And when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.
1. envied ] The desire for children and the dread of the reproach of childlessness are frequently referred to in Scripture, e.g. 1 Samuel 1. In this chapter the childlessness of Rachel should be compared with that of Sarah and Rebekah (Gen 16:5, Gen 25:21). It is part of the discipline of the covenant.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Gen 29:31 to Gen 30:24. Birth of Jacob’s Children
31 35 (J); Gen 30:1-24 (J, E and P)
In this section is narrated the account of the birth of eleven sons and one daughter. Six of the sons, viz. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun, and the daughter Dinah, are the children of Leah; Gad and Asher are the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid; Dan and Naphtali are the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid; and Joseph is the son of Rachel. These are all born to Jacob in Haran. The only son born in Canaan is Benjamin (see Gen 35:16-19).
It has been conjectured that this account not only furnishes the popular etymology of the names of the tribes of Israel, but may also symbolize, under the terms of family life, the growth of Israelite clans into a united, though composite, people in the land of Mesopotamia, before the migration into Canaan.
The explanation of the meaning of the names is of the usual popular kind, based upon resemblances of sound. The fact that in some cases more than one etymology is given reflects the composite nature of the narrative (cf. Gen 30:16; Gen 30:18; Gen 30:20; Gen 30:23-24).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
– Jacobs Family and Wealth
6. dan, Dan, judge, lord.
8. naptaly, Naphtali, wrestling.
11. gad, Gad, overcoming, victory. bagad, in victory or = ba’ gad, victory cometh. gud, press down. gedud, troop.
13. ‘aasher, Asher, prosperity, happiness.
18. ysaskar, Jissakar, reward. The second Hebrew letter ( s) seems to have been merely a full mode of writing the word, instead of the abbreviated form ysakar.
20. zebulun, Zebulun, dwelling. There is here a play upon the two words zabad, to endow and zabal, to dwell, the latter of which, however, prevails in the name. They occur only here as verbs.
21. dynah, Dinah, judgment.
24. yoseph, Joseph, he shall add. There is, however, an obvious allusion to the thought. God hath taken away ( ‘asap) my reproach. Double references, we find, are usual in the giving of names (see Gen 25:30).
This chapter is the continuation of the former, and completes the history of Jacob in Haran. The event immediately following probably took place after Leah had borne two of her sons, though not admitted into the narrative until she had paused for a short time.
Gen 30:1-8
Bilhah, Rachels maid, bears two sons. Rachel becomes impatient of her barrenness and jealous of her sister, and unjustly reproaches her husband, who indignantly rebukes her. God, not he, has withheld children from her. She does what Sarah had done before her Gen 16:2-3, gives her handmaid to her husband. No express law yet forbade this course, though nature and Scripture by implication did Gen 2:23-25. Dan. God hath judged me. In this passage Jacob and Rachel use the common noun, God, the Everlasting, and therefore Almighty, who rules in the physical relations of things – a name suitable to the occasion. He had judged her, dealt with her according to his sovereign justice in withholding the fruit of the womb, when she was self-complacent and forgetful of her dependence on a higher power; and also in hearing her voice when she approached him in humble supplication. Naphtali. Wrestlings of God, with God, in prayer, on the part of both sisters, so that they wrestled with one another in the self-same act. Rachel, though looking first to Jacob and then to her maid, had at length learned to look to her God, and then had prevailed.
Gen 30:9-13
Leah having stayed from bearing, resorts to the same expedient. Her fourth son was seemingly born in the fourth year of Jacobs marriage. Bearing her first four sons so rapidly, she would the sooner observe the temporary cessation. After the interval of a year she may have given Zilpah to Jacob. Gad. Victory cometh. She too claims a victory. Asher. Daughters will pronounce her happy who is so rich in sons. Leah is seemingly conscious that she is here pursuing a device of her own heart; and hence there is no explicit reference to the divine name or influence in the naming of the two sons of her maid.
Gen 30:14-21
Reuben was at this time four or five years of age, as it is probable that Leah began to bear again before Zilpah had her second son. Mandrakes – the fruit of the mandragora vernaIis, which is to this day supposed to promote fruitfulness of the womb. Rachel therefore desires to partake of them, and obtains them by a compact with Leah. Leah betakes herself to prayer, and bears a fifth son. She calls him Issakar, with a double allusion. She had hired her husband with the mandrakes, and had received this son as her hire for giving her maid to her husband; which she regards as an act of generosity or self-denial. Zebulun. Here Leah confesses, God hath endowed me with a good dowry. She speaks now like Rachel of the God of nature. The cherished thought that her husband will dwell with her who is the mother of six sons takes form in the name. Dinah is the only daughter of Jacob mentioned Gen 46:7, and that on account of her subsequent connection with the history of Jacob Gen. 34. Issakar appears to have been born in the sixth year after Jacobs marriage, Zebulun in the seventh, and Dinah in the eighth.
Gen 30:22-24
God remembered Rachel, in the best time for her, after he had taught her the lessons of dependence and patience. Joseph. There is a remote allusion to her gratitude for the reproach of barrenness taken away. But there is also hope in the name. The selfish feeling also has died away, and the thankful Rachel rises from Elohim, the invisible Eternal, to Yahweh, the manifest Self-existent. The birth of Joseph was after the fourteen years of service were completed. He and Dinah appear to have been born in the same year.
Gen 30:25-36
Jacob enters into a new contract of service with Laban. When Rachel had borne Joseph. Jacob cannot ask his dismissal until the twice seven years of service were completed. Hence, the birth of Joseph, which is the date of his request, took place at the earliest in the fifteenth year of his sojourn with Laban. Jacob now wishes to return home, from which he had been detained so long by serving for Rachel. He no doubt expects of Laban the means at least of accomplishing his journey. Laban is loath to part with him. I have divined – I have been an attentive observer. The result of his observation is expressed in the following words. Appoint. Laban offers to leave the fixing of the hire to Jacob. Thy hire upon me, which I will take upon me as binding. Jacob touches upon the value of his services, perhaps with the tacit feeling that Laban in equity owed him at least the means of returning to his home. Brake forth – increased. At my foot – under my guidance and tending of thy flocks.
Do – provide. Thou shalt not give me anything. This shows that Jacob had no stock from Laban to begin with. I will pass through all thy flock today with thee. Remove thou thence every speckled and spotted sheep, and every brown sheep among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the goats. These were the rare colors, as in the East the sheep are usually white, and the goats black or dark brown. And such shall be my hire. Such as these uncommon party-colored cattle, when they shall appear among the flock already cleared of them; and not those of this description that are now removed. For in this case Laban would have given Jacob something; whereas Jacob was resolved to be entirely dependent on the divine providence for his hire. And my righteousness will answer for me. The color will determine at once whose the animal is. Laban willingly consents to so favorable a proposal, removes the party-colored animals from the flock, gives them into the hands of his sons, and puts an interval of three days journey between them and the pure stock which remains in Jacobs hands. Jacob is now to begin with nothing, and have for his hire any party-colored lambs or kids that appear in those flocks, from which every specimen of this rare class has been carefully removed.
Gen 30:37-43
Jacob devises means to provide himself with a flock in these unfavorable circumstances. His first device is to place party-colored rods before the eyes of the cattle at the rutting season, that they might drop lambs and kids varied with speckles, patches, or streaks of white. He had learned from experience that there is a congruence between the colors of the objects contemplated by the dams at that season and those of their young. At all events they bare many straked, speckled, and spotted lambs and kids. He now separated the lambs, and set the faces of the flock toward the young of the rare colors, doubtless to affect them in the same way as the pilled rods. Put his own folds by themselves. These are the party-colored cattle that from time to time appeared in the flock of Laban. In order to secure the stronger cattle, Jacob added the second device of employing the party-colored rods only when the strong cattle conceived. The sheep in the East lamb twice a year, and it is supposed that the lambs dropped in autumn are stronger than those dropped in the spring. On this supposition Jacob used his artifice in the spring, and not in the autumn. It is probable, however, that he made his experiments on the healthy and vigorous cattle, without reference to the season of the year. The result is here stated. The man brake forth exceedingly – became rapidly rich in hands and cattle.
It is obvious that the preceding and present chapters form one continuous piece of composition; as otherwise we have no account of the whole family of Jacob from one author. But the names ‘elohym and yehovah are both employed in the piece, and, hence, their presence and interchange cannot indicate diversity of authorship.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Gen 30:1-13
Rachel envied her sister.
Rachels impatience
I. IT WAS UNGODLY.
1. She was the victim of unholy passions. Envy and jealousy.
2. She took a despairing view of life.
3. She failed rightly to recognize the true Author of all good things.
II. IT LED TO THE ADOPTION OF WRONG EXPEDIENTS. Showing impatient haste of unbelief, and a want of confidence in God.
III. IT HAD AN INFLUENCE FOR EVIL.
1. Upon her own character. Boasting (Gen 30:6; Gen 30:8).
2. Upon her sister (Gen 30:9). (T. H. Leale.)
Domestic irritations
I. JACOB TOOK UPON HIMSELF DOMESTIC TROUBLES,
II. IT REQUIRES SOMETHING ELSE THAN THE ATTAINMENT OF OUR WISHES TO BRING HAPPINESS.
III. BLESSINGS DO NOT ALWAYS COME AS WE EXPECT.
IV. HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF.
V. THE PROMISES OF GOD ARE GRADUALLY FULFILLED.
VI. THE UNDESERVING ARE BLESSED BY GOD.
VII. HAVE PATIENCE WITH IRRITATING ASSOCIATES. (D. G. Watt, M. A.)
Envy
The infatuated Caligula slew his brother because he was a beautiful young man. Mutius, a citizen of Rome, was noted to be of such an envious and malevolent disposition, that Publius, one day, observing him to be very sad, said: Either some great evil has happened to Mutius, or some great good to another. Dionysius the tyrant, says Plutarch, out of envy, punished Philoxenius the musician, because he could sing, and Plato, the philosopher, because he could dispute, better than himself. Cambyses killed his brother Smerdis, because he could draw a stronger bow than himself or any of his party.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
CHAPTER XXX
Rachel envies her sister, and chides Jacob, 1.
He reproves her and vindicates himself, 2.
She gives him her maid Bilhah, 3, 4.
She conceives, and bears Dan. 5, 6;
and afterwards Naphtali, 7, 8.
Leah gives Zilpah her maid to Jacob, 9.
She conceives and bears Gad, 10, 11,
and also Asher, 12, 13.
Reuben finds mandrakes, of which Rachel requests a part, 14.
The bargain made between her and Leah, 15.
Jacob in consequence lodges with Leah instead of Rachel, 16.
She conceives, and bears Issachar, 17,18,
and Zebulun, 19, 20,
and Dinah, 21.
Rachel conceives, and bears Joseph, 22-24.
Jacob requests permission from Laban to go to his own country, 25, 26.
Laban entreats him to tarry, and offers to give him what
wages he shall choose to name, 27, 28.
Jacob details the importance of his services to Laban, 29, 30,
and offers to continue those services for the speckled and
spotted among the goats, and the brown among the sheep, 31-33.
Laban consents, 34,
and divides all the ring-streaked and spotted among the
he-goats, the speckled and spotted among the she-goats,
and the brown among the sheep, and puts them under the
care of his sons, and sets three days’ journey between
himself and Jacob, 35, 36.
Jacob’s stratagem of the pilled rods, to cause the cattle
to bring forth the ring-streaked, speckled, and spotted, 37-39.
In consequence of which he increased his flock greatly,
getting all that was strong and healthy in the flock of
Laban, 40-43.
NOTES ON CHAP. XXX
Verse 1. Give me children, or else I die.] This is a most reprehensible speech, and argues not only envy and jealousy, but also a total want of dependence on God. She had the greatest share of her husband’s affection, and yet was not satisfied unless she could engross all the privileges which her sister enjoyed! How true are those sayings, Envy is as rottenness of the bones! and, Jealousy is as cruel as the grave!
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
A speech full of impatience, and bordering upon blasphemy, and striking at God himself through Jacob’s sides; for which therefore she afterwards smarted, dying by that very means whereby she hoped to prevent her death, and prolong her life, Gen 35:18.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
1. Rachel envied her sisterThematernal relation confers a high degree of honor in the East, and thewant of that status is felt as a stigma and deplored as a grievouscalamity.
