Genesis 29 Sister Switch
Jacob goes to Laban for safety and to find a wife. It wasn’t Jacob’s idea. It was his parents. Laban does a ‘sister switch’ on him so that he winds up with two wives instead of one.
We will rejoin Jacob on his journey to safety from Esau. Esau isn’t chasing him, but neither is Esau over the deception. Jacob has also had his first personal encounter with God. Isaac passed on the promises of Abraham to Jacob just before Jacob left. And God reaffirms His protection of Jacob by repeating the promises to him personally. But Jacob’s journey and fulfillment of those promises are FAR from being completed.
Let’s rejoin Jacob as he finally arrives at the country of Rebekah’s origins. The place where Laban lives, and his wives await their futures.
♥ ♦ ♥
This has been a long journey. One that was not without its challenges, but one that could easily have been made much harder. It’s not safe for anyone to travel alone! Thieves and bandits abound. Yet, Jacob doesn’t meet with any of them on his solo journey. Jacob can only attribute his arriving in peace as the hand of his Abba’s God watching over him. And Jacob can see the end of his journey in sight!
Jacob knew he was near to place where he was told Laban lived. He had been asking those he met along the way. They had directed him to this place; the fields near Haran. Laban was said to live around here.
Jacob takes his time and looks around. What he sees is out of the ordinary. He sees three flocks of sheep laying down in the field. Their shepherds appeared to be waiting for something. But what?
The shepherds are laughing and joking with one another as Jacob approaches them. He calls out a greeting and a question. “My brothers, where do you come from?” (verse 4a).
“We are from Haran” (verse 4b) is their immediate reply.
At least he knows he is in the right place. Now to actually locate his uncle Laban. “Do you know Laban son of Nahor?” (verse 5a).
“We know him” (verse 5b) they answered without hesitation of suspicion.
“Right town, right people” thinks Jacob. “Is it well with him?” (verse 6a) Jacob asks.
“It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!” (verse 6b).
Jacob looks out and sees a beautiful young woman bringing a flock of sheep to the place where he is standing. He wants time to talk to Rachel alone, so he quickly comes up with a way to send the other shepherds on their way.
“Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep and go. Pasture them” (verse 7).
Some of the shepherds are chuckling while another is wondering who this man is to be telling them what to do. The senior shepherd answers Jacob’s comment. “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep” (verse 8).
Jacob doesn’t even have time to respond before Rachel arrives with her father’s sheep. Rather than a verbal response to these men, Jacob immediately comes up with a physical response designed to impress all of them.
Jacob quickly goes to the large stone covering the well. This rock is HEAVY, thus the reason all the flocks have to be gathered together. Moving it is not a one-man job, but Jacob makes it one. He lifts the rock, drops it to the side and then quickly moves to herd Laban’s sheep into place to drink first. He fills the troughs to running over, ensuring that there is enough for the entire flock.
Rachel has been watching with rapt attention. “Who is this handsome stranger” she wonders. “So strong and so ‘in charge’.”
As soon as Jacob has the sheep drinking from the trough, he goes over to where Rachel stands; watching him. Rachel is startled at first at the speed with which Jacob approaches her, but she doesn’t run. She stands her ground.
Jacob is so relieved at finding his uncle as well as his beautiful daughter that he grabs Rachel by the shoulders and quickly kisses her cheeks. Then he begins to weep in relief. “I have been on a LONG journey to find you! I am a kinsman of your Abba, Laban. My Ima is his sister, Rebekah.”
Rachel immediately recognizes Rebakah’s name. The family have not stopped talking about her and the servant who came bearing gifts so that their kinsman could have her as his bride. Without waiting to hear more, she turns and runs to her father; the sheep forgotten.
Jacob watches after the sheep in Rachel’s absence. He makes sure they have had enough to drink. Once all the flocks have been watered, Jacob helps return the stone to the mouth of the well. The men talk amiably as the sheep drink their fill. Jacob keeps one eye fixed on the direction that Rachel disappeared. As the other shepherds begin herding their sheep back into the fields, Laban comes running over the rise that Rachel once appeared over.
Laban, although he was a large man, was quickly closing the distance between him and Jacob. As soon as he was within arm’s length, Laban grabbed hold of Jacob and enfolds him into a tight hug. He then kisses Jacob as Jacob had done to Rachel.
Jacob is overjoyed to finally have arrived AND found his uncle! A large portion of his task is now complete. Once Laban releases Jacob from his hug, Jacob begins to ‘unpack’ his journey for his uncle. He tells Laban about his Abba blessing him for this journey and some of the exciting moments along the way. He does NOT include the fact that he is fleeing from his brother in his recitation of the events.
It wasn’t long into his story before Laban began ushering Jacob towards his home. Rachel had returned by then and was again tending the sheep. Jacob tried to join her, but Laban wouldn’t hear of it. “It is her job. When she brings the sheep in for the night, she can join us then.”
Jacob keeps stealing glances over his shoulder at Rachel as he is herded along a different path by his uncle. He is looking forward to getting to know her better when her day is done.
