Jacob's Two Wives
Study Notes for Bible Study April 4, 2009 - Wayne Vinson
(Gen 29:1) And Jacob lifted his feet and went to the land of the sons of the east.
The land of Babylon; the direction from which God's annointed come. The land from which the bride is retrieved. ("...Come out of her, my people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues." Rev 18:4)
(Gen 29:2) And he looked, and behold, a well was in the field! And, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it, for they watered the flocks out of that well. And a great stone was upon the well's mouth.
One would expect to find a well, a type of God's word in the land of the east, for it is the misuse of it that makes God's church to be Babylon. Note also that the number of flocks is given as three. As in all other instances of this number in scripture, we are here seeing a representation of the flesh or the carnal mind. Also, the well is blocked by a great stone. If we take this stone, as others, to pertain to Jesus Christ, then in this context we can see how the flesh of Christ was an obstacle to the reception of the holy spirit: "...It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you..." Joh 16:7)
(Gen 29:3) And all the flocks were gathered there. And they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in its place.
(Gen 29:4) And Jacob said to them, My brothers, where are you from? And they said, We are from Haran.
Jacob acknowledges his physical ties with these people of the east.
(Gen 29:5) And he said to them, Do you know Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.
(Gen 29:6) And he said to them, Is he well? And they said, He is well. And, behold, his daughter Rachel comes with the sheep.
(Gen 29:7) And he said, Lo, the day is yet high. It is not yet time for gathering the cattle together. Water the sheep, and go feed them.
(Gen 29:8) And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks have been gathered together. And they roll the stone from the well's mouth, then we water the sheep.
(Gen 29:9) While he still spoke with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she kept them.
(Gen 29:10) And it happened when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, then Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flocks of Laban his mother's brother.
Notice the contrast between these shepherds and Jacob. They wait; for more sheep, for someone else to roll off the stone. Their presence is almost perfunctory. Jacob on the other hand, removes the stone and does the watering. Furthermore, we are told that he did this specifically for Rachel and for Laban's flock. Thus this service is for an elect minority. The three previous flocks have their own providers who will tend to them in their own time. Note also, that we are told three times in this one verse, verse 10, that Laban is Jacob's mother's brother. Jacob's familial ties to the lands of the east are stressed as we should be able to identify, as our savior, with the rest of the world.
(Gen 29:11) And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept.
(Gen 29:12) And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son. And she ran and told her father.
Like Christ, Jacob identifies himself with she for whom he has come by ties of the flesh. Christ was able to identify with us through his coming in the flesh.
(Gen 29:13) And it happened when Laban heard the news of Jacob his sister's son, he ran to meet him and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.
(Gen 29:14) And Laban said to him, Surely you are my bone and my flesh. And he stayed with him for a month.
Again, and reciprocally, Laban embraces Jacob by reason of their shared relations and by virtue of bone and flesh. ("...a spirit has not flesh and bones, as you see me have." Luk 24:39)
(Gen 29:15) And Laban said to Jacob, Because you are my brother, should you then serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall be your wages?
(Gen 29:16) And Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
As we already know from other sibling pairs in scripture, the younger is favored by God over the older just as the new creation is favored over the old.
(Gen 29:17) And Leah was weak of eyes, but Rachel was beautiful and well-favored.
(Gen 29:18) And Jacob loved Rachel, and said, I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.
Besides being a gesture of his love for Rachel, the number of years is also indicative of the sufficiency of the time for God's purpose; a purpose of which Jacob is presently quite unaware. But we should be aware of what is transpiring in spiritual terms. Jacob is the chosen son, and through him and his descendents are supposed to come the promises of God. A wife is a prerequisite of these promises. Jacob has a plan to achieve the promise and is committed to working hard on its execution. Here is both a necessary experience as well as an error on his part and ours simply by virtue of our carnality. At this point of our walk that is being exemplified by Jacob, we have not yet grasped the extent of God's sovereignty nor the nature of his grace.