Give me children, or else Idieeither be reckoned as good as dead, or pine away fromvexation. The intense anxiety of Hebrew women for children arose fromthe hope of giving birth to the promised seed. Rachel’s conduct wassinful and contrasts unfavorably with that of Rebekah (compare Ge25:22) and of Hannah (1Sa 1:11).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children,…. In the space of three or four years after marriage, and when her sister Leah had had four sons:
Rachel envied her sister; the honour she had of bearing children, and the pleasure in nursing and bringing them up, when she lay under the reproach of barrenness: or, “she emulated her sisters” z; was desirous of having children even as she, which she might do, and yet not be guilty of sin, and much less of envy, which is a very heinous sin:
and said unto Jacob, give me children, or else I die; Rachel could never be so weak as to imagine that it was in the power of Jacob to give her children at his pleasure, or of a barren woman to make her a fruitful mother of children; though Jacob at sight seems so to have understood her: but either, as the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it, that he would pray the Lord to give her children, as Isaac prayed for Rebekah; so Aben Ezra and Jarchi: or that he would, think of some means or other whereby she might have children, at least that might be called hers; and one way she had in view, as appears from what follows: or otherwise she suggests she could not live comfortably; not that she should destroy herself, as some have imagined; but that she should be so uneasy in her mind, that her life would be a burden to her; that death would be preferred to it, and her fretting herself for want of children, in all probability, would issue in it.
z “aemulata est”, Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Schmidt.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Bilhah’s Sons. – When Rachel thought of her own barrenness, she became more and more envious of her sister, who was blessed with sons. But instead of praying, either directly or through her husband, as Rebekah had done, to Jehovah, who had promised His favour to Jacob (Gen 28:13.), she said to Jacob, in passionate displeasure, “ Get me children, or I shall die;” to which he angrily replied, “ Am I in God’s stead (i.e., equal to God, or God), who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? ” i.e., Can I, a powerless man, give thee what the Almighty God has withheld? Almighty like God Jacob certainly was not; but he also wanted the power which he might have possessed, the power of prayer, in firm reliance upon the promise of the Lord. Hence he could neither help nor advise his beloved wife, but only assent to her proposal, that he should beget children for her through her maid Bilhah (cf. Gen 16:2), through whom two sons were born to her. The first she named Dan, i.e., judge, because God had judged her, i.e., procured her justice, hearkened to her voice (prayer), and removed the reproach of childlessness; the second Naphtali, i.e., my conflict, or my fought one, for “ fightings of God, she said, have I fought with my sister, and also prevailed.” are neither luctationes quam maximae , nor “a conflict in the cause of God, because Rachel did not wish to leave the founding of the nation of God to Leah alone” ( Knobel), but “fightings for God and His mercy” (Hengstenberg), or, what comes to the same thing, “wrestlings of prayer she had wrestled with Leah; in reality, however, with God Himself, who seemed to have restricted His mercy to Leah alone” ( Delitzsch). It is to be noticed, that Rachel speaks of Elohim only, whereas Leah regarded her first four sons as the gift of Jehovah. In this variation of the names, the attitude of the two women, not only to one another, but also to the cause they served, is made apparent. It makes no difference whether the historian has given us the very words of the women on the birth of their children, or, what appears more probable, since the name of God is not introduced into the names of the children, merely his own view of the matter as related by him (Gen 29:31; Gen 30:17, Gen 30:22). Leah, who had been forced upon Jacob against his inclination, and was put by him in the background, was not only proved by the four sons, whom she bore to him in the first years of her marriage, to be the wife provided for Jacob by Elohim, the ruler of human destiny; but by the fact that these four sons formed the real stem of the promised numerous seed, she was proved still more to be the wife selected by Jehovah, in realization of His promise, to be the tribe-mother of the greater part of the covenant nation. But this required that Leah herself should be fitted for it in heart and mind, that she should feel herself to be the handmaid of Jehovah, and give glory to the covenant God for the blessing of children, or see in her children actual proofs that Jehovah had accepted her and would bring to her the affection of her husband. It was different with Rachel, the favourite and therefore high-minded wife. Jacob should give her, what God alone could give. The faithfulness and blessing of the covenant God were still hidden from her. Hence she resorted to such earthly means as procuring children through her maid, and regarded the desired result as the answer of God, and a victory in her contest with her sister. For such a state of mind the term Elohim, God the sovereign ruler, was the only fitting expression.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| Increase of Jacob’s Family. | B. C. 1745. |
1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. 2 And Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God’s stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? 3 And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her. 4 And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her. 5 And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son. 6 And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan. 7 And Bilhah Rachel’s maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son. 8 And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali. 9 When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife. 10 And Zilpah Leah’s maid bare Jacob a son. 11 And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad. 12 And Zilpah Leah’s maid bare Jacob a second son. 13 And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher.
We have here the bad consequences of that strange marriage which Jacob made with the two sisters. Here is,
I. An unhappy disagreement between him and Rachel (Gen 30:1; Gen 30:2), occasioned, not so much by her own barrenness as by her sister’s fruitfulness. Rebekah, the only wife of Isaac, was long childless, and yet we find no uneasiness between her and Isaac; but here, because Leah bears children, Rachel cannot live peaceably with Jacob.
1. Rachel frets. She envied her sister, v. 1. Envy is grieving at the good of another, than which no sin is more offensive to God, nor more injurious to our neighbour and ourselves. She considered not that it was God that made the difference, and that though, in this single instance her sister was preferred before her, yet in other things she had the advantage. Let us carefully watch against all the risings and workings of this passion in our minds. Let not our eye be evil towards any of our fellow-servants because our master’s is good. But this was not all; she said to Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. Note, We are very apt to err in our desires of temporal mercies, as Rachel here. (1.) One child would not content her; but, because Leah has more than one, she must have more too: Give me children. (2.) Her heart is inordinately set upon it, and, if she have not what she would have, she will throw away her life, and all the comforts of it. “Give them to me, or else I die,” that is, “I shall fret myself to death; the want of this satisfaction will shorten my days.” Some think she threatens Jacob to lay violent hands upon herself, if she could not obtain this mercy. (3.) She did not apply to God by prayer, but to Jacob only, forgetting that children are a heritage of the Lord, Ps. cxxvii. 3. We wrong both God and ourselves when our eye is more to men, the instruments of our crosses and comforts, than to God the author. Observe a difference between Rachel’s asking for this mercy and Hannah’s, 1Sa 1:10; 1Sa 1:11, c. Rachel envied Hannah wept. Rachel must have children, and she died of the second; Hannah prayed for one child, and she had four more. Rachel is importunate and peremptory; Hannah is submissive and devout. If thou wilt give me a child, I will give him to the Lord. Let Hannah be imitated, and not Rachel; and let our desires be always under the direction and control of reason and religion.
2. Jacob chides, and most justly. He loved Rachel, and therefore reproved her for what she said amiss, v. 2. Note, Faithful reproofs and products and instances of true affection, Psa 141:5; Pro 27:5; Pro 27:6. Job reproved his wife when she spoke the language of the foolish women, Job ii. 10. See 1 Cor. vii. 16. He was angry, not at the person, but at the sin; he expressed himself so as to show his displeasure. Note, sometimes it is requisite that a reproof should be given warm, like a medical potion; not too hot, lest it scald the patient; yet not cold, lest it prove ineffectual. It was a very grave and pious reply which Jacob gave to Rachel’s peevish demand: Am I in God’s stead? The Chaldee paraphrases it well, Dost thou ask sons of me? Oughtest thou not to ask them from before the Lord? The Arabic reads it, “Am I above God? can I give thee that which God denies thee?” This was said like a plain man. Observe, (1.) He acknowledges the hand of God in the affliction which he was a sharer with her in: He hath withheld the fruit of the womb. Note, Whatever we want, it is God that withholds it, a sovereign Lord, most wise, holy, and just, that may do what he will with his own, and is debtor to no man, that never did, nor ever can do, any wrong to any of his creatures. The keys of the clouds, of the heart, of the grave, and of the womb, are four keys which God had in his hand, and which (the rabbin say) he entrusts neither with angels nor seraphim. See Rev 3:7; Job 11:10; Job 12:14. (2.) He acknowledges his own inability to alter what God had appointed: “Am I in God’s stead? What! dost thou make a god of me?” Deos qui rogat ille facit–He to whom we offer supplications is to us a god. Note, [1.] There is no creature that is, or can be, to us, in God’s stead. God may be to us instead of any creature, as the sun instead of the moon and stars; but the moon and all the stars will not be to us instead of the sun. No creature’s wisdom, power, and love, will be to us instead of God’s. [2.] It is therefore our sin and folly to place any creature in God’s stead, and to place that confidence in any creature which is to be placed in God only.
II. An unhappy agreement between him and the two handmaids.
1. At the persuasion of Rachel, he took Bilhah her handmaid to wife, that, according to the usage of those times, his children by her might be adopted and owned as her mistress’s children, v. 3, c. She would rather have children by reputation than none at all, children that she might fancy to be her own, and call her own, though they were not so. One would think her own sister’s children were nearer akin to her than her maid’s, and she might with more satisfaction have made them her own if she had so pleased but (so natural is it for us all to be fond of power) children that she had a right to rule were more desirable to her than children that she had more reason to love; and, as an early instance of her dominion over the children born in her apartment, she takes a pleasure in giving them names that carry in them nothing but marks of emulation with her sister, as if she had overcome her, (1.) At law. She calls the first son of her handmaid Dan (judgement), saying, “God hath judged me” (v. 6), that is, “given sentence in my favour.” (2.) In battle. She calls the next Naphtali (wrestlings), saying, I have wrestled with my sister, and have prevailed (v. 8); as if all Jacob’s sons must be born men of contention. See what roots of bitterness envy and strife are, and what mischief they make among relations.
2. At the persuasion of Leah, he took Zilpah her handmaid to wife also, v. 9. Rachel had done that absurd and preposterous thing of giving her maid to her husband, in emulation with Leah; and now Leah (because she missed one year in bearing children) does the same, to be even with her, or rather to keep before her. See the power of jealousy and rivalship, and admire the wisdom of the divine appointment, which unites one man and one woman only; for God hath called us to peace and purity, 1 Cor. vii. 15. Two sons Zilpah bore to Jacob, whom Leah looked upon herself as entitled to, in token of which she called one Gad (v. 11), promising herself a little troop of children; and children are the militia of a family, they fill the quiver, Psa 127:4; Psa 127:5. The other she called Asher (happy), thinking herself happy in him, and promising herself that her neighbours would think so too: The daughters will call me blessed, v. 13. Note, It is an instance of the vanity of the world, and the foolishness bound up in our hearts, that most people value themselves and govern themselves more by reputation than either by reason or religion; they think themselves blessed if the daughters do but call them so. There was much amiss in the contest and competition between these two sisters, yet God brought good out of this evil; for, the time being now at hand when the seed of Abraham must begin to increase and multiply, thus Jacob’s family was replenished with twelve sons, heads of the thousands of Israel, from whom the celebrated twelve tribes descended and were named.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
GENESIS – CHAPTER THIRTY
Verses 1-13:
No greater calamity could befall a Hebrew wife than to be barren. Rachel was Jacob’s beloved wife, yet she could not bear children. Leah was fruitful, and bore Jacob at least four sons. Rachel was consumed with jealousy because of this. Rachel’s outburst against Jacob reveals her petulant, impatient nature. She was quite unlike Rebekah, her aunt and Jacob’s mother. Rebekah was barren for twenty years after her marriage to Isaac. But instead of becoming impatient toward her husband, she turned to Jehovah in faith, trusting Him to provide.
Rachel resorted to a practice common in ancient times, in a similar manner as had Sarah earlier (Ge 16:2). But unlike Sarah, Rachel had no excuse beyond a selfish desire for a child aggravated by her jealousy of her sister Leah. There was no doubt that Jacob would have an heir to inherit the Promises of the Covenant, since he already had sons by Leah. Rachel’s impatience, jealousy, and pride motivated her to lead Jacob into an unwise, sinful practice. As in the case of Sarah and Hagar, the arrangement Rachel offered with Bilhah was legal and acceptable by custom. But it was neither legal nor wise according to God’s principles regarding marriage.
Rachel’s conduct and conversation reveal the shallowness of her faith. She referred to “God,” Elohim, not Jehovah. This is in contrast to the stronger faith of her sister Leah (Ge 29:32-35).
The plan worked, Bilhah bore a son to Jacob. This son became legally that of Rachel. Rachel named this son “Dan,” meaning “judge.” This name indicates that Rachel considered him to be evidence that God had vindicated her, or had judged her worthy of this child.
Once more Bilhah conceived, and bore another son. Rachel named him “Naphtali,” meaning “my wrestling.” This name denotes that “with wrestlings of Elohim have I wrestled with my sister.” It tells of her earnest prayer to God at the same time that she contended with Leah. ‘
Leah responded to this rivalry in like kind. She “left bearing” (Ge 29:35) after the birth of Judah. This along with Rachel’s rivalry incited her to do as Rachel had done. She gave her slave-girl Zilpah to Jacob as wife, so she could legally give him yet another son. At the birth of this child, Leah exclaimed, “Good fortune comes,” and gave him the name “Gad,” meaning “good fortune” or “a troop.”
Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. When he was born, Leah said, “Happy am I,” and gave him the name “Asher” or happy. Leah did not honor God in her conduct, but rather was glad that her own devices had succeeded.
Both sisters now had borne to Jacob several children. But this did not take away their mutual jealousies, nor did it bring peace to Jacob’s household. The contrary was true. Their faith in Jehovah diminished. Leah acknowledged the grace and power of Jehovah in the birth of her first four sons. But in this affair, she appears to have thought of Gad and Asher as her own rewards for giving Zilpah to Jacob as a secondary wife.
