Genesis 29:15-30
“Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsmen, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.” Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” So Laban gather together all the people of the place and made a feast. But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went to her.”
Have you ever been in a business deal and it went so well that later as you looked back on how things happened you wonder how could I have not seen that coming? Laban is so happy to have his sister’s son in his home, Jacob is family and he looks and talks like family, plus he is a hard worker. It was not God’s plan so this did not happen but it seems that Laban would have been delighted for his daughter to marry Jacob. It is also of interest to see who made the offer or contract; not Laban but Jacob and Laban was more than happy to accept the terms.
If only Jacob had more insight into his Uncle, he might have understood that the old uncle was somewhat of a politician and had the ability to do what it took to get what he wanted. If we go back to his relationship with his sister Rebekah and Abraham’s servant in chapter 24:29-30, “Laban ran out toward the man, to the spring. As soon as he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and heard the words of Rebekah his sister.” Even as a young man he was quick to see value and Laban knew how to close the deal.
The Scripture states that Leah eyes were weak, and your guess is as good as mine on what that meant, but some believe that they were of a lighter color and others that she could not see very well, but one point is very clear, Rachel is a good looking lady and she has stolen Jacob’s heart. I’ve been told that when you’re in love time can fly and that is what Jacob testified to in the verses above.
For seven years and one month all has gone well, Jacob has only trust for his uncle and the contract that was made between them, but Laban has a problem. We do not know what Laban was thinking; He may have thought that Leah would be married by this time, but she is not, and custom is that the older must marry first, so Laban comes up with a plan to do just that. It’s called bait-and-switch and it seemed to work well until the next morning. Picking up in verse twenty-five, “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 you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” We know the answer that Laban gave, but once more I wonder if it was flash back for Jacob and he remembered his own actions in deceiving his father to get his brother’s blessing.
Laban makes it clear that Jacob was to complete the week with Leah and then he could marry Rachel and serve seven more years of service to Laban. Verse thirty is one of those sad verses in Scripture, a marriage with no love; “So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years.”
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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