Jacob departed from Canaan to find a wife from the house of Laban (27:41-28:2), his mother Rebekah’s brother. On his journey toward Haran, the Lord appeared to Jacob in a dream to affirm the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant through him (28:10-15). Jacob rejoiced in God’s goodness and worshiped Him there in Bethel (28:16-22). When Jacob arrived in the land of the people of the East, he stopped at a well where many flocks of sheep were watered (29:1-2). Jacob began talking with the shepherds who had gathered their flocks at the well and inquired if they knew Laban (29:3-5). The shepherds said that they were familiar with Laban and told Jacob that Laban’s daughter, Rachel, was coming with her sheep right then (29:6). As Rachel arrived at the well with her sheep, Jacob quickly rolled the stone from the mouth of the well and watered her sheep (29:7-10). “Then Jacob kissed Rachel and lifted up his voice and wept. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative and that he was Rebekah’s son. So she ran and told her father” (29:11-12). When Laban heard Rachel’s report, “he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to is house…and he stayed with him for one month” (29:13-14).
After Jacob had been there for a while, Laban insisted on paying him for his work so he asked what his wage should be. Jacob responded by saying that he would work for Laban seven years if he would give him Rachel as his wife (29:18). Laban had two daughters, Leah and Rachel. Leah was the oldest, but she was less beautiful than her younger sister Rachel, who was described as “beautiful of form and appearance” (29:15-17). Laban agreed to these terms (29:19), but at the end of the seven years he deceitfully sent Leah in to consummate the marriage with Jacob instead of Rachel (29:20-24). Jacob would not have realized the identity of the woman he was sleeping with because of the veil she was wearing. In the morning, Jacob discovered that he had consummated the marriage with Leah instead of Rachel. Jacob had deceived his brother and father (Genesis 27) and now Jacob was feeling the pains of deception. Laban explained to Jacob that he had done this because it was not acceptable for the younger daughter to be married before the older daughter (29:25-26). Although Jacob was disappointed with Laban’s deceit, he agreed to work for him another seven years if he would give him Rachel as a wife following the week long wedding celebration and prior to the seven years of service (29:27-29). Now that Jacob was married to two women, which was not God’s plan (Genesis 2:24; Leviticus 18:18), many problems would arise since Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah (29:30).
Dear God, keep me from a deceptive heart.