The order in which the birth of Jacob’s sons is listed does not indicate their actual succession rights. Neither may it be assumed that Dinah was the only daughter of the family (Ge 37:35; 46:7). Her name is listed because of her role in Jacob’s later history.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
1. And when Rachel saw. Here Moses begins to relate that Jacob was distracted with domestic strifes. But although the Lord was punishing him, because he had been guilty of no light sin in marrying two wives, and especially sisters; yet the chastisement was paternal; and God himself, seeing that he is wont mercifully to pardon his own people, restrained in some degree his hand. Whence also it happened, that Jacob did not immediately repent, but added new offenses to the former. But first we must speak of Rachel. Whereas she rejoiced to see her sister subjected to contempt and grief, the Lord represses this sinful joy, by giving his blessing to Leah, in order to make the condition of both of them equal. She hears the grateful acknowledgment of her sister, and learns from the names given to the four sons, that God had pitied, and had sustained by his favor, her who had been unjustly despised by man. Nevertheless envy inflames her, and will not suffer anything of the dignity becoming a wife to appear in her. We see what ambition can do. For Rachel, in seeking preeminence, does not spare even her own sister; and scarcely refrains from venting her anger against God, for having honored that sister with the gift of fruitfulness. Her emulation did not proceed from any injuries that she had received, but because she could not bear to have a partner and an equal, though she herself was really the younger. What would she have done had she been provoked, seeing that she envies her sister who was contented with her lot? Now Moses, by exhibiting this evil in Rachel, would teach us that it is inherent in all; in order that each of us, tearing it up by the roots, may vigilantly purify himself from it. That we may be cured of envy, it behaves us to put away pride and selflove; as Paul prescribes this single remedy against contentions
“
Let nothing be done through vainglory.” (Phi 2:3.)
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
ISAAC. JACOB AND ESAU
Gen 25:10 to Gen 35:1-29
BEGINNING where we left off in our last study of Genesis, Isaac is the subject of next concern, for it came to pass after the death of Abraham that God blessed his son Isaac, and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-roi. But we are not inclined to spend much time in the study of Isaacs life and labors. Unquestionably Isaac holds his place in the Old Testament record through force of circumstances rather than by virtue of character. His history is uninteresting, and were it not that he is Abrahams son and Jacobs father, the connecting link between the federal head of the Jews, and father of the patriarchs, he would long since have been forgotten.
Three sentences tell his whole history, and prove him to be a most representative Jew. He was obedient to his father; he was greedy of gain, and he was a gormand! He resisted not when Abraham bound him and laid him upon the altar. Such was his filial submission. At money-making he was a success, for he had possession of flocks and possession of herd, and great store of servants, and the Philistines envied him. His gluttony was great enough to be made a matter of inspired record, for it is written, Isaac loved Esau because he did eat of his venison, and when he was old and his eyes were dim, and he thought the day of his death was at hand, he called Esau and said,
My son**** take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field and take me some venison and make me savory meat, such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless thee before I die.
Think of a man preparing to sweep into eternity, and yet spending what he supposed to be his last moments in feasting his flesh!
I have no prejudice against the Jew. I believe him to be the chosen of the Lord. My study of the Scriptures has compelled me to look for the restoration of Israel, and yet I say that Isaac, in his filial obedience, his greed of gain and his gluttony of the flesh, was a type. And to this hour the majority of his offspring present kindred traits of character.
Yet Isaacs life was not in vain. We saw in our second study in Genesis that the man who became the father of a great people, who, through his offspring was made a nation, was fortune-favored of God. The greatest event in Isaacs history was the birth of his twin children, Esau and Jacob. It was through their behavior that his own name would be immortalized and through their offspring that his personality would be multiplied into a mighty people. I propose, therefore, this morning to give the greater attention to his younger son, Jacob, Gods chosen one, and yet not to neglect Esau whom the sacred narrative assigns to a place of secondary consideration. For the sake of simplicity in study, let us reduce the whole of Jacobs long and eventful life to three statements, namely, Jacobs shrewdness, Jacobs Sorrows, and Jacobs Salvation.
JACOBS SHREWDNESS.
In their very birth, Jacobs hand was upon Esaus heel, earnest of his character. From his childhood he tripped whom he could.
His deceptions began in the home. This same twin brother Esau, upon whose heel he laid his hand in the hour of birth, becomes the first victim of his machinations. He takes advantage of Esaus hunger and weariness to buy out his birthright, and pays for it the miserable price of bread and pottage. The child is the prophecy of the man. The treatment one accords his brothers and sisters, while yet the family are around the old hearthstone, gives promise of the character to come. The reason why sensible parents show such solicitude over the small sins of their children is found just here. They are not distressed because the transgressions are great in themselves, but rather because those transgressions tell of things to come. In the peevishness of a child they see the promise of a man, mastered by his temper; in the white lies of youth, an earnest of the dangerous falsehoods that may curse maturer years; in the little deceptions of the nursery, a prophecy of the accomplished and conscienceless embezzler.
There comes from England the story of a farmer who, finding himself at the hour of midnight approaching the end of life, sent hastily for a lawyer, and ordered him to quickly write his will. The attorney asked for pen, ink and paper, but none could be found. Then he inquired for a lead pencil, but a thorough search of the house revealed that no such thing existed in it. The lawyer saw that the farmer was sinking fast, and something must be done, and so casting about he came upon a piece of chalk; and taking that he sat down upon the hearthstone and wrote out on its smooth surface the last will and testament of the dying man. When the court came to the settlement of the estate, that hearthstone was taken up and carried into the presence of the judge, and there its record was read, and the will written upon it was executed. And I tell you that before we leave the old home place, and while we sit around the old hearthstone, we write there a record in our behavior toward father and mother, in our dealings with brother and sister, and servant, that is a prophecy of what we ourselves will be and of the end to which we shall eventually come, for the child is father to the man.
Jacob showed this same character to society. The thirtieth chapter of Genesis records his conduct in the house of Laban. It is of a perfect piece with that which characterized him in his fathers house. A change of location does not altar character. Sometime ago a young man who had had trouble in his own home, and had come into ill-repute in the society in which he had moved, came and told me that he was going off to another city, and when I asked Why? he said, Well, I want to get away from the old associations and I want to put distance between me and the reputation I have made. But when he went he carried his own character with him, and the consequence was a new set of associates worse than those from whom he fled, and a new reputation that for badness exceeded the old. It does not make any difference in what house the deceiver lodges, nor yet with what society he associates himselfthe result is always the same.
Parker, who was the real father of the Prohibition movement of Maine, testified that he had traveled into every state of the Union in an endeavor to overcome his drinking habits, and free himself of evil associates, and that in every state of the Union he failed. But, when God by His grace converted him and changed his character, he went back to his old home and settled down with the old associates and friends and not only showed them how to live an upright life, but inaugurated a movement for the utter abolition of his old enemy. If there is any man who is thinking of leaving his city for another because here he has been unfortunate, as he puts it, or has been taken advantage of by evil company, and has made for himself a bad reputation, let him know that removal to a new place will accomplish no profit whatever. As Beecher once said, Men do not leave their misdeeds behind them when they travel away from home. A man who commits a mean and wicked action carries that sin in himself and with himself. He may go around the world but it goes around with him. He does not shake it off by changing his position.
The Jacob who deceived Esau and had to flee in consequence, twenty years later, for cheating Laban and by his dishonest dealings, divorced himself from his father-in-law.
Jacobs piety was a pure hypocrisy. Now some may be ready to protest against this charge, but I ground it in the plain statements of the Word. In all his early years this supplanter seldom employed the name of God, except for personal profit. When his old father Isaac inquired concerning that mutton, Jacob was palming off on him for venison, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? the impious rascal replied, Because the Lord thy God brought it to me. Think of voicing such hypocrisy! The next time Jacob employed Gods name it was at Bethel.
And Jacob vowed a vow saying, If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I shall go and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my fathers house in peace, then shall the Lord be my God.
Satans charge against Job would have had occasion had he hurled it against this supplanter instead, Doth Jacob fear God for naught? When the frauds of this man had taken from Laban the greater part of his flocks and herds, and Labans sons had uttered their complaint of robbery, Jacob replied,
Ye know that with all my power I have served your father, and your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times. But God suffered him not to hurt me.
If he said, thus, the speckled shall be thy wages, then all the cattle bare speckled; and if he said thus, the ring straked shall be thy hire, then bare all the cattle ringstraked; thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father and given them to me. What hypocrisy! God had done nothing of the kind. This supplanter, by his knowledge of physiological laws, had enriched himself and robbed Laban, and when charged with his conduct, defended his fortune by the impious claim that God had given it all. I doubt if a man ever descends to greater depths of infamy than he reaches who cloaks bad conduct with pious phrases.
In a certain city a gentleman moved in and started up in business. He dressed elegantly, dwelt in a splendid house, drew the reins over a magnificent span, but his piety was the most marked thing about him. Morning and evening on the Sabbath day he went into the house of God to worship, and in the prayer meeting his testimonies and prayers were delivered with promptness and apparent sincerity. A few short months and he used the cover of night under which to make his exit, and left behind him a victimized host. Some time since our newspapers reported a Jew, who by the same hypocrisy had enriched himself and robbed many of his well-to-do brethren in Minneapolis. We have more respect for the worldling who is a gambler, a drunkard or an adulterer, than for the churchman who makes his church-membership serve purely commercial ends, and whose pious phrases are used as free passes into the confidence of the unsuspecting. It is a remarkable fact that when Jesus Christ was in the world He used His power to dispossess the raving Gadarene; He showed His mercy toward the scarlet woman; He viewed with pathetic silence the gamblers who cast dice for His own coat, but He assailed hypocrisy with the strongest clean invectives of which human language was capable, naming the hypocrites of His time whited sepulchers, a generation of vipers, children of Satan, and charged them with foolishness, blindness and murder. If Christ were here today, hypocrisy would fare no better at His lips, and when He was crucified again, as He surely would be, this class would lead the crowd that cried, Crucify Him! Crucify Him!
But enough regarding Jacobs shrewdness; let us look into
JACOBS SORROWS.
He is separated from his childhoods home. Scarcely had he and his doting mother carried out their deception of Isaac when sorrow smites both of them and the mother who loved him so much is compelled to say, My son, obey my voice and arise; flee thou to Laban, my brother, to Haran; and this mother and son were destined never to see each others face again. One of the ways of Gods judgment is to leave men to the fruits of their own devices. He does not rise up to personally punish those who transgress, but permits them to suffer the punishment which is self-inflicted. The law is Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap. It is a law that approves every righteous act, and bestows great blessings upon every good man, but it is also a law that has its whip of scorpions for every soul that lives in sin. It is on account of this law that you cannot be a cheat in your home and be comfortable there. You simply cannot deceive and defraud your fellows and escape the consequences.
What was $25,000 worth to Patrick Crowe when every policeman in America and a thousand private detectives were in search of him? How fitful must have been his sleep when he lay down at night, knowing that ere the morning dawned the law was likely to lay its hand upon him, and how anxious his days when every man he met and every step heard behind him suggested probable arrest. What had he done that he was so hunted? He had done what Jacob did; he had come into possession of blessings which did not belong to him, and as Jacob took advantage of his brothers weariness and hunger and of his fathers blindness to carry out his plot, so this child-kidnapper took advantage of the weakness of youth, the affection of paternity, to spoil his fellow of riches. It is not likely that either Jacob of old or the kidnapper of yesterday looked to the end of their deception. Greed in each case blinded them, to the sorrows to come, as it is doing to hundreds of thousands of others today. But just as sure as Jacobs deception effected Jacobs separation from mother and father and home, similar conduct on your part or mine will plunge us into sorrows, for he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption.
In His adopted house Jacob encounters new difficulties. It is no more easy to run away from sorrow than it is to escape from sin. The man who proved himself a rascal in Minneapolis may remove to Milwaukee, but the troubles he had here will be duplicated in his new home. The shrewd man of Gerar, when he comes to Haran, is cheated himself. Seven hard years of service for Rachel, and lo, Leah is given instead. At Haran his wages were changed ten times, so he says. I have no doubt that every change was effected by some new rascality in his conduct. At Haran he was openly charged with deception and greed by the sons of Laban, and at Haran also he witnessed the jealousy that was growing up between Rachel, his best beloved, and Leah, the favored of God. So sorrows ever attend the sinner.
The man who comes to you in a time when you are tempted, to plead with you to deal honestly, to do nothing that would not have the Divine approval, no matter how great the loss in an upright course, is a friend and is pleading for your good. His counsel is not against success, but against sorrow instead. He is as certainly trying to save you from agonizing experiences as he would be if pleading with you not to drink, not to gamble, or even not to commit murder, for better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.
It is at the point of his family he suffers most. We have already referred to the estrangement that grew up between Rachel and Leah. That was only the beginning. The baseness of Reuben, the cruelty of Simeon and Levi toward the Shechemites, the spirit of fratricide that sold Joseph into slavery; all of these and more had to be met by this unhappy man. A man never suffers so much as when he sees that his family, his wife and his children, are necessarily involved. Jacob expressed this thought when he prayed to God,
Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him lest he will come and smite me and the mother with the children.
Ah, there is the quick of human lifethe mother with the children.
I know a man who has recently been proven a defaulter. His embezzlements amount to many thousands of dollars, so it is said, and they run back through a course of twenty years. In a somewhat intimate association with him I never dreamed such a thing possible. He was a sweet-spirited man, an affectionate father, a kind husband, a good neighbor, outwardly a loyal citizen and apparently an upright Christian. I do not believe at heart he was dishonest, and I know that he was not selfish. Since the press published his disgrace, I have been pondering over what it all meant and have an idea that he simply lacked the courage to go home and tell his wife and children that he was financially bankrupt, and that they must move into a plainer house, subsist upon the simplest food, and be looked upon as belonging to the poverty stricken; so he went on, keeping up outward appearances, possibly for the wifes sake and for the childrens sake, hoping against hope that the tide would turn and he would recover himself and injure none, until one day he saw the end was near, and the sin long concealed was burning to the surface, and society would understand. It plunged him into temporary insanity.
Young men who sin are likely to forget the fact that when they come to face the consequences of their behavior they will not be alone, and their sufferings will be increased by just so much as the wife and children are compelled to suffer.