Evening sees the whole family gathered for their meal. Rachel quickly washed, combed her hair, and changed into her best dress before joining the family. Her sister, Leah, has done the same but she had much less to ‘wash off’ as her duties are confined to the home.
Laban’s daughters serve the meal to the men. Jacob can’t help but smile every time Rachel offers him something to eat of drink. He barely notices Leah, as Rachel makes certain that she is the one tending to Jacob’s needs.
When everyone has eaten and the dishes are cleared away, all the members of Laban’s household gather to hear Jacob’s tales. He shares tales of life in Beersheba, Beer-lahai-roi, and even Gerar. He tells of how his Abba has built a great fortune for himself. How his Ima rules the tents of his company. Even of some of his friction with his brother. He still left out the part where his brother was vowing to kill him, as why.
During his tales, Rachel sat as close was proper while Leah sat back. Leah, as well as everyone else, could already read Rachel’s interest in their kinsman. Laban was holding back his full judgment, as most any man of Jacob’s age should already be married. Laban listened to Jacob’s stories for any hints of another wife. Not that it was uncommon for a man to have more than one wife, but a man who would travel this great distance and leave his family behind was certainly not one he would pick for his daughters. And Rachel WANTED to be picked!
The next morning, Jacob went to the fields with Rachel and Laban’s sheep. They spent the day talking about the different places he had been. Rachel had only lived in one place her whole life. He family had moved a few times, but that was before hers or Leah’s births. She was fascinated to hear about other people and their customs. Jacob obliged her is sharing his stories, but he really wanted to hear more about her. That would have to wait for tomorrow, as she was quick to bring up another question that he felt obliged to answer. It made his smile, the way she gave him her full attention. He had to occasionally force a halt in the conversation in order to attend to the sheep’s needs.
When they took the flock to water this day, Jacob moved the stone for Rachel again. The other shepherds allowed him to water Laban’s flock first, again, without saying a word. The smiles on Jacob and Rachel’s faces told them all they needed to know.
The days went on with Jacob spending much of his time in the fields with Rachel. It took a while for the conversation to turn to her and her family. One question Jacob had was regarding Leah.
“Why does your sister squint her eyes so?”
“She has weak eyes. She doesn’t see well in brighter places” answered Rachel.
“Is there nothing that can be done for her?”
“No. This has been her lot since she was a young child.” Rebekah then shared something that Jacob wasn’t expecting. “Abba says that her eyes are the reason that no one has spoken for her in marriage. They are afraid that any child she bears will suffer the same affliction.”
“Do you think this is true?”
“I don’t know. There have been no others in our family that have had this infirmity.”
The matter was then dropped and forgotten with the budding new relationship. After two weeks of Rachel and Jacob sharing one ‘job’, Jacob told Rachel that he felt uncomfortable not doing his share of work. Rachel then began staying at home while Jacob cared for Laban’s sheep. Laban found plenty of other tasks to occupy Rachel’s time.
After Jacob had been with Laban a month, Laban decided it was time to actually pay Jacob for his time in the fields and find out his intentions. One morning, right after breakfast was done, Laban walked with Jacob to the sheep pen.
“Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” (verse 15).
Jacob was ready with an answer. He was in love with Rachel, but had no bride price to give Laban for her. He had nothing in his purse and only a promise of an inheritance some day in a land far away.
Jacob stopped and looked directly into Laban’s eyes as he laid out his proposal. “I will serve you seven years for your daughter Rachel” (verse 18).
Laban scratched his chin, as if considering Jacob’s proposal. After a moment, Laban nodded and then gave his answer. “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me” (verse 19).
This answer pleased Jacob immensely. Not only would he have a wife but he would have a place to stay, food to eat, and a job to occupy his time. At the moment, he desired nothing more.
Jacob and Rachel grew closer over the next seven years. They shared everything, including the secret of why Jacob had actually left his home. Rachel felt sorry for him. It wasn’t his fault that his Ima had given him such devious instructions. After all, aren’t we to obey our parents?
Jacob also shared his Abba’s God with Rachel. She had heard of His hand in regard to bringing Abraham’s servant to her own Abba. But Jacob shared ALL the stories of His hand moving in the lives of his family. Rachel accepted these stories but still held reservations; which she kept to herself.
The seven years seemed to both fly by and drag at the same time. The day was finally here. Jacob would have to approach Laban, as Laban seemed to have forgotten about the time and his promise. But Laban certainly hadn’t forgotten about how much his own wealth had increased under Jacob’s hand.
On the seven-year anniversary date, Jacob asked Laban to walk with him in the cool of the evening. Laban agreed and the two found themselves looking out over the fields.
“Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed” (verse 21).
“You are right my son. We will make a feast of it! Your wedding will be glorious.”
Laban had not forgotten about the contract, as he would have Jacob believe. Laban had been counting the days and making plans. He could NOT let Jacob go away. And if he married Rachel, he might just do that. Laban would not only be losing a daughter but forfeiting a blessing! Jacob’s God seemed to bless everything Jacob set his hand to.
