Geneses Chapter 29- Wives and Children

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Geneses Chapter 29- Wives and Children

The Text from https://www.bible.com/bible/111/GEN.29.NIV

Jacob Arrives in Paddan Aram

1 Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples. (Map 28-4)

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.

5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s grandson?” “Yes, we know him,” they answered. (Jacob arrived at a well, and met local shepherds.)

6 Then Jacob asked them, “Is he well?” “Yes, he is,” they said, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.” (Rachel was coming to the well.)

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.” (Jacob wanted the shepherds to water sheep and leave.)

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.” (But they stayed waiting for more shepherds.)

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. (When Jacob met Rachel, remove the cover of the well and fed her sheep.)

11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud. (Jacob was overwhelmed seeing Rachel, his future wife. He was a delicate man.)

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. (Knowing Jacob's identity, Rachel reported of him to her father Laban.)

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.” (Laban enthusiastically welcomed Jacob, his nephew with acceptance. Jacob might be a great asset for Laban.)

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

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.” (Jacob's stay was not free. Laban offered, or ordered to work for stay.)

16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

17 Leah had weak eyes(tender/soft), but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. (Laban's two daughters; Leah soft and tender, Rachel bright and vivid.)

18 Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.” (Jacob wanted Rachel for seven years of labor.)

19 Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.” (Laban accepted Jacob's deal because it was one stone for two birds deal; marrying his daughter to him and free labor. But labor first, marriage later.)

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. (Jacob's seven years at work for Rachel went by in a flash.)

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.” (Jacob asked Laban to give Rachel.)

22 So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. (Wedding happened.)

23 But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. (But the bride was Leah, not Rachel.)

24 And Laban gave his servant Zilpah to his daughter as her attendant. (Zilpah was also given to Leah, who would becoming a mother of Jacob's children.)

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?” (Founding that he slept with Leah but not Rachel, Jacob appealed to Laban.)

26 Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one. (Laban excused himself that the older should get married first.)

27 Finish this daughter’s bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.” (Laban told Jacob to finish seven more bridal days (wedding party) and give him Rachel, and to work seven more years to complete the deal.) (1, Who's Cheating Whom?)

28 And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. (Jacob finally had Rachel after the bridal week.)

29 Laban gave his servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her attendant. (Laban gave Bilhah, who's becoming a mother of Jacob's children, to Rachel.)

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. (Rachel was Jacob's favored wife.)

Jacob’s Children

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless.

32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben(seen my misery, a son), for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.” (While the beloved Rachel having no child, the less beloved Leah gave birth the first son to Jacob.)

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(One who hears). (The second son)

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(attached). (The third one)

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(praise). Then she stopped having children. (The fourth one) (Refer to Map 10-2 For Jacob's Family.)

(1, Laban and Jacob, Who's Cheating Whom?)

from https://cafe.daum.net/k331/PeqF/48

The first one is Jacob's experiences with Laban- his uncle in Paddan Aram.

Many things happened there between Jacob and Laban.

Some people accuse Jacob of being unfairly crafty to his uncle.

It is not Jacob but Laban who was cunning and crafty to Jacob.

Laban deceived Jacob even with his daughters- Leah and Rachel (29:25).

He also changed Jacob's wage ten times (31:41).

He even attempted to harm Jacob without legitimate reason when Jacob tried to go back to his home, but God prohibited Laban to do so (31:24).

I heard some also accuse Jacob for having speckled animals of his own wage to steal from his uncle.

However, what Jacob did to let the mating female sheep have a speckled baby (30:37-38) is not any kind of black magic but God's blessing for him who committed himself not only to God, but also for one who did his best for the job given to him by his uncle (32:9).

In spite of all the gimmicks of the uncle, God blessed Jacob with his children and wealth alike.

God changed Laban's cheating on Jacob to Jacob's blessings.