Some time ago I read a story of a young man who had committed a crime and fled to the West. In the course of time he met a young woman in his new home and wooed and won her. When a little child came into his home, his heart turned back to his mother, and he longed to go back and visit her and let her meet his wife and enjoy the grandchild; and yielding to this natural desire, he went back. But ere a week had passed, officers of the law walked in and arrested him on the old charge. Alone he had sinned, but now his sufferings are accentuated a thousand-fold because his innocent wife must share them, and even the bewildered babe must untwine her arms from about his neck and be torn from her best-loved bed, his breast. The mother with the children! Ah, Jacob, you may sin by yourself, but when you come to suffer, you will feel the pain of many lives.
But, thank God, there came a change in Jacob. In finishing this talk I want to give the remaining space to
JACOBS SALVATION.
I believe it occurred at Peniel. Twice before God had manifested Himself to Jacob. But Jacob had received little profit from those revelations. On his way to Haran, God gave him a vision in the night a ladder set up on the earth the top of which reached up to heaven, and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. When Jacob awakened out of his sleep he said, This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. But not all who come into the House of God, not all before whom Heavens gate opens; not all to whom the way of salvation is revealed are converted. That nights vision did not result in Jacobs salvation. After that he was the same deceiver.
Twenty-one years sweep by and Jacob is on his way back to the old place, and the angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them he said, This is Gods host. But not every man who meets the hosts of God is saved. Jacob is not saved. But when he came to Peniel and there in the night a Man wrestled with him, it was none other than Gods third appearance, and the Jacob who had gone from the House of God unsaved, who had met the hosts of God to receive from them little profit, seeing now the face of God, surrendered once for all. From that night until the hour when he breathed his last, Jacob the politician, Jacob the deceiver, Jacob the defrauder, was Israelthe Prince of God, whose conduct became the child of the Most High!
His repentance was genuine. Read the record of Gen 32:24-30, and you will be convinced that Jacob truly repented. In that wonderful night he ceased from his selfishness. He said never a word that looked like a bargain with God. He did not even plead for personal safety against angered Esau. He did not even beseech God to save the mother with the children, but he begged for a blessing. He had passed the Pharisaical point where his prayer breathed his self-esteem. He had come to the point of the truly penitent, and doubtless prayed over and over again as the publican, God be merciful to me a sinner. And when God was about to go from him he said, I will not let thee go except thou bless me. That is the best sign of genuine repentance.
In Chicago I baptized a young man who for years had been a victim of drink. For years also he had gone to the gambling house. Often he abused his wife and sometimes he beat the half-clad children. One day in his wretchedness he purchased a pistol and went into his own home, purposing to destroy the lives of wife and children and then commit suicide; but while he waited for the wife to turn her head that he might execute his will without her having suspected it, Gods Spirit came upon him in conviction and he told me afterwards that his sense of sin was such that in his back yard, with his face buried in the earth, he cried for Gods blessing. And I found that I was not so much convicted of drunkenness, or of gambling, or of cruelty, or even of the purpose of murder and suicide, as I was convicted of sin. I did not plead for pardon from any of these acts but for Gods mercy that should cover all and make me a man.
Read the 51st Psalm and see how David passed through a similar experience. His cry was, Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. And Jacobs cry was Bless me. It means the same.
His offer to Esau was in restitution. Two hundred she goats, and 20 he goats, 200 ewes and 20 rams; 30 milk camels with their colts; 40 kine and 10 bulls; 20 she asses and 10 foals; all of these he sent to Esau his brother, as a present. Present, did I say? No, Jacob meant it in payment. Twenty-one years before he had taken from Esau what was not his own and now that God had blessed him, he wanted to return to Esau with usury. It is the story of Zacchaeusrestoring four-fold. And the church of God has never received a better evidence of conversion than is given when a man makes restitution.
Some years ago at Cleveland a great revival was on, into which meeting an unhappy man strayed. The evangelist was talking that night of the children of Israel coming up to Kadesh-Barnea but turning back unblessed. This listener, an attorney, had in his pocket seven hundred dollars which he had received for pleading a case which he knew to be false, won only by perjured testimony, and the promise of $12,000 more should he win the case in the highest court. As the minister talked, Gods Spirit convicted him and for some days he wrestled with the question as to what to do. Then he counselled with the evangelist and eventually he restored the $700, told his client to keep the $12,000 and went his way into the church of God. I have not followed his course but you do not doubt his conversion. Ah, Jacob is saved now, else he would never have paid the old debt at such a price.
Thank God, also, that his reformation was permanent. You can follow this life now through all its vicissitudes to the hour of which it is written,
And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost and was gathered unto his people.
You will never find him a deceiver again; you will never find him defrauding again. The righteousness of his character waxes unto the end, and Pharaoh never entertained a more honorable man than when he welcomed this hoary pilgrim to his palace. The forenoon of his life was filled with clouds and storms, but the evening knew only sunshine and shadow, and the shadow was not in consequence of sins continued but sorrows super induced by the sins of others.
It is related that when Napoleon came upon the battlefield of Marengo, he found his forces in confusion and flying before the face of the enemy. Calling to a superior officer he asked what it meant. The answer was, We are defeated. The great General took out his watch, looked at the sinking sun a moment and said, There is just time enough left to regain the day. At his command the forces faced about, fought under the inspiration of his presence, and just as the sun went down, they silenced the opposing guns.
Suppose we grant that one has wasted his early years, has so misspent them as to bring great sorrow. Shall such despair? No, Jacobs life illustrates the better way. His youth was all gone when he came to Peniel. But there he learned how to redeem the remaining days.
I saw by a magazine to which I subscribe that in Albemarle and surrounding counties of Virginia there are many farms that were once regarded as worn out, and their owners questioned what they could do with them, when somebody suggested that they sow them to violets. The violets perfumed the air, enriched the owner, and recovered the land. It is not too late to turn to God!
Fuente: The Bible of the Expositor and the Evangelist by Riley
CRITICAL NOTES.
Gen. 30:1. Give me children, or else I die.] Heb. If none, I am a dead woman. As to the raising up of seed, I shall be as good as dead. An old Jewish proverb says, The childless are but as the lifeless.
Gen. 30:6. Dan.] Judging. The word is to be understood in a good sense as implying the vindication or deliverance of those who are unrighteously condemned or afflicted. (1Sa. 24:15).
Gen. 30:8. Naphtali.] Heb. Wrestlings of God, i.e., great, urgent vehement.
Gen. 30:11. Gad.] Heb. A troop cometh. It is doubtful, however, whether the word really means troop. Most of the earlier versions give the sense of luck, fortune, or prosperity. The Chal. has fortune cometh. Alford remarks: The A. V. has followed the Samaritan Pentateuch, which here reads a different word from the Hebrew. The familiar rendering of the latter seems the only expressive way of giving the sense. Where this is the case I have not shrank from using the words. We need not dilute the meaning of the text because the words happen to be in trivial use among us.
Gen. 30:13. Asher.] Heb. Happy or blessed. All would call her blessed, seeing she was so rich in sons. There are marked allusions to this. (Pro. 31:28; Son. 6:9; Luk. 1:48).
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.Gen. 30:1-13
RACHELS IMPATIENCE
Rachel found that, with all her beauty, she was childless. In Oriental countries, where the maternal relation is counted a great glory, a childless marriage is regarded as a shame and calamity. Here we see the character and effects of Rachels impatience of her barrenness.
I. It was ungodly.
1. She was the victim of unholy passions. She was full of envy and jealousy of her sister. Not content to enjoy the many blessings still remaining, she increases her trouble by inordinate desire of that which Providence had denied.
2. She took a despairing view of life. Rachel reproaches her husband and says to him, Give me children, or else I die. As if everything was gone from life when she was denied this one blessing. This was to take a despairing view of things, to allow one privation or calamity to swallow up all her joy. Such conduct is ungodly, for it is not the habit of the truly religious mind to dwell upon a few evils until they darken the whole of life. True faith in God would produce resignation.
3. She failed rightly to recognise the true Author of all good things. Her husband rightly replied, Am I in Gods stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? How could he give that which God had been pleased to withhold? Rachel did not consider the will of God in this matter, and her husband was filled with righteous indignation at her impiety.
II. It led to the adoption of wrong expedients. She gave her maid to her husband, after the example of Sarah (Ch. Gen. 16:2). In this way she hoped to have children, which she could call her own, in some senseto become a mother by proxy. This was a blamable expediency, for it showed the impatient haste of unbelief and a want of confidence in Providence.
III. It had an influence for evil.
1. Upon her own character. When her maid had born children, she begins to boast over her sister. (Gen. 30:6; Gen. 30:8.) This was but a delusion, for there was no real ground for such vain glory. It was but a fancied happiness that she enjoyed. She was the victim of unrealities.
2. Upon her sister. Leah ceases to bear children, and therefore adopts the same expedient as Rachel (Gen. 30:9). The proud and challenging assertions of Rachel roused her to emulation. Leah, who had been pious and humble before, now becomes proud and vindictive. Thus radical defects of character tend to propagate their own likeness in others.
SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON THE VERSES
Gen. 30:1. Her envy was, no doubt, sharpened in this case by the fact that Leah was her sister, and by the knowledge that she was herself the favourite and elected wife. She must have feared that she should lose her ascendancy over Jacob by the want of children,(Bush.)
Beauty and barrenness, deformity and fruitfulness: such are the compensations of Providence.
Discontent takes away the glory of life, and prevents us from enjoying the blessings we have.
How different is Rachels conduct from Rebekahs in like circumstances (Ch. Gen. 25:22), and from Hannahs (1Sa. 1:11).
Gen. 30:2. Jacob was concerned for the honour of God, and not for any injury or injustice done to himself.
To murmur at the power and providence of the Most High shows a rebellious will.
He that will be angry, and not sin, must not be angry but for sin. Reprove thy wife thou mayest; chide her thou mayest not, unless the offence be against God, as here, and Job. 2:10.(Trapp.)
Gen. 30:3-5. It is a weak greediness in us to bring about Gods blessings by unlawful means. What a proof and a praise had it been of her faith, if she had staid Gods leisure, and would rather have endured her barrenness, than her husbands polygamy.(Bp. Hall.)
Gen. 30:6-8. God hath judged me. In this passage Jacob and Rachel use the common noun, God, the Everlasting, and therefore Almighty, who rules in the physical relations of things, a name suitable to the occasion. He had judged her, dealt with her according to His sovereign justice in withholding the fruit of the womb, when she was self-complacent and forgetful of her dependence on a higher power; and also of hearing her voice when she approached him in humble supplication.(Murphy.)
She regarded the withholding of children as evidence of her lacking Gods favour; and she had been led to wrestlings of prayer to God for the blessing, as between herself and her sister, and she had prevailed. She now regarded the conflict as decided to her advantage.(Jacobus.)
Gen. 30:9-13. Leah is seemingly conscious that she is here pursuing a device of her own heart; and hence there is no explicit reference to the Divine name or influence in the naming of the two sons of her maid.(Murphy.)
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
3. Jacobs Family (Gen. 29:31 to Gen. 30:24).
Basic Facts: (1) Jacob became the father of twelve sons and one daughter. The inferior value set on a daughter is displayed in the bare announcement of her birth. (2) The assignment of the names here by the respective mothers themselves is determined by the circumstances. (3) The entire history of the birth of these sons is reflected in their names. (Their names all reappear in Jacobs Blessing, ch. 49). (4) Most significant of all, in the birth of these twelve sons, we have the basis for the future development of the Old Covenant in the history of the twelve tribes, especially in their organization into the Hebrew theocracy at Sinai and occupancy of the Land of Promise. All this was, of course, prophetic of the strictly spiritual norms and institutions of the New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-34; Hebrews, chs. 7, 8, 9, 10; Joh. 1:17; 2 Cor., ch. 3; Col. 2:8-16; Gal. 3:15-29; Gal. 4:21-31; Eph. 2:11-22, etc.). The account of the jealousy and contention between Leah and Rachel (Gen. 29:31; Gen. 30:1-2), and the subsequent sinfulness and jealousy of the sons of Jacob (Gen. 34:25; Gen. 34:30; Gen. 35:22; Gen. 37:8; Gen. 37:18; Gen. 49:5-6) show vividly the fruits of polygamy. For the one man, Adam, God made the one woman, Eve. And why only one? Because He sought a godly seed (Mal. 2:15). Broken and ungodly homes produce ungodly offspring (OTH, 101).
