Jacob continued his journey and came to the land his mother came from and there he encountered a well and there were flocks of sheep around it. The well was used to water them and was covered by a large stone (v1-3). He didn’t know where he was but after making enquiries, probably from the shepherds, he discovered he was at his destination. He inquired after Laban and they knew him and told him that Laban’s daughter Rachel was coming with her sheep, for she was a shepherdess. Even though they said it wasn’t time to water them, he removed the stone for Rachel when she arrived (v4-10). Perhaps he was being very forward, but no doubt he was trying to impress Rachel. He even went further by kissing Rachel and crying. This was a man she didn’t know but he quickly told who he was, and she wasted no time in running home to tell her father (v11-14). Laban then ran to meet him and welcomed him and brought him to his house and he stayed with them for a month.
Someone suggested that Laban was thinking of the inheritance which Jacob would receive from Isaac.
Laban said to Jacob (v15-20) “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?” It sounded like a good arrangement, but it meant that Jacob would have to work like a servant to stay there. Jacob’s reaction would show his true character and we read that he loved Rachel and he offered to serve for seven years to get her hand. She was beautiful and he considered her worth it. Laban agreed and he served for seven years, and the time flew – “…. they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.”
Jacob badly wanted Rachel, so he was prepared to serve such a long time to win his prize. Leah was no comparison to Rachel. Waiting such a long time for Rachel seemed nothing, he was prepared to wait because he loved her so much.
Seven years passed and Jacob in eager excitement asked Laban for his wife (v21-25). Laban made a feast and invited the guests. In their custom the bride wore a veil until she was married. They evidently were alone in their room and Laban tricked Jacob into believing he was with Rachel when, in fact, he was with Leah. Jacob, the deceiver had now been deceived by his uncle Laban, in a way he was reaping what he had sown but Jacob was, not unnaturally, angry. One can only assume that Leah actually ‘loved’ Jacob, so she took advantage of the plot.
Jacob had deceived his father Isaac but that did not make it right for Laban to do the same to him. I’m sure that this was God’s way of teaching Jacob a lesson. However, the deception did not alter God’s plan it simply put Jacob through a difficult experience to fulfil it.
Lamely, Laban excuses his actions by saying that it is their custom that the younger must not be given before the older (v26-30). Jacob was to fulfil Leah’s week as a new wife, I believe the actual ceremony lasted one week. It seems that after fulfilling Leah’s week, he was then married to her and then he must serve a further seven years for Rachel. Whether Jacob knew of the custom or not he had to accept it and served another seven years for Rachel. We are told clearly that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah. Laban had both daughters married but what a complicated household was created by Laban’s deception. Nothing but problems ensued. Be sure your sins will find you out; God will not be mocked; whatever you sow you will reap. Laban was just as much a schemer as his sister Rebekah, Jacob’s mother.
It has been said that, sometimes God will judge schemers and deceivers by giving them what their sinful desires ask for, but they will suffer loss in the end. It was not God’s will for a man to have more than one wife, He permitted it but wherever it occurred trouble ensued. Jacob would have to live with it even though he had been tricked into it. So, Jacob had two wives, one he loved more than the other, and inevitably the competition was fierce.
Many are in the situation of broken marriages in the past and whilst divorce is not God’s will, it is a fact, and it sadly happens. It is not the unpardonable sin. The Bible quite clearly says, ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery’ thus, we must ensure is that we fully carry out our roles as husband or wife before God and seek to love them as God loves us and stay true to the one we marry.
In Leah’s case, even though Jacob loved Rachel more than she, The LORD had compassion on her and brought her comfort and blessing. He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren (v31). One wonders just what Jacob’s intimacy with Leah was like, but She gave birth to a son and called him Reuben (v32). As we have said before, names have meanings and Reuben meant, ‘Behold a son’ and she said, “The LORD has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.”
True love is not just having sex together. Many have taken the mistaken view that it is. It goes far deeper than that. It wasn’t just once, but it happened again (v33) and she gave birth to another son and called him Simeon meaning ‘hearing’. I guess she hoped that others would notice that God had heard her plea.
A third son was born to her, and she named him Levi (v34). All the time she was hoping that the children would bring them closer together. Levi meant ‘attachment,’ she still hoped things would change.
A fourth son was born to her, and she named him Judah (v35), meaning ‘praise’, and said, “Now I will praise the LORD.” It seemed that her thoughts were now turned more to The LORD, rather than her uncaring husband. We are told here that Leah now stopped bearing children. We are not told the reason for that.
Most men, especially in those days, would have been thrilled to have a son, never mind four sons, but Jacob seemed to be indifferent. It is interesting to note however, that God blessed her in that two of her sons were to be great in the eyes of The LORD. Levi (from whom the priests came) and Judah (the royal line from whom the Messiah would come). God’s plans are past finding out!
