Key Theme: Idolatry
[Core Gospel Concepts: Sin, Identity in Christ]
In Jacob’s dream about the ladder to heaven, God renewed his covenant promises with him (great nation, great name, blessing to him, blessing to all nations). After this Jacob went on his way to the land of his uncle Laban. After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, Laban said to him, “Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”
Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah had weak eyes1, but Rachel was lovely in form and beautiful. Jacob was in love with Rachel and said to Laban, “I’ll work for you for seven years in return for your younger daughter, Rachel.”
Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.” So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.
Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to lie with her.” So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and Jacob lay with her. . . When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?”
Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one. Finish this daughter’s bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also in return for another seven years of work.”
And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. . . Jacob lay with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.
*(May mean weak or poor eyesight. Or might mean “soft” or attractive eyes. I.e. Leah only had pretty eyes, but Rachel was beautiful in face and form.)
When the LORD saw that Leah was not loved, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben (from Hebrew word “to see”), for she said, “It is because the LORD has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.”
She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the LORD heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon (from “to hear”).
Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi (from “to attach”).
She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” So she named him Judah ((from “to be praised”). Then she stopped having children.
Rachel had no sons for many years and was jealous of Leah, but finally God gave her two sons. However it was Leah’s son Judah who became the ancestor of King David and eventually Jesus Christ.
Optional Memory Verse: Jeremiah 2:13 - My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water