Leahs first four sons, Gen. 29:31-35. Jacobs weakness showed itself even after his double marriage in the fact that he loved Rachel more than Leah (hated, in Leahs case, meant less loved; not so much hated as rejected or unloved: ABG, 230). When Yahweh saw that Leah was thus less loved, He opened her womb. The birth of Leahs first four sons is specifically referred to Jehovahs grace; first, because Jehovah works above all human thoughts, and regards that which is despised and of little account (Leah was the despised one, the one loved less, comparatively the one hated, Deu. 21:15); secondly, because among her first four sons were found the natural first-born (Reuben), the legal first-born (Levi), and the Messianic first-born (Judah); even Simeon, like the others, is given by Jehovah in answer to prayer. Jacobs other sons are referred to Elohim, not only by Jacob and Rachel (Gen. 30:2; Gen. 30:6; Gen. 30:8), but also by Leah (Gen. 29:18; Gen. 29:20) and by the narrator himself (Gen. 29:17), for Jacobs sons in their totality sustain not only a theocratic but also a universal destination. He opened her womb, that is, God made her fruitful in children, which should attach her husband to her. But theocratic husbands did not esteem their wives only according to their fruitfulness (cf. 1 Sam., ch. 1). Leah named her firstborn Reuben, that is, Behold, a son! Joyful surprise at Jehovahs compassion. From the inference she makes: now, therefore, my husband will love me, her deep, strong love for Jacob, becomes apparent, which had no doubt, also, induced her to consent to Labans deception. Simeon (he has heard), her second son, receives his name from her faith in God as a prayer-answering God. Levi (he will cling, joined, reconciler, etc.). The names of the sons are an expression of her enduring powerful experience, as well as of her gradual resignation. After the birth of the first one, she hopes to win, through her son, Jacobs love in the strictest sense. After the birth of the second, she hoped to be put on a footing of equality with Rachel, and to be delivered from her disregard. After the birth of the third one she hoped at least for a constant affection. At the birth of the fourth she looks entirely from herself to Jehovah, hence the name of the fourth, Judah (I shall praise, or just praised). (Quotes above are from Lange, CDHCG, 529, 530). The eye of the Lord is upon the sufferer. It is remarkable that both the narrator and Leah employ the proper name of God, which makes the performance of promise a prominent feature of his character. This is appropriate in the mouth of Leah, who is the mother of the promised seed. That Leah was hatedless loved than Rachel. He therefore recompenses her for the want of her husbands affection by giving her children, while Rachel was barren. Reubenbehold a son. The Lord hath looked on my affliction. Leah had qualities of heart, if not of outward appearance, which commanded esteem. She had learned to acknowledge the Lord in all her ways. Simeonanswer. She had prayed to the Lord, and this was her answer. Leviunion, the reconciler. Her husband could not, according to the prevailing sentiments of those days, fail to be attached to the mother of three sons. Judahpraised. Well may she praise the Lord, for this is the ancestor of the promised seed. It is remarkable that the wife of priority, but not of preference, is the mother of the seed in whom all nations are to be blessed. Levi the reconciler is the father of the priestly tribe. Simeon is attached to Judah. Reuben retires into the background. On the etymology of the proper names of this and of the next chapter it has been remarked: the popular etymologies attached to. the names are here extremely forced and sometimes unintelligible (Skinner). Such a statement is the result of the critics confusion. He acts on the assumption that these etymologies are to be scholarly efforts based on a careful analysis of Hebrew roots according to the Hebrew lexicon. Whereas, in reality, these are not etymologies at all but expressions wrought into the form of proper names, expressing the sentiments or the hopes associated with the birth of these sons, So someone or even the mother may have remarked at the birth of the first-born, Look, a son, Reu-bhen. What is there forced or unintelligible about such a name? The added explanation as to what further thoughts Leah associated with this name Reuben do, indeed, not grow out of the words, look, a son, but they lay bare the inmost thoughts of her heart. Leah knows God as Yahweh, an index of fine spiritual understanding and faith, and ascribes to him her fertility. She sees that Yahweh delights in being compassionate toward them that have affliction, and hers was a state of affliction; and she anticipates that her husband will love her more. As for the second son Simeon, Yahweh heard (shama), so she calls him hearing. So in Hebrew the idea becomes more readily apparent. Leah implies that she has asked for this child in prayer. Again she ascribes the son to the graciousness of Yahweh. She must have been a woman of faith. With respect to the name Levi, here the play on words centers upon the root lawah which in the passive signifies grow attached to. How poor Leah must have thirsted for the love that was denied her! Leah now stands on pretty firm ground; any man would be grateful for three healthy sons: especially are men in the Orient minded thus. As for the fourth, Judah (Praised), apparently her hopes are by this time realized: she is no longer disregarded or loved but little. But in a sense of true devoutness she lets all praise be given to Yahweh and here contents herself with pure praise (Leupold, EG, 801803).
Rachels adopted sons, Gen. 30:1-8. A rather passionate scene, in which Rachel does not appear to advantage by any means. She even vented her spleen on Jacob: Give me children, or else I die. Certainly not, I will take my life; but rather, I die from humiliation or dejection. Driven by jealousy of her sister, she yields her place to her maid, Bilhah. Her vivid language sounds not only irrational, but even impious, and therefore she rouses also the anger of Jacob (Lange). Her petulant behavior recalls that of Sarah (Gen. 16:5), but Jacob is less patient than Abraham, as he exclaims, in substance: Why ask me to play God? You know that God alone controls the issues of life and death (cf. Deu. 32:39, 1Sa. 2:6). In Freudian terms, Rachel was projecting her own weakness upon her husband, a favorite avocation of humankind generally (cf. Gen. 3:12-13). (Cf. Gen. 50:19, 2Ki. 5:7). Rachel becomes impatient of her barrenness and jealous of her sister, and unjustly reproaches her husband, who indignantly rebukes her. God, not he, has withheld children from her. She does what Sarah had done before her (Gen. 16:2-3), gives her handmaid to her husband. No express law yet forbade this course, though nature and Scripture by implication did (Gen. 2:23-25) (Murphy, MG, 397). Since Jacob had already sired offspring by Leah, Rachel could hardly have doubted his ability to do so by her, and must have recognized that the fault was with her. But she was unwilling to face the facts and tried to palm off the responsibility for the situation on Jacob. Gen. 29:3that she, Bilhah, may bear upon my knees, and I also may obtain children by her. (cf. Gen. 50:19; Gen. 50:23; 2Ki. 5:7). From the fact that children were taken upon the knees, they were recognized either as adopted children (Gen. 50:23), or as the fruit of their own bodies (Job. 3:12) (Lange). An illusion to the primitive ceremony of adoption, which here simply means that Bilhass children will be acknowledged by Rachel as her own (Skinner). To place a child on ones knees is to acknowledge it as ones own; cf. the Hurro-Hittite tale of Appu. . . . This act is normally performed by the father. Here, however, it is of primary interest to the adoptive mother who is intent on establishing her legal right to the child (Speiser, ABG, 230). The ceremony may be traced to a widespread custom, according to which, in lawful marriage, the child is actually brought forth on the fathers knees. . . . Then it became a symbol of the legitimization of a natural child, and finally a form of adoption generally (ICCG, 386). (Cf. Job. 3:12; Iliad 9:455ff.; Odyssey 19, 401ff,; Gen. 50:23). In the case before us, the putative mother names the adopted child. Rachel named Bilhahs first son Dan (judge; dananni, he has done justice to me), i.e., God had procured justice for her, hearkened to her voice and removed the reproach of childlessness. Bilhahs second son: Rachel named him Naphtali (wrestlings, wrestlings of prayer she had wrestled with Leah). The wrestlings of God could only be in the wrestlings of prayer, as we afterward see from Jacobs wrestlings, through which he becomes Israel (Lange, 530; cf. Gen. 32:24-25). In reality, however, with God Himself, who seems to have restricted His mercy to Leah alone (Delitzsch). Leah, who had been forced upon Jacob against his inclination, and was put by him in the background, was not only proved by the four sons whom she had bore to him in the first years of their marriage, to be the wife provided for Jacob by Elohim, the ruler of human destiny; but by the fact that these four sons formed the real stem of the promised numerous seed, she was proved still more to be the wife selected by Jehovah, in realization of His promise, to be the tribe-mother of the greater part of the covenant nation. But this required that Leah herself should be fitted for it in heart and mind, that she should feel herself to be the handmaid of Jehovah, and give glory to the covenant God for the blessing of children, or see in her children actual proofs that Jehovah had accepted her and would bring to her the affection of her husband. It was different with Rachel, the favorite and therefore high-minded wife, Jacob should give her what God alone could give. The faithfulness and blessing of the covenant God were still hidden from her. Hence she resorted to such earthly means as procuring children through her maid, and regarded the desired result as the answer of God, and a victory in her contest with her sister. For such a state of mind, the term Elohim, God the sovereign ruler, was the only fitting expression (BCOTP, 288289). But how can Rachel speak of a victory over her sister rich in children? Leah has left bearing, while Bilhah her maid, begins to bear; at the same time, Rachel includes as much as possible in her words in order to overpersuade herself. [She believes she has overcomeGosman]. Hence, still, at Josephs birth, she could say: Now (not before) God has taken away my reproach (Lange, CDHCG, 530; cf. Gen. 30:23-24).
Leahs adopted sons, Gen. 30:9-13. Leah, however, was not content with the blessing of four sons bestowed on her by Yahweh. The means employed by Rachel to retain the favor of her husband made her jealous, and this jealousy moved her to resort to the same device, viz., that of giving her handmaid Zilpah to Jacob for the begetting of adopted sons. Jacob begat two sons by Zilpah. Leah named the first one Gad (good fortune, or good fortune has come). She named the second Asher (the happy one, or the bringer of happiness). Leah is still less excusable than Rachel, since she could oppose her own four sons to the two adopted sons of Rachel. However, the proud and challenging assertions of Rachel seem to have determined her to a renewed emulation; and Jacob thought that it was due to the equal rights of both to consent to the fourth marriage. That Leah now acts no longer as before, in a pious and humble disposition, the names which she calls her adopted sons clearly prove (Lange, ibid., 530) (It is worth noting that Gad was the name of an Aramean and Phoenician god of Luck (Tyche, cf. Isa. 65:11. It is possible also that the name Asher is historically related to the Canaanite goddess Asherah, consort of El in Ras Shamra texts,)
Leahs last two sons, Gen. 30:14-20. We have here what might be called a primitive tradition. These occur in Scripture, simply as matters of fact, historically; even though they may savor of magic they serve to give us the background against which the careers of the patriarchs are portrayed. It must be understood that the mere recording of magical theories and practices, and popular superstitions, of any period, as historical facts, does not mean that they are Biblically sanctioned. According to the story of Gen. 30:14-16, Reuben, when a boy of some four or five years of age, brought to his mother a plant found in the fields, of the kind known as Mandragora officinarum. This is described as a narcotic, laxative perennial of the nightshade family, related to the potato and the tomato. Out of the small white-and green flowers of this plant, according to the Son. 7:13, there grows at the time of the wheat harvest, yellow, strong, but sweet-smelling apples, of the size of a nutmeg. These were thought to promote fruitfulness. The fruit of the plant is still considered in the East to have aphrodisiac properties (ABG, 231), hence the common designation, love-apples. Theophrastus (who took over the Lyceum after the death of Aristotle) tells us that love-potions were prepared from the plants roots. It was held in such high esteem by the ancients that the goddess of love, in some areas, was known as Mandragoritis. Mandrakes are still used by Arabs as a means of promoting child-bearing. As for mandrakes themselves something may be said. Reuben gathered them in wheat-harvest, and it is then that they are still found ripe and eatable on the lower ranges of Lebanon and Hermon, where I have most frequently seen them. The apple becomes of a very pale yellow color, partially soft, and of an insipid, sickish taste. They are said to produce dizziness; but I have seen people eat them without experiencing any such effect. The Arabs, however, believe them to be exhilarating and stimulating, even to insanity, and hence the name tuffah el janapples of the jan (Thomson, LB, 577).
The incident of the mandrakes shows how thoroughly-the two wives were carried away by constant jealousy of the love and attachment of their husband. When Rachel requested that Leah give her some of the mandrakes, the latter bitterly upbraided her with not being content to have withdrawn (alienated?) her husband from her, but now wanting to get possession of the mandrakes which her little son had brought in from the field. It would seem that peculiar, even paradoxical, emotions are involved in the actions of these two women. It should be remembered that Leah is said to have left off bearing, after the birth of Judah (Gen. 29:35). Was she now fearful that Rachel might now, with the help of the mandrakes, excel her in prolificness? It is obviously the design [of the narrator] to bring out into prominence the fact that Leah became pregnant again without mandrakes, and that they were of no avail to Rachel. . . . Moreover, it could not be the intention of Rachel to prepare from these mandrakes a so-called love-potion for Jacob, but only to attain fruit-fulness by their effects upon herself. Just as now, for the same purpose perhaps, unfruitful women visit or are sent to certain watering-places. From this standpoint, truly, the assumed remedy of nature may appear as a premature, eager self-help (Lange, ibid., 530531). It should be noted that Rachel asked only for some of the mandrakes: it seems that there was no thought in her mind of depriving Leah of all these potent means of fruitfulness, nor is there any evidence that she thought of her sister as having left off bearing (a statement of the author of the narrative). Reuben, as little children will, presents the mandrakes to his mother. Rachel, present at the time, and much concerned as usual about her sterility, thinks to resort to this traditional means of relieving the disability and asks for some of the mandrakes (min, some of) of Reuben. She had hardly thought that this harmless request would provoke such an outbreak on her sisters part. For Leah bitterly upbraids her with not being content to have withdrawn her husband from her, but, she petulantly adds, Rachel even wants to get the mandrakes of her son Reuben. Apparently, her hope that her husband would love her after she had born several sons (Gen. 29:32) had not been fully realized. Childless Rachel still had the major part of his affection. Quite unjustly Leah charges Rachel with alienation of affection where such affection had perhaps never really existed. Leah was still being treated with more or less tolerance. So Leah certainly begrudges her sister the mandrakes, lest they prove effective and so give her sister a still more decided advantage. . . . Rachel desires to preserve peace in the household, and so concedes to yield the husband to her sister for the night, in return for the mandrakes which she nevertheless purposes to eat. The frank narrative of the Scriptures on this point makes us blush with shame at the indelicate bargaining of the sistersone of the fruits of a bigamous connection (EG, 812). A bitter and intense rivalry existed between Leah and Rachel, all the more from their close relationship as sisters; and although they occupied separate apartments with their respective families, as is the uniform custom where a plurality of wives obtains, and the husband and father spends a day with each in regular succession, this arrangement did not, it seems, allay the mutual jealousies of Labans daughters. The evil lies in the system, which, being a violation of Gods original ordinance, cannot yield happiness. Experience in polygamous countries has shown that those run great risk who marry two members of one family, or even two girls from the same town or village. The disadvantages of such unions are well understood (Jamieson, CECG, 205). Matthew Henry suggests a somewhat different interpretation of sisterly motivation in the case before us, one which is certainly well worth considering: Whatever these mandrakes were, Rachel could not see them in Leahs hands, where the child had placed them, but she must covet them. The learned Bishop Patrick very well suggests here that the true reason of this contest between Jacobs wives for his company, and their giving him their maids to be his wives, was the earnest desire they had to fulfil the promise made to Abraham that his seed should be as the stars of heaven in multitude. And he thinks it would have been below the dignity of the sacred history to take such particular notice of these things if there had not been some such great consideration in them (CWB, 50). (However, certain objections to this view would be the following: (1) Rachel asked for only somenot allof the mandrakes: this would seem to indicate she was seeking only to put an end to her own sterility; (2) implicit in this view is the assumption that the sisters were fully cognizant of the details of the Abrahamic Promises, but we find no sure evidence that this was the fact; (3) implicit in this view also is the failure to apprehend fully the stark realism of the Biblical narratives; the Bible is one book that pictures life as men and women live it, never turning aside from truth even to hide the faults of men of great faith. The Bible is pre-eminently the Book of Life. It makes us fully aware of human character and its weaknesses.)
