But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her. Rachel gave those secret signs over to Leah so that Yaakov would think Leah was Rachel, and Leah would not be embarrassed. She called him Assachar. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” 28 Jacob did so, and completed her week. Finally, she bore Jacob a daughter, Dinah.
I think that over the years Jacob come to love Leah. She certainly was more congenial than Rachel. She was more devoted to her husband than her sister was. Rachel seemed to only care about herself. Rachel was a bitter, jealous, deceitful and conniving woman all her life. She was a child that never grew up. Leah was hated but loved her husband anyway. She knew that she could not compete with her sister with her looks so she just took care of Jacob like a good wife should. She was more mature than her sister. God always blesses someone who is humble and someone who is faithful. Leah was both. She may not have been very attractive but her heart was right with God and with her husband. Rachel died young but Leah lived a long life. God blessed Leah in that two of her sons were important in Jewish history. From Levi came the priestly line and from Judah came the Messianic line.
The third mistake that Jacob made in dealing with the two sisters was that of favoritism. (Genesis 29:30) And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. Can you imagine how Leah must have felt? All of her life since she was born her sister Rachel got all the attention. When Leah marries and thinks she has found some happiness of her own she finds out that her husband despises her and still wants her sister instead. So she not only has to share her husband but continue to take second place to her sister for the rest of her life.
Rachel and Leah—two sisters, the two wives of Jacob, and two of the matriarchs of our people. 18 Jacob loved Rachel. Rachel and Leah—two powerful but contrasting personalities, each representing a world of her own.
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters. Because we know the story we know that Rachel also eventually married Ya'akov, but when Rachel shared those secret signs with Leah she herself did not know the outcome. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” 22 So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast. She does this simply so that her sister not feel acutely embarrassed.Rachel is associated with the revealed, beautiful world of the present
Leah agreed, on condition that Rachel commanded Jacob to have sexual intercourse with Leah that night. As her swindling father veils Leah, replacing Rachel as Jacob’s bride, Rachel not only remains silent, but aids her sister with the deception. Later, another son arrived for Leah, whom she called Zebulun. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. From her perspective she was giving up on the love and the dream of her life!
In Leah’s hour of need, Rachel performed the greatest act of self-sacrifice by relinquishing her own destined husband in order to spare Leah degradation. Rachel complied, and this resulted in a fifth son for Leah. we are taught that Yaakov, knowing that Lavan was a trickster de luxe, gave Rachel special secret signs between them so that he could be sure that it was Rachel he would be marrying. 29 (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) 30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years. 24 (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) 25 And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” 26 Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 17 Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.
I think that over the years Jacob come to love Leah. She certainly was more congenial than Rachel. She was more devoted to her husband than her sister was. Rachel seemed to only care about herself. Rachel was a bitter, jealous, deceitful and conniving woman all her life. She was a child that never grew up. Leah was hated but loved her husband anyway. She knew that she could not compete with her sister with her looks so she just took care of Jacob like a good wife should. She was more mature than her sister. God always blesses someone who is humble and someone who is faithful. Leah was both. She may not have been very attractive but her heart was right with God and with her husband. Rachel died young but Leah lived a long life. God blessed Leah in that two of her sons were important in Jewish history. From Levi came the priestly line and from Judah came the Messianic line.
The third mistake that Jacob made in dealing with the two sisters was that of favoritism. (Genesis 29:30) And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. Can you imagine how Leah must have felt? All of her life since she was born her sister Rachel got all the attention. When Leah marries and thinks she has found some happiness of her own she finds out that her husband despises her and still wants her sister instead. So she not only has to share her husband but continue to take second place to her sister for the rest of her life.
Rachel and Leah—two sisters, the two wives of Jacob, and two of the matriarchs of our people. 18 Jacob loved Rachel. Rachel and Leah—two powerful but contrasting personalities, each representing a world of her own.
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters. Because we know the story we know that Rachel also eventually married Ya'akov, but when Rachel shared those secret signs with Leah she herself did not know the outcome. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” 22 So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast. She does this simply so that her sister not feel acutely embarrassed.Rachel is associated with the revealed, beautiful world of the present
Leah agreed, on condition that Rachel commanded Jacob to have sexual intercourse with Leah that night. As her swindling father veils Leah, replacing Rachel as Jacob’s bride, Rachel not only remains silent, but aids her sister with the deception. Later, another son arrived for Leah, whom she called Zebulun. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. From her perspective she was giving up on the love and the dream of her life!
In Leah’s hour of need, Rachel performed the greatest act of self-sacrifice by relinquishing her own destined husband in order to spare Leah degradation. Rachel complied, and this resulted in a fifth son for Leah. we are taught that Yaakov, knowing that Lavan was a trickster de luxe, gave Rachel special secret signs between them so that he could be sure that it was Rachel he would be marrying. 29 (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) 30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years. 24 (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) 25 And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” 26 Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 17 Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.
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