 31:1-3 Now Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has acquired all this wealth.” 2 And Jacob saw the countenance of Laban, and indeed it was not favorable toward him as before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you.”

Genesis 31:14-16 Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there still any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? 15 Are we not considered strangers by him? For he has sold us, and also completely consumed our money. 16 for all these riches which God has taken from our father are really ours and our children’s; now then, whatever God has said to you, do it.”

Genesis 31:17-21 Then Jacob rose and set his sons and his wives on camels. 18 And he carried away all his livestock and all his possessions which he had gained, his acquired livestock which he had gained in Padan Aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan. 19 Now Laban had

gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen the household idols that were her father’s. 20 And Jacob stole away, unknown to Laban the Syrian, in that he did not tell him that he intended to flee. 21 So he fled with all that he had. He arose and crossed the river, and headed toward the mountains of Gilead.

Genesis 31:36-37 Then Jacob was angry and rebuked Laban, and Jacob answered and said to Laban: “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have so hotly pursued me? 37 Although you have searched all my things, what part of your household things have you found? Set it here before my brethren and your brethren, that they may judge between us both!

Genesis 31:51-52 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Here is this heap and here is this pillar, which I have placed between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not pass beyond this heap to you, and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me,

for harm.

In these chapters we see:

- foolish decisions repeated

- the danger of deception

- the consequences of decisions

- the miracle of God taking our mess and making it good