Leah parted with the mandrakes on condition that Rachel would permit Jacob to sleep with her that night. After relating how Leah conceived again, and Rachel continued barren in spite of the mandrakes, the writer justly observes (Gen. 29:17), Elohim hearkened unto Leah, to show that it was not from such natural means as love-apples, but from God the Author of life, that she had received such fruitfulness (BCOTP, 290). Leah then bore Jacob two more sons: (1) the first she named Issachar (hire, reward), that is to say, there is reward or he brings reward. (2) The second she named Zebulun (dwelling). The import of the first name is, either that she had hired her husband, or that she had received her hirei.e., a happy resultfrom God. The name of the second signified she hoped that now, after God had endowed her with a good portion, her husband to whom she had borne six sons, would dwell with her, i.e., become more warmly attached to her (Delitzsch). The birth of a son is hailed with demonstrations of joy, and the possession of several sons confers upon the mother an honor and respectability proportioned to their number. The husband attaches a similar importance to the possession, and it forms a bond of union which renders it impossible for him ever to forsake or to be cold to a wife who has borne him sons. This explains the happy anticipations Leah founded on the possession of her six sons (Jamieson). It is to be noted that in connection with these two births, Leah mentions Elohim only, the supernatural Giver, and not Yahweh, the covenant God, whose grace has been forced out of her heart by jealousy (Delitzsch). It should be noted that the reference here to the wheat harvest (Gen. 29:14) has prompted the critics to affirm that the agricultural background shows the episode here to be out of place in its nomadic setting. But the text does not say that the nomads did the harvesting. Besides, no one would deny the possibility of their using the expression wheat harvest to specify a definite season of the year even if they themselves did no harvesting. Moreover, this may be only the authors remark, used to specify the particular season when, as his readers would know, mandrakes usually ripened. In addition to all these considerations, there is the explicit information that the patriarchs on occasion sowed and reaped in their homeland (cf. Gen. 26:12) and perhaps their relatives did so in Mesopotamia. It is quite possible, too, that the lad Reuben might have wandered into the fields where some of his farmer-neighbors were harvesting, and gathered his mandrakes there. We see no reason for accepting the critical view stated above as the only explanation of the milieu of this incident. (Cf. Exo. 9:32, Deu. 8:8, Jdg. 6:11, Rth. 2:23; 1Sa. 6:13; 1Sa. 12:17; 1Ch. 21:20; 2Ch. 2:10-15; 2Ch. 27:5; Ezr. 6:9; Ezr. 7:22; Mat. 13:25; Mat. 13:29; Luk. 3:17; Joh. 12:24).
Leahs daughter, Gen. 29:21. The name Dinah, about the same in meaning as Dan, could signify Vindication. However, the etymology is not indicated in the text. Moreover, Dinah is not included in Gen. 32:22, where Jacobs household is said to have consisted of his two wives, his two handmaids, and his eleven children. Later Scriptures would seem to indicate that Dinah was not Jacobs only daughter (cf. Gen. 37:35; Gen. 46:7). It is likely that Dinah is specifically mentioned here in passing, as preparatory to the incident in her historythat of her defilementrelated in ch. 34. The fact that Dinah is given only passing mention here is ample evidence of the subordinate place of the daughter in the patriarchal household.
Rachels first son, Gen. 30:22-24. God remembered Rachel and hearkened to her (prayers) and opened her womb. The expression used here denotes a turning-point after a long trial (cf. Gen. 8:1) and in the matter of removing unfruitfulness (1Sa. 1:19-20). God gave Rachel a son, whom she named Joseph, one that takes away, or he may add: because his birth not only furnished an actual proof that God had removed the reproach of her childlessness, but also excited the wish, that Jehovah might add another son. The fulfilment of this wish is recorded in chap. Gen. 35:16 ff. The double derivation of the name, and the exchange of Elohim for Jehovah, may be explained, without the hypothesis of a double source, on the simple ground, that Rachel first of all looked back at the past, and, thinking of the earthly means that had been applied in vain for the purpose of obtaining a child, regarded the son as a gift of God. At the same time, the good fortune which had now come to her banished from her heart her envy of her sister (Gen. 29:1), and aroused belief in that God, who, as she had no doubt heard from her husband, had given Jacob such great promises; so that in giving the name, probably at the circumcision, she remembered Jehovah and prayed for another son from His covenant faithfulness (BCOTP, 290). According to Lange, the text allows only one derivation: he may add: to take away and to add are too strongly opposed to be traced back to one etymological source. Rachel, it is true, might have revealed the sentiments of her heart by the expression, God hath taken away my reproach; but she was not able to give to her own sons names that would have neutralized the significance and force of the names of her adopted sons, Dan and Naphthali. That she is indebted to Gods kindness for Joseph, while at the same time she asks Jehovah for another son, and thereupon names Joseph, does not furnish any sufficient occasion for the admission of an addition to the sources of scripture, as Delitzsch assumes. The number of Jacobs sons, who began with Jehovah, was also closed by Jehovah. For, according to the number of twelve tribes, Israel is Jehovahs covenant people (CDHCG, 531). The majority of Old Testament commentators seem to agree that the meaning of Josephs name is more literally, add; that is to say, May Yahweh add to me another son. At last Rachel bears a son, long hoped for and therefore marked out for a brilliant destiny (ICCG, 389). A double thought plays into the name Joseph: it incorporates both of Rachels remarks. For yoseph may count as an imperfect of asaph, to take away. Or it may also count more definitely as imperfect (Hifil) of the verb yasaph, to add. We must admit this to be very ingenious. But why deny to a mother a happy ingenuity on the occasion of her greatest joy? Why try to inject the thought of a confusion of two sources? (EG, 816). We are disposed to conclude this phase of our study with the pertinent and (one might well say) almost facetious remarks of Dr. Leupold in relation to Leahs action, Gen. 29:16 : Jacobs lot cannot have been a very happy one. To an extent he was shuttled back and forth between two wives and even their handmaids. Almost a certain shamelessness has taken possession of Jacobs wives in their intense rivalry. Leah almost triumphantly claims him as a result of her bargain, as he comes in from the field (EG, 813). We are glad to note that with the birth of Joseph, the shuttling back and forth on Jacobs part seems to come to an end and the dove of peace settles down over his household, as evidenced especially by the loyalty of both daughters to their husband in the continued contest with their father Laban (cf. Gen. 31:4-16).
Review Questions
See Gen. 31:1-16.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
XXX.
(1) Give me children, or else I die.There is an Oriental proverb that a childless person is as good as dead; and this was probably Rachels meaning, and not that she should die of vexation. Great as was the affliction to a Hebrew woman of being barren (1Sa. 1:10), yet there is a painful petulance and peevishness about Rachels words, in strong contrast with Hannahs patient suffering. But she was very young, and a spoiled wife; though with qualities which riveted Jacobs love to her all life through.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
THE TLDTH ISAAC (Gen. 25:19 to Gen. 35:29).
THE BIRTH OF ISAACS SONS.
Abraham begat IsaacThe Tldth in its original form gave probably a complete genealogy of Isaac, tracing up his descent to Shem, and showing thereby that the right of primogeniture belonged to him; but the inspired historian uses only so much of this as is necessary for tracing the development of the Divine plan of human redemption.
The Syrian.Really, the Aramean, or descendant of Aram. (See Gen. 10:22-23.) The name of the district also correctly is Paddan-Ararn, and so far from being identical with Aram-Naharaim, in Gen. 24:10, it is strictly the designation of the region immediately in the neighbourhood of Charran. The assertion of Gesenius that it meant Mesopotamia, with the desert to the west of the Euphrates, in opposition to the mountainous district towards the Mediterranean, is devoid of proof. (See Chwolsohn, Die Ssabier, 1, p. 304.) In Syriac, the language of Charran, padana means a plough (1Sa. 13:20), or a yoke of oxen ( 1Sa. 11:7); and this also suggests that it was the cultivated district close to the town. In Hos. 12:12 it is said that Jacob fled to the field of Aram; but this is a very general description of the country in which he found refuge, and affords no basis for the assertion that Padan-aram was the level region. Finally, the assertion that it is an ancient name used by the Jehovist is an assertion only. It is the name of a special district, and the knowledge of it was the result of Jacobs long-continued stay there. Chwolsohn says that traces of the name still remain in Faddn and Tel Faddn, two places close to Charran, mentioned by Yacut, the Arabian geographer, who flourished in the thirteenth century.
Isaac intreated the Lord.This barrenness lasted twenty years (Gen. 25:26), and must have greatly troubled Isaac; but it would also compel him to dwell much in thought upon the purpose for which he had been given to Abraham, and afterwards rescued from death upon the mount Jehovah-Jireh. And when offspring came, in answer to his earnest pleading of the promise, the delay would serve to impress upon both parents the religious significance of their existence as a separate race and family, and the necessity of training their children worthily. The derivation of the verb to intreat, from a noun signifying incense, is uncertain, but rendered probable by the natural connection of the idea of the ascending fragrance, and that of the prayer mounting heavenward (Rev. 5:8; Rev. 8:4).
The children struggled together.Two dissimilar nations sprang from Abraham, but from mothers totally unlike; so, too, from the peaceful Isaac two distinct races of men were to take their origin, but from the same mother, and the contest began while they were yet unborn. And Rebekah, apparently unaware that she was pregnant with twins, but harassed with the pain of strange jostlings and thrusts, grew despondent, and exclaimed
If it be so, why am I thus?Literally, If so, why am I this? Some explain this as meaning Why do I still live? but more probably she meant, If I have thus conceived, in answer to my husbands prayers, why do I suffer in this strange manner? It thus prepares for what follows, namely, that Rebekah wished to have her condition explained to her, and therefore went to inquire of Jehovah.
She went to enquire of the Lord.Not to Shem, nor Melchizedek, as many think, nor even to Abraham, who was still alive, but, as Theodoret suggests, to the family altar. Isaac had several homes, but probably the altar at Bethel, erected when Abraham first took possession of the Promised Land (Gen. 12:7), and therefore especially holy, was the place signified; and if Abraham were there, he would doubtless join his prayers to those of Rebekah.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
SONS OF BILHAH AND ZILPAH, Gen 30:1-13.
1. Give me children Here breaks forth the passionate cry of the child of nature . Envy and jealousy, even to bitterness, speak out in this appeal, not the hopeful yearning of the child of faith .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and she said to Jacob, “Give me children or I die.”
Rachel’s great distress at the way things have turned out is apparent. She feels she has failed Jacob and is conscious of the congratulations being heaped on Leah. Her words here probably reflect a continual period of nagging, which to someone who loved her so much became exasperating.
“Give me children or I die.” Rachel sees little point in life and is suffering mild depression. And she seek partly to put the blame on Jacob. He too is aware of a feeling of guilt. But he feels he has proved his ability to have children. The fault must be Rachel’s. The account smacks of an eyewitness account.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jacob Take’s His Wives’ Handmaids – The story in Gen 30:1-24 of Jacob taking the two handmaids of his wife and bearing children was a reflection of the customs of his day, just as Abraham, his grandfather took Hagar, his wife’s handmaid. The Code of Hammurabi, believed by some scholars to have been written by a Babylonian king around 2100 B.C., impacted its culture for centuries. It is very likely that Abraham and Jacob yielded to the request from their wives based upon laws 145 and 146 of this Code, which says, “If a man takes a [wife] and she does not present him with children and he sets his face to take a concubine, that man may take a concubine and bring her into his house..If a man takes a [wife] and she gives to her husband a maidservant and she bears children, and afterward that maidservant would take rank with her mistress; because she has borne children her mistress may not sell her for money, but she may reduce her to bondage and count her among the female slaves.” [240]
[240] R. F. Youngblood, F. F. Bruce, R. K. Harrison, and Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary, rev. ed. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995), in Libronix Digital Library System, v. 2.1c [CD-ROM] (Bellingham, WA: Libronix Corp., 2000-2004), “Family Life: Producing an Heir.”
