Gen. 29: 1-30, Jacob and wives

This part of Jacob's life has some fascinating details in Scripture.

Jacob arrives in Paddan Aram and sees the well where the sheep are watered. But there is a stone over the mouth of it. A word about sheep and water here. Sheep will not drink running water; they would rather drink muddy puddles, actually, than running water! So special drinking holes, or wells, were prepared for the sheep, often at the mouth of a cave where water was in the cave. The pool would be dug, cleared, and then fresh water allowed to flow in. The sheep would then drink this standing water.

The stone at the mouth of the well was there for several reasons: the well was owned by certain people and they tended to be protective of their rights, and even more importantly, the stone was to protect the water from contamination, such as a dead animal. Keeping the sheep healthy was really priority.

Now, there are a couple of interesting possibilities here with the next part. If it was not time for the sheep to be watered, why had the shepherds already brought three flocks of sheep waiting there? The clue may be in the fact that the sheep were lying down. That means they had eaten their fill and were quietly digesting their food. To have eaten their fill that early in the day means the land was lush and rich. This is something to remember when we see what happens with Jacob and Laban's flocks.

When Jacob finds out about Rachel, he tries to get rid of the other shepherds! But they refuse, waiting to water their sheep. When Rachel, Laban's daughter (Laban was Rebekah's brother) arrives with her sheep, for she is a shepherdess, Jacob seems immediately smitten. He kisses her and starts crying! When she finds out who he is, she runs and tells her father.

Now remember about Laban. He was there when Abraham's servant was looking for bride for Isaac. He remembers the many camels and gifts and the wealth of Abraham as displayed by his servant! This is the son of Isaac and Rebekah. He very well might be rich... Watch Laban through the next chapters with this in mind.

During the first month Jacob was at Laban's he evidently was helping the man and working for him, for after the month, Laban asked him to name some wages, feeling uncomfortable, perhaps, that Jacob was working like that.

Jacob asks for Rachel as a wife, and agrees to work seven years for her. When the seven years is up, Jacob makes a mistake: he says "Give me my wife." Laban throws a giant feast and the veiled bride is brought to Jacob.

In the morning he wakes up and finds out he was married to Leah, Rachel's older sister. He had asked for his wife and he got a wife! Laban explains that the older has to be married before the younger, so Jacob agrees to work another seven years for Rachel, although the marriage takes place after the bridal week with Leah.

Now, watch some of the personalities here. Jacob had been pretty sure of himself leaving his family. We could see that in the way he informed God that IF God would fulfill certain demands Jacob was making, THEN Jacob would worship Him. But Jacob has just been tricked. He will work another seven years for Laban, but then a test of wits will ensue which is extremely interesting.

Now turn your attention to the two brides.

Leah is said to have had 'weak eyes.' It could also mean delicate eyes. It could also mean something else -- that she was not pleasing to look at. She had lived so many years being second to a beautiful younger sister and here she is rejected on the first morning of her marriage. I cannot imagine the pain this woman went through in her heart. She must have been a very humble woman.

Not so Rachel. Watch Rachel in the coming days. She was a brat! Probably spoiled from early childhood, used to getting her way, and not terribly obedient to her husband at a crucial point, and yet his favorite, nevertheless. This interplay of personalities -- two very sure people, Jacob and Rachel; and one humble woman yearning for love, Leah -- will be part of what determines future events.

[ July 01, 2002, 02:30 AM: Message edited by: Helen ]

 

You come up with some of the most interesting things, Glen! I don't always think I agree -- but I am not always sure about not agreeing, either! You DO make me do a lot of extra thinking! Thanks