Synopsis:
Jacob goes to Haran and asks for Laban (his mother Rebekah’s
brother). He is told that the pretty woman watering her sheep is Rachel,
Laban’s daughter. Jacob kisses Rachel and tells her who he is. She runs to tell
her father who welcomes Jacob with open arms, hugs and kisses. Jacob asks to
marry Rachel and agrees to work for 7 years to pay for her. Laban agrees. On
the wedding day, Laban gives his older daughter Leah to Jacob instead. Jacob doesn’t
figure this out until morning though and is quite upset. Laban agrees to marry
Rachel to him next week if he will work for another 7 years to pay her off.
Jacob agrees. He clearly loves Rachel and doesn’t really care for Leah. Leah entreats God to help her, which he does
by helping her to bears four sons ( Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah). Rachel is
barren and rather upset.
In other words:
Jacob gets duped into marrying two sisters, one he likes the
other he doesn’t care for. And for this he has to work for 14 years. The older
sister bears him 4 sons.
Favorite bit:
That he is tricked into marrying Leah. (Genesis 29: 24)
Something to think about:
Laban is pretty crafty – he has managed to convince Jacob to
work for him for 14 years. He doesn’t seem like a man you can trust.
Moral Lesson Learned:
Always know who exactly you are sleeping with (Genesis 29:
24)