The Struggle between Leah and Rachel – The struggle between Leah and Rachel seen in this chapter is a common event played out today in polygamous marriages in the Africa society. Wives often compete for favor with their husband by giving him the most children, especially sons. The strife that prevails throughout the life of a polygamous marriage is one of several reasons why Paul the apostle ordained monogamous marriages for the New Testament Church (1Ti 3:2, Tit 1:6).
1Ti 3:2, “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;”
Tit 1:6, “If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.”
Gen 30:1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.
Gen 30:1
Male children were a mother’s source of hope and future security in this ancient world. When a husband died, a widow became destitute without a son to provide her needs. We see this in the life of Naomi in the book of Ruth and in the widow of Nain, whom Jesus raised her son from the dead (Luk 7:11-15). Rachel’s cry was a cry for hope and security, and ultimately, redemption from this corrupt world.
Gen 30:3 “she shall bear upon my knees” – Comments – Note the use of this phrase in Job 3:12, “Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck?”
Gen 29:14-18 Comments – Leah Hires Jacob for Mandrakes The mandrake is a plant which was supposed to have medical value and aphrodisiac or sexual arousal quantities to it. Here, Rachel reaches out desperately, using any means of obtaining a child.
Gen 31:21 Word Study on “Dinah” – Strong says the Hebrew name “Dinah” ( ) (H1783) “judgement.”
Gen 30:22 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.
Gen 30:22
Gen 30:25 “Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country” – Comments – Moses made a similar statement to Pharaoh in Exo 5:1, “And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.”
Gen 30:27 Comments – In Gen 12:3 God told Abraham, “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” History records many accounts where God blesses those who bless the Jews, and curses those who curse the Jews. For example, God judged the Pharaoh of Egypt for persecuting the children of Israel. Just as he commanded the Jewish male children to be drown in the river, so was his entire army drowned in the Red Sea. In addition, the firstborn males were killed, and the nation destroyed. Laban acknowledged that his blessings had come through Jacob (Gen 30:27). Jesus healed the Roman centurion’s servant, who has blessed the Jews (Luk 7:4-5). God sent Peter to preach the Gospel to the house of Cornelius, a man that blessed the Jews (Act 10:22). God promised to reward the heathen according to what they had done to the Jews (Oba 1:15). Jesus makes a similar statement about rewarding those who has done good to His “brethren,” which certainly includes the Jews, as well as the Church (Mat 25:40).
Gen 30:27, “And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake.”
Oba 1:15, “For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.”
Mat 25:40, “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
Luk 7:4-5, “And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this: For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.”
Act 10:22, “And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.”
Gen 30:27 Comments – We have many blessings in life because of someone else’s prayers for us.
Gen 30:38 Word Study on “gutters” – Gesenius tells us that the Hebrew word “rahat” ( ) (H7298) literally means, “a watering trough” (Gen 30:38; Gen 30:41, Exo 2:16). He gives us its figurative meaning as “ringlets, curls (apparently so called from their flowing down)” (Son 7:5). Strong tells us that this word means, “a channel or watering-box, gallery, gutter, trough,” and “by resemblance a ringlet of hair (as forming parallel lines). He says it probably comes from an unused root means, “to hollow out”. The Enhanced Strong says this word is used 4 times in the Old Testament, being translated in the KJV as “gutter 2, trough 1, gallery 1.”
Gen 30:38, “And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.”
Gen 30:41, “And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters , that they might conceive among the rods.”
Exo 2:16, “Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.”
Son 7:5, “Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like purple; the king is held in the galleries .”
Gen 31:7 “ten times” Word Study on “ten times” – The Hebrew phrase “ten times” ( ) is made up of two words, “ten” ( ) (H6235), and “times” ( ) (H6471). Although the literal translation is, “ten times,” John Gill understands the phrase “ten times” in Num 14:22 as an idiom to mean a rounded number, which is equivalent to “time after time,” thus “numerous times.” He says that although the Jews counted ten literal occasions when Israel tempted the Lord during the wilderness journeys, Aben Ezra gives this phrase a figurative meaning of “many times.” [241] T. E. Espin adds to the figurative meaning of Num 14:22 by saying that Israel had tempted the Lord to its fullness, so that the Lord would now pass judgment upon them, even denying them access into the Promised Land, which is clearly stated in the next verse. [242]
[241] Gill lists ten literal occasions, “twice at the sea, Exodus 14:11; twice concerning water, Exodus 15:23; twice about manna, Exodus 16:2; twice about quails, Exodus 16:12; once by the calf, Exodus 32:1; and once in the wilderness of Paran, Numbers 14:1, which last and tenth was the present temptation.” John Gill, Numbers, in John Gill’s Expositor, in e-Sword, v. 7.7.7 [CD-ROM] (Franklin, Tennessee: e-Sword, 2000-2005), comments on Numbers 14:22.
[242] E. T. Espin and J. F. Thrupp, Numbers, in The Holy Bible According to the Authorized Version (A.D. 1611), with an Explanation and Critical Commentary and a Revision of the Translation, by Bishops and Clergy of the Anglican Church, vol. 1, part 2, ed. F. C. Cook (London: John Murray, 1871), 702.
Comments – We can see the phrase “ten times” used as an idiom in several passages in the Scriptures:
Gen 31:7, “And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.”
Num 14:22, “Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;”
Neh 4:12, “And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times , From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you.”
The NAB translates this phrase in Gen 31:7 as “time after time.”
NAB, “yet your father cheated me and changed my wages time after time . God, however, did not let him do me any harm.”
The number ten represents a counting system that is based on ten units. Thus, the number ten can be interpreted literally to represent the numerical system, or it can be given a figurative meaning to reflect the concept of multiple occurrences.
Illustration – Jesus told Peter that we are to forgive seventy seven times (Mat 18:22). In this passage, Jesus did not literally mean that we were to forgive only seventy seven times, but that we were to forgive as often as was necessary to forgive, which is many times.
Mat 18:22, “Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”
Illustration When my son was seven years old, he was learning how to add and subtract numbers in the first grade. One day he ran up to his mother to convince her that he knew what he was doing. He said, “Mommy, I know how to do it. I’ve done it many times. I’ve done it ten times.” Even without being conscience of it, he was using the number ten symbolically to represent the numerical system that he had recently learned (October 2012).
Gen 31:32 Comments – The fact that Jacob pronounced the judgment of death upon the unknown thief was a reflection of the customs of his day. We see the sons of Jacob making the same rash vow when Joseph’s cup was found in Benjamin’s sack (Gen 44:9). The Code of Hammurabi, believed by some scholars to have been written by a Babylonian king around 2100 B.C., impacted its culture for centuries. It is very likely that Jacob’s rash statement was based upon law 6 of this Code, which says, “If any one steal the property of a temple or of the court, he shall be put to death, and also the one who receives the stolen thing from him shall be put to death.”
Gen 31:32 Comments – Note how Jacob’s statement became Rachel’s curse of death. Rachel, who stole the idols, dies shortly afterwards in childbirth (Gen 35:18-19).
Gen 35:18-19, “And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin. And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.”
A well-known minister explains what happened here to Rachael. When we pronounce a curse, the demons take these words before God’s throne and declare their right to implement these words of the curse. Unless prayer and repentance and words of faith are spoken to break the authority of this curse, these demons have a legal right to carry out these words. In other words, man gives his dominion over to the “prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:2). We see Rachael die before this journey is ended.
Eph 2:2, “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:”
A similar illustration of a rash curse being pronounced upon one’s family is in 2Sa 12:6. When Nathan told the story of the rich man who oppressed the poor man David pronounced a four-fold curse upon the guilty man. This man happened to be David himself. This curse came to pass in the life of David’s children.
2Sa 12:6, “And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.”
Gen 31:47 “Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed” Comments – Adam Clarke says the two names given to this place were Aramaic (from Laban) and Hebrew (from Jacob), saying that both mean, “a collection or heap made up of gathered stones.” [243]
[243] Adam Clarke, Genesis, in Adam Clarke’s Commentary, Electronic Database (Seattle, WA: Hendrickson Publishers Inc., 1996), in P.C. Study Bible, v. 3.1 [CD-ROM] (Seattle, WA: Biblesoft Inc., 1993-2000), notes on Genesis 31:47.
Gen 31:47 Comments – The ancestors of the Israelites had originally come from the region of Paddan-Aram, where Laban and his family dwelt. They spoke the Aramaic language. Thus, when Abraham left his native land and came into Canaan, his children quickly picked up the local language, just as immigrants do today. Abraham probably continued to speak Aramaic in the home as he attempted to learn the local language. We see here that Jacob’s native tongue was a dialect of “the language of Canaan” (Isa 19:18), while his relatives still spoke Aramaic.
Isa 19:18, “In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan , and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction.”
Gen 31:54 Comments – When we eat together there is a bond that is built between one another. We see a clear example of this when Jacob and Laban made a covenant between one another in order to end their strife.
Gen 31:55 Comments – Laban was more accurately kissing his grandsons and granddaughters; but in many cultures, such words are used loosely to refer to more distant kin, as is the case in Gen 31:55.
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Ten Genealogies (Calling) – The Genealogies of Righteous Men and their Divine Callings (To Be Fruitful and Multiply) – The ten genealogies found within the book of Genesis are structured in a way that traces the seed of righteousness from Adam to Noah to Shem to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob and the seventy souls that followed him down into Egypt. The book of Genesis closes with the story of the preservation of these seventy souls, leading us into the book of Exodus where we see the creation of the nation of Israel while in Egyptian bondage, which nation of righteousness God will use to be a witness to all nations on earth in His plan of redemption. Thus, we see how the book of Genesis concludes with the origin of the nation of Israel while its first eleven chapters reveal that the God of Israel is in fact that God of all nations and all creation.
The genealogies of the six righteous men in Genesis (Adam, Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) are the emphasis in this first book of the Old Testament, with each of their narrative stories opening with a divine commission from God to these men, and closing with the fulfillment of prophetic words concerning the divine commissions. This structure suggests that the author of the book of Genesis wrote under the office of the prophet in that a prophecy is given and fulfilled within each of the genealogies of these six primary patriarchs. Furthermore, all the books of the Old Testament were written by men of God who moved in the office of the prophet, which includes the book of Genesis. We find a reference to the fulfillment of these divine commissions by the patriarchs in Heb 11:1-40. The underlying theme of the Holy Scriptures is God’s plan of redemption for mankind. Thus, the book of Genesis places emphasis upon these men of righteousness because of the role that they play in this divine plan as they fulfilled their divine commissions. This explains why the genealogies of Ishmael (Gen 25:12-18) and of Esau (Gen 36:1-43) are relatively brief, because God does not discuss the destinies of these two men in the book of Genesis. These two men were not men of righteousness, for they missed their destinies because of sin. Ishmael persecuted Isaac and Esau sold his birthright. However, it helps us to understand that God has blessed Ishmael and Esau because of Abraham although the seed of the Messiah and our redemption does not pass through their lineage. Prophecies were given to Ishmael and Esau by their fathers, and their genealogies testify to the fulfillment of these prophecies. There were six righteous men did fulfill their destinies in order to preserve a righteous seed so that God could create a righteous nation from the fruit of their loins. Illustration As a young schoolchild learning to read, I would check out biographies of famous men from the library, take them home and read them as a part of class assignments. The lives of these men stirred me up and placed a desire within me to accomplish something great for mankind as did these men. In like manner, the patriarchs of the genealogies in Genesis are designed to stir up our faith in God and encourage us to walk in their footsteps in obedience to God.
The first five genealogies in the book of Genesis bring redemptive history to the place of identifying seventy nations listed in the Table of Nations. The next five genealogies focus upon the origin of the nation of Israel and its patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
There is much more history and events that took place surrounding these individuals emphasized in the book of Genesis, which can be found in other ancient Jewish writings, such as The Book of Jubilees. However, the Holy Scriptures and the book of Genesis focus upon the particular events that shaped God’s plan of redemption through the procreation of men of righteousness. Thus, it was unnecessary to include many of these historical events that were irrelevant to God’s plan of redemption.
In addition, if we see that the ten genealogies contained within the book of Genesis show to us the seed of righteousness that God has preserved in order to fulfill His promise that the “seed of woman” would bruise the serpent’s head in Gen 3:15, then we must understand that each of these men of righteousness had a particular calling, destiny, and purpose for their lives. We can find within each of these genealogies the destiny of each of these men of God, for each one of them fulfilled their destiny. These individual destinies are mentioned at the beginning of each of their genealogies.
It is important for us to search these passages of Scripture and learn how each of these men fulfilled their destiny in order that we can better understand that God has a destiny and a purpose for each of His children as He continues to work out His divine plan of redemption among the children of men. This means that He has a destiny for you and me. Thus, these stories will show us how other men fulfilled their destinies and help us learn how to fulfill our destiny. The fact that there are ten callings in the book of Genesis, and since the number “10” represents the concept of countless, many, or numerous, we should understand that God calls out men in each subsequent generation until God’s plan of redemption is complete.