Two days later, a great feast was laid out for everyone. All the people in the area were invited to the wedding. Good food and wine flowed from evening late into the night. When it was finally time for Laban to present his daughter to Jacob, there was a twinkle in Laban’s eye that went unnoticed.
Jacob, giddy with excitement and a little drunk, received his bride’s hand and swept her away into the bridal tent. Jacob’s bride was unusually quiet in words, but her hands made up for it. They quickly disrobed one another and lay down on the sumptuous mound of furs. They wasted little time in consummating their marriage. Exhausted and spent, they fell asleep in each other’s arms; his bride still not uttering a word.
Morning arrived and brought the first light into the marriage tent. Jacob looked down to take in his beautiful wife’s face. Shock hit him when he saw the adoring eyes of Leah looking back at him. Her smile was innocent as she gazed at her husband.
Jacob quickly untangled himself from her arms, roughly pushing her away. “How did you get in here” he demanded, leveling an accusing stare at Leah’s naked form.
“You brought me my husband.”
“You tricked me!” Jacob hissed.
Leah’s face crumples with shame and hurt. “I thought my Abba explained it to you” she cries.
“Explained what!”
Leah would say no more. She dissolved into sobs on the very bed they had shared the night before.
Jacob quickly redresses and leaves the tent intent on finding Laban. He wasn’t hard to find. In fact, Laban seemed to be waiting for this very moment.
Jacob stalked up to Laban and demanded and answer. “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” (verse 25b).
Laban looked at Jacob as if in shock. “Didn’t you know our customs? ‘It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn…’”
Jacob’s mouth drops open and he readies to speak. Laban raises a hand to stall him.
“’Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years’ (verses 26-27).”
Jacob knows there is nothing he can do. If he wished to marry the woman he loves, he must follow the customs set out by her Abba. If he did any less, he would lose her forever. Jacob returns to the bridal tent to find Leah still waiting inside. He has already committed to her, so he seeks solace in her arms.
“I did not know that you were unaware of our customs. I didn’t mean to deceive you. I simply did as my Abba instructed” pleaded Leah. Leah thought her pleas had been successful in calming her husband’s heart, until their wedding week ended.
Rachel was waiting for Jacob as soon as the two of them exited their tent. Her eyes were swollen and her face splotchy from crying. She flung herself into Jacob’s arms and he received her with gladness.
“I tried to stop him” Rachel sobs.
“It will be alright” Jacob sooths. “We will have our time very soon.” Jacob lovingly wipes the tears from her eyes.
Jacob and Rachel walk to the house arm in arm with Leah trailing behind. And this would be where Leah would live for the rest of her days.
Two days later, Laban hosts another feast. This time, Jacob avoids the wine. He will NOT fall for another trick. When he takes his bride into their wedding tent, Jacob cautiously removes her vail. Though it is as dark as the night he brought Leah into their tent, he looks closely at his bride.
“It is I my husband” Rachel softly sings out to him.
Relief washes over Jacob so fully that his legs melt under him and he falls to the carefully stacked bed of furs. He and Rachel take their time in discovering one another. Their voices and sounds of laughter float through the walls of the tent and fall upon the ears of Leah. She is happy for her sister, but her heart breaks at the obvious difference in how her husband responds to her sister.
A week passes and Jacob and Rachel emerge from the wedding tent. They are all smiles. As they make their way to the house, Leah once again, falls in line behind them.
(to be continued)
I have a quick question. Did Laban move? When Rebekah was taken for Isaac, Laban lived in Nahor. Now he lives in Haran. Nahor is the name of Terah’s third son. Nahor remained behind in Ur when Terah took off with Abram and Lot, Haran’s son. Haran died in Ur before Terah took off. Nahor’s family apparently left Ur because his name is conveyed to the city where he lived and raised his children. I don’t find any reference as to the distance between these two places. But Jacob had to have known that Laban had moved.
Is it possible that Laban’s family moved to Harah to be there with Terah when he died? Terah was alive at the time when Rebeka went to be married to Isaac, but he was living in Haran, not Nahor. There were another 9 years that Terah lived past the time when Isaac got married.
I sympathies with Leah but I also identify with Rachel. I hurt for the pain inflicted on her by her father’s deception. While I think it fitting that Jacob, the deceiver, got deceived. This is a pain that would never go away; not even after Rachels’ death. Jacob had MANY children with Leah, but he didn’t love her. She was a tool; especially since Rachel couldn’t have children. But that is a story for another day.
I identify with Rachel in the older having to do everything first. My dad said I couldn’t have my learners permit to drive until after my sister got her license. She was on her second permit, as the first had expired, when he asked me when I was getting my permit. My mom said “We are going tomorrow.” I got my license first. I also got married first and had a child first. Not that we are keeping score!
Father God, You made something BEAUTIFUL out of Leah’s pain. She would rank with Rachel in history. You also provided a husband for her when none would have her. Even if it was through deceit, You fulfilled her purpose and desire.
How did they function as co-wives? I know jealousy abounded, but did they put that aside when caring for Jacob’s children? How did their behavior impact the kids? We know that Jacob’s favoritism definitely had an impact! Joseph was sold because of it. But, even this, You would redeem.