(Gen 29:19) And Laban said, It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.
(Gen 29:20) And Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him a few days, for the love he had for her.
(Gen 29:21) And Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, so that I may go in to her.
Jacob is quite satisfied with his work and confident that he has fully earned his prize. Sure this is an affront to the true worth of any woman, but more importantly it is an affront to God, his promises, and his grace. But at this point, Jacob is (just as we are) fully justified in his own mind.
(Gen 29:22) And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
(Gen 29:23) And it happened in the evening, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to him. And he went in to her.
How appropriate it is that Jacob is carried away with his own success (no doubt through liberal application of wine and beer) at this moment. For it is in this same state of self-assurance and confidence in the flesh that all are deemed drunk throughout scriptures. So much so that we are unaware of the true reward for our labors until it is too late; in Jacob's case, a woman for which he had no desire.
(Gen 29:24) And Laban gave Zilpah his slave woman to his daughter Leah for a handmaid.
(Gen 29:25) And it happened in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you tricked me?
Of course, at this moment of righteous indignation, it probably doesn't occur to Jacob that he is merely reaping what he has sown through his deceit of his father for the inheritance that was Esau's.
(Gen 29:26) And Laban said, It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the first-born.
Of course not. The ways of the world are contrary to the ways of God.
(Gen 29:27) Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you shall serve with me still another seven years.
(Gen 29:28) And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. And he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.
Fulfill the week of her marriage feast. In other words, when we apply ourselves according to our own wisdom, understanding, and ability instead of seeking God's instruction, we must live with the consequences. This, too, is part of God's grace and the work that he is doing in us.
(Gen 29:29) And Laban gave Bilhah his slave woman to his daughter Rachel, to be her handmaid.
(Gen 29:30) And he also went in to Rachel. He also loved Rachel more than Leah, and served with him still seven more years.
In contrast to the first seven years and the reception of Leah, Jacob receives Rachel at the outset. The seven (sufficient) years of labor follow. This typifies the work and fruit that comes from the reception of God's grace. We do not work to bring about changes in our lives, we work because of the changes brought about by God. Our very nature and outlook have been transformed.
(Gen 29:31) And when Jehovah saw that Leah was hated, even He opened her womb. But Rachel was barren.
Just as he was with Hagar before, and Cain before her, God is merciful, even in his rejection. Even those who are cut off are recepients of God's provisions.
(Gen 29:32) And Leah conceived and bore a son. And she called his name Reuben, for she said, Surely Jehovah has looked upon my afflictions. Now therefore my husband will love me.
(Gen 29:33) And she conceived again, and bore a son, and said, Because Jehovah has heard that I was hated, He has therefore given me this son also. And she called his name Simeon.
(Gen 29:34) And she conceived again, and bore a son, and said, Now this time my husband will return to me, because I have borne him three sons. Therefore his name was called Levi.
(Gen 29:35) And she conceived again, and bore a son; and she said, This time I will praise Jehovah. Therefore she called his name Judah, and quit bearing.
In rapid succession, she produces four sons for Jacob, while Rachel has yet to produce one. Why? In type, it is because that Jacob is not yet able to produce spiritual fruit. He has received grace from God, but he has yet to be sufficiently transformed that he might produce fruit that is acceptable to God.
(Gen 30:1) And when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister. And she said to Jacob, Give me sons, or else I will die.
(Gen 30:2) And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel. And he said, Am I in God's stead, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?
Jacob demonstrates his newly acquired understanding of the sovereignty of God.
(Gen 30:3) And she said, Behold my slave woman Bilhah; go in to her, and she shall bear upon my knees, and yea, let me be built up from her, me also.
(Gen 30:4) And she gave him her slave woman Bilhah to wife. And Jacob went in to her.
So much for his new understanding.
(Gen 30:5) And Bilhah conceived, and bore Jacob a son.
(Gen 30:6) And Rachel said, God has judged me, and has also heard my voice, and has given me a son. Therefore she called his name Dan.
(Gen 30:7) And Rachel's slave woman Bilhah conceived again, and bore Jacob a second son.
(Gen 30:8) And Rachel said, With the wrestlings of God I have wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed. And she called his name Naphtali.
(Gen 30:9) When Leah saw that she had quit bearing, she took her slave woman Zilpah and gave her to Jacob to wife.
(Gen 30:10) And Leah's slave woman Zilpah bore Jacob a son.
(Gen 30:11) And Leah said, With fortune. And she called his name Gad.
(Gen 30:12) And Leah's slave woman Zilpah bore Jacob a second son.
(Gen 30:13) And Leah said, I am happy, for the daughters will call me blessed. And she called his name Asher.
Can you see the similarities between the elect and the rejected at this time? Both are expoiting those under their authority for their own gain. Both are looking to others to produce what they cannot in hopes that the fruits of the labor of others will be to their own credit.
(Gen 30:14) And Reuben went out in the days of the wheat harvest, and found love-apples in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. And Rachel said to Leah, please give me some of your son's love-apples.
(Gen 30:15) And she said to her, Is it a small matter that you have taken my husband? And would you also take my son's love-apples? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with you tonight for your son's love-apples.
(Gen 30:16) And Jacob came out of the field in the evening. And Leah went out to meet him, and said, You must come in to me, for I have surely hired you with my son's love-apples. And he lay with her that night.
It is significant that we are told that this happens in the days of the wheat harvest. This is not the earlier harvest of barley. It does not pertain to the firstfruits. This is what transpires in the lives of those who are later in the harvest. Rachel desires these plants, whether as some suppose, for their aphrodisiac qualities or for some other reason. Regardless, she is willing to sell out her husband to acquire them. And this at a time when, from the context, Jacob has left off in his attendance to Leah in favor of Rachel. She essentially has him to herself and has won out in her competition with her sister to the point that Leah feels the need to bargain with her for his time. And now Rachel values him so little. Her desire for the man of God is, in a figure, being eclipsed by her sister's.
(Gen 30:17) And God listened to Leah, and she conceived, and bore Jacob the fifth son.
(Gen 30:18) And Leah said, God has given me my hire, because I gave my slave to my husband. And she called his name Issachar.
(Gen 30:19) And Leah conceived again, and bore Jacob the sixth son.
(Gen 30:20) And Leah said, God has given me a good present. Now my husband will live with me, because I have borne him six sons. And she called his name Zebulun.
(Gen 30:21) And afterward she bore a daughter, and called her name Dinah.
In her zeal, Leah is able to produce two more sons. As two is the number of witness, perhaps this served as a testimony to Rachel and to her shame for 'pulling an Esau' and trading the blessings of God for those of the soil. Nevertheless, it is significant that Leah produced six sons (the number of man) and left off bearing with a daughter. This pictured the inadequacy of the called at the same time that it showed the mercy of God to the rejected. It would of course be at this time, the time of the fulness of the Gentiles as it were, that God would then bless Rachel with a son of her own.
(Gen 30:22) And God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.
(Gen 30:23) And she conceived and bore a son, and she said, God has taken away my reproach.
(Gen 30:24) And she called his name Joseph. And she said, May Jehovah add another son to me.
And of course this is indeed what would happen as it is a prophecy of the younger sons of God that would come after the first son of God.
(Gen 30:25) And when Rachel had borne Joseph, it happened that Jacob said to Laban, Send me away so that I may go into my own place and to my country.
(Gen 30:26) Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served you, and let me go. For you know my service which I have done you.
Notice that Joseph's arrival coincides with Jacob's desire to separate himself from his fleshly kin who is no kindred spirit. But of course, just as Israel was restrained from leaving by Egypt, who typifies the world, so Jacob will find that Laban, his near kin, as the church is our near kin, has too much hope of receiving the blessings of God through Jacob to not try to bargain with him.