We can even examine the meanings of each of their names in order to determine their destiny, which was determined for them from a child. Adam’s name means “ruddy, i.e. a human being” ( Strong), for it was his destiny to begin the human race. Noah’s name means, “rest” ( Strong). His destiny was to build the ark and save a remnant of mankind so that God could restore peace and rest to the fallen human race. God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, meaning, “father of a multitude” ( Strong), because his destiny was to live in the land of Canaan and believe God for a son of promise so that his seed would become fruitful and multiply and take dominion over the earth. Isaac’s name means, “laughter” ( Strong) because he was the child of promise. His destiny was to father two nations, believing that the elder would serve the younger. Isaac overcame the obstacles that hindered the possession of the land, such as barrenness and the threat of his enemies in order to father two nations, Israel and Esau. Jacob’s name was changed to Israel, which means “he will rule as God” ( Strong), because of his ability to prevail over his brother Esau and receive his father’s blessings, and because he prevailed over the angel in order to preserve his posterity, which was the procreation of twelve sons who later multiplied into the twelve tribes of Israel. Thus, his ability to prevail against all odds and father twelve righteous seeds earned him his name as one who prevailed with God’s plan of being fruitful and multiplying seeds of righteousness.
In order for God’s plan to be fulfilled in each of the lives of these patriarchs, they were commanded to be fruitful and multiply. It was God’s plan that the fruit of each man was to be a godly seed, a seed of righteousness. It was because of the Fall that unrighteous seed was produced. This ungodly offspring was not then nor is it today God’s plan for mankind.
Outline Here is a proposed outline:
1. The Generation of the Heavens and the Earth Gen 2:4 to Gen 4:26
a) The Creation of Man Gen 2:4-25
b) The Fall Gen 3:1-24
c) Cain and Abel Gen 4:1-26
2. The Generation of Adam Gen 5:1 to Gen 6:8
3. The Generation of Noah Gen 6:9 to Gen 9:29
4. The Generation of the Sons of Noah Gen 10:1 to Gen 11:9
5. The Generation of Shem Gen 11:10-26
6. The Generation of Terah (& Abraham) Gen 11:27 to Gen 25:11
7. The Generation Ishmael Gen 25:12-18
8. The Generation of Isaac Gen 25:19 to Gen 35:29
9. The Generation of Esau Gen 36:1-43
10. The Generation of Jacob Gen 37:1 to Gen 50:26
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
The Calling of the Patriarchs of Israel We can find two major divisions within the book of Genesis that reveal God’s foreknowledge in designing a plan of redemption to establish a righteous people upon earth. Paul reveals this four-fold plan in Rom 8:29-30: predestination, calling, justification, and glorification.
Rom 8:29-30, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”
The book of Genesis will reflect the first two phase of redemption, which are predestination and calling. We find in the first division in Gen 1:1 to Gen 2:3 emphasizing predestination. The Creation Story gives us God’s predestined plan for mankind, which is to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth with righteous offspring. The second major division is found in Gen 2:4 to Gen 50:25, which gives us ten genealogies, in which God calls men of righteousness to play a role in His divine plan of redemption.
The foundational theme of Gen 2:4 to Gen 11:26 is the divine calling for mankind to be fruitful and multiply, which commission was given to Adam prior to the Flood (Gen 1:28-29), and to Noah after the Flood (Gen 9:1). The establishment of the seventy nations prepares us for the calling out of Abraham and his sons, which story fills the rest of the book of Genesis. Thus, God’s calling through His divine foreknowledge (Gen 11:27 to Gen 50:26) will focus the calling of Abraham and his descendants to establish the nation of Israel. God will call the patriarchs to fulfill the original purpose and intent of creation, which is to multiply into a righteous nation, for which mankind was originally predestined to fulfill.
The generations of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob take up a large portion of the book of Genesis. These genealogies have a common structure in that they all begin with God revealing Himself to a patriarch and giving him a divine commission, and they close with God fulfilling His promise to each of them because of their faith in His promise. God promised Abraham a son through Sarah his wife that would multiply into a nation, and Abraham demonstrated his faith in this promise on Mount Moriah. God promised Isaac two sons, with the younger receiving the first-born blessing, and this was fulfilled when Jacob deceived his father and received the blessing above his brother Esau. Jacob’s son Joseph received two dreams of ruling over his brothers, and Jacob testified to his faith in this promise by following Joseph into the land of Egypt. Thus, these three genealogies emphasize God’s call and commission to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their response of faith in seeing God fulfill His word to each of them.
1. The Generations of Terah (& Abraham) Gen 11:27 to Gen 25:11
2. The Generations Ishmael Gen 25:12-18
3. The Generations of Isaac Gen 25:19 to Gen 35:29
4. The Generations of Esau Gen 36:1-43
5. The Generations of Jacob Gen 37:1 to Gen 50:26
The Origin of the Nation of Israel After Gen 1:1 to Gen 9:29 takes us through the origin of the heavens and the earth as we know them today, and Gen 10:1 to Gen 11:26 explains the origin of the seventy nations (Gen 10:1 to Gen 11:26), we see that the rest of the book of Genesis focuses upon the origin of the nation of Israel (Gen 11:27 to Gen 50:26). Thus, each of these major divisions serves as a foundation upon which the next division is built.
Paul the apostle reveals the four phases of God the Father’s plan of redemption for mankind through His divine foreknowledge of all things in Rom 8:29-30, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” Predestination – Gen 1:1 to Gen 11:26 emphasizes the theme of God the Father’s predestined purpose of the earth, which was to serve mankind, and of mankind, which was to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth with righteousness. Calling – Gen 11:27 to Gen 50:26 will place emphasis upon the second phase of God’s plan of redemption for mankind, which is His divine calling to fulfill His purpose of multiplying and filling the earth with righteousness. (The additional two phases of Justification and Glorification will unfold within the rest of the books of the Pentateuch.) This second section of Genesis can be divided into five genealogies. The three genealogies of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob begin with a divine calling to a patriarch. The two shorter genealogies of Ishmael and Esau are given simply because they inherit a measure of divine blessings as descendants of Abraham, but they will not play a central role in God’s redemptive plan for mankind. God will implement phase two of His divine plan of redemption by calling one man named Abraham to depart unto the Promised Land (Gen 12:1-3), and this calling was fulfilled by the patriarch. Isaac’s calling can also be found at the beginning of his genealogy, where God commands him to dwell in the Promised Land (Gen 26:1-6), and this calling was fulfilled by the patriarch Isaac. Jacob’s calling was fulfilled as he bore twelve sons and took them into Egypt where they multiplied into a nation. The opening passage of Jacob’s genealogy reveals that his destiny would be fulfilled through the dream of his son Joseph (Gen 37:1-11), which took place in the land of Egypt. Perhaps Jacob did not receive such a clear calling as Abraham and Isaac because his early life was one of deceit, rather than of righteousness obedience to God; so the Lord had to reveal His plan for Jacob through his righteous son Joseph. In a similar way, God spoke to righteous kings of Israel, and was silent to those who did not serve Him. Thus, the three patriarchs of Israel received a divine calling, which they fulfilled in order for the nation of Israel to become established in the land of Egypt. Perhaps the reason the Lord sent the Jacob and the seventy souls into Egypt to multiply rather than leaving them in the Promised Land is that the Israelites would have intermarried the cultic nations around them and failed to produce a nation of righteousness. God’s ways are always perfect.
1. The Generations of Terah (& Abraham) Gen 11:27 to Gen 25:11
2. The Generations Ishmael Gen 25:12-18
3. The Generations of Isaac Gen 25:19 to Gen 35:29
4. The Generations of Esau Gen 36:1-43
5. The Generations of Jacob Gen 37:1 to Gen 50:26
Divine Miracles It is important to note that up until now the Scriptures record no miracles in the lives of men. Thus, we will observe that divine miracles begin with Abraham and the children of Israel. Testimonies reveal today that the Jews are still recipients of God’s miracles as He divinely intervenes in this nation to fulfill His purpose and plan for His people. Yes, God is working miracles through His New Testament Church, but miracles had their beginning with the nation of Israel.
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
The Genealogy of Isaac The genealogies of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have a common structure in that they open with God speaking to a patriarch and giving him a commission and a promise in which to believe. In each of these genealogies, the patriarch’s calling is to believe God’s promise, while this passage of Scripture serves as a witness to God’s faithfulness in fulfilling each promise. Only then does the genealogy come to a close.
We find in Gen 25:19 to Gen 35:29 the genealogy of Isaac, the son of Abraham. Heb 11:20 reveals the central message in this genealogy that stirs our faith in God when Isaac gave his sons redemptive prophecies, saying, “By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.” As Abraham’s genealogy begins with a divine commission when God told him to leave Ur and to go Canaan (Gen 12:1), so does Isaac’s genealogy begin with a divine commission predicting him as the father of two nations, with the elder serving the younger (Gen 25:23), with both nations playing roles in redemptive history, Jacob playing the major role. The first event in Isaac’s genealogy has to do with a God speaking to his wife regarding the two sons in her womb, saying that these two sons would multiply into two nations. Since his wife Rebekah was barren, Isaac interceded to God and the Lord granted his request. The Lord then told Rebekah that two nations were in her womb, and the younger would prevail over the elder (Gen 25:21-23). Isaac, whose name means laughter (Gen 21:6), was called to establish himself in the land of Canaan after his father Abraham, and to believe in God’s promise regarding his son Jacob. During the course of his life, Isaac’s genealogy testifies of how he overcame obstacles and the enemy that resisted God’s plan for him. Thus, we see Isaac’s destiny was to be faithful and dwell in the land and father two nations. God’s promise to Isaac, that the elder will serve the younger, is fulfilled when Jacob deceives his father and receives the blessings of the first-born. The fact that Isaac died in a ripe old age testifies that he fulfilled his destiny as did Abraham his father. Rom 9:10-13 reflects the theme of Isaac’s genealogy in that it discusses the election of Jacob over Isaac. We read in Heb 11:20 how Isaac expressed his faith in God’s promise of two nations being born through Rebekah because he blessed his sons regarding these future promises.
Gen 12:1, “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:”
Gen 21:6, “And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.”
Gen 25:23, “And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.”
Gen 25:19 And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begat Isaac:
Gen 25:20 Gen 25:20
Gen 25:21 And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
Gen 25:22 Gen 25:22
Hos 12:3, “He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God:”
1. At his natural birth in the womb with his brother:
Gen 25:26, “And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.”
2. At his “spiritual” birth with an angel:
Gen 32:24, “And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.”
Gen 25:22 Comments – Any mother who has given birth to children understands the importance of the child’s continual kicks within her womb. Although painful at times, these kicks serve to assure the mother that the baby is alive and healthy. When these kicks cease for a few days a mother naturally becomes worried, but in the case of Rebekah the very opposite was true. There was too much kicking to the point that she besought the Lord in prayer. It was her beseeching God rather than her husband because a pregnant mother is much more focused upon these issues.
Gen 25:22 Comments – Why did Jacob and Esau struggle within their mother’s womb? One pastor suggests that they were struggling for the birthright by becoming the firstborn, which struggle was played out during the course of their lives.
Gen 25:23 And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
Gen 25:23
In the same sense, the prophecy in Mal 1:2-3 is not so much about the two individual sons of Jacob as it is a prophecy of two nations. In other words, God loved the nation of Israel and hated the nation of Edom.
Mal 1:2-3, “I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.”
Bruce goes on to explain that the Hebrew thought and speech is making an extreme contrast of love and hate in these passages for the sake of emphasis. He uses Luk 14:26 to illustrate this Hebrew way of saying that someone must love God far more than his earthly family. [227]
[227] F. F. Bruce, The Books and the Parchments (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1963), 46-47.
Luk 14:26, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”
This is exactly what the parallel passage in Mat 10:37 says when Jesus tells us that we must love Him more than our parents or children.
Mat 10:37, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”
Thus, God was saying that He loved Jacob far more than He loved Jacob’s closest blood kin. This statement is meant to place emphasis upon the immeasurable love that God has for His people.
Gen 25:23 Comments The genealogy of Isaac begins with a divine commission promising Isaac that he would father two nations, one mightier than the other, and both playing important roles in redemptive history. Gen 25:23 records this divine commission to Isaac and Rebecca, which is the first recorded event of the Lord speaking to Isaac or his wife.
Gen 25:23 Old Testament Quotes in the New Testament – Note that the phrase “and the elder shall serve the younger” is quoted in the New Testament.
Rom 9:11-13, “(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger . As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”
Gen 25:23 Scripture References – Note a reference to Jacob’s favour over Esau in Mal 1:1-3.
Mal 1:1-3, “The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.”
Gen 25:24 And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.
Gen 25:25 Gen 25:25
1Sa 16:17, “And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.”
1Sa 17:42, “And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.”
Gen 25:25 Word Study on “Esau” Strong says the Hebrew name “Esau” (H6215) means “hairy.”
Gen 25:25 Comments – Esau was a hairy man, while Jacob was not (Gen 27:11).
Gen 27:11, “And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man:”
Gen 25:26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.
Gen 25:26
One pastor suggests that Jacob’s name means “hand upon the heel” because this is what his parents saw when he was born. He uses the Hebrew word “yod” ( ) as a symbol of a hand, with the root word ( ) meaning “heel.”
Gen 25:26 Comments – We know that Jacob and Esau struggled together in the womb. Why did Jacob grab his brother’s heel? One pastor suggests that he was trying to stop Esau from crushing his head. He refers to Gen 3:15 as the prophecy to explain this suggestion. The seed of woman was going to crush the head of Satan. We know that according to Jewish tradition Cain, who was of the evil one, struck Abel on the head and killed him. So it appears that Satan was trying to reverse this prophecy by crushing the head of the woman’s seed. Perhaