A Shepherd Takes a Wife

Genesis 29: 1-30:24. Energized by his divine encounter, Jacob continued on to Padan Aram. As had occurred years before with Abraham’s servant, Jacob made his first contact with his extended family at the village well. One wonders if the male shepherds had been waiting for Rachel to move the heavy stone from the well before watering their flocks! In any case, Jacob greeted Rachel with great emotion and assisted her in watering her sheep.

Jacob was immediately smitten by Rachel’s beauty and negotiated with his uncle to work 7 years to win her hand in marriage. He had not factored in the family tendency to double-dealing. When the day came for his marriage to Rachel, Laban duped him and gave him Leah for a bride instead, stating that in their culture, the second-born did not precede the first in marriage. For an additional 7 years of labour, Laban agreed to give Rachel to Jacob as well.

One is struck by the docile reaction of Jacob to this turn of events. Perhaps his dramatic encounter with God had begun to soften his rough edges. Laban’s treachery would certainly have reminded Jacob of the behavioural patterns that had occurred in his birth family, in which he had played so dominant a role.

Jacob was confronted as well with the rights of the first-born in this incident. The rights of first-born Leah were used by God to hone the man who had so blatantly disregarded Esau’s first-born rights. Interestingly, the deception of disguise was used in both incidents, no doubt further reinforcing the lesson to Jacob.

Jacob’s marriage to two women, one whom he did not love, resulted in fierce competition between the two sisters. The wife with many sons was considered blessed in this cultural context, and God’s compassion toward Leah’s involvement in a loveless marriage is revealed in her ability to bear sons. Leah herself was aware of God’s blessing and responded to it by naming her first two sons, Reuben (He has seen my misery) and Simeon (One who hears).

Rachel, in spite of her status as the beloved wife, was barren, and consequently envious and spiteful toward her sister. After Leah bore Jacob several children (using her servant as a surrogate mother for some), Rachel finally was blessed with a son, Joseph. The line of Jacob was assured, and his children would become the great nation God had promised.
It is interesting that God allowed Jacob to suffer from the same kind of deception which he had used on others. It is encouraging to see how graciously Jacob accepted the lesson; a sign that even the most ruthless character can be changed by the power of a loving God. The rash and self-serving Jacob was becoming responsible and humble under God’s correcting and instruction. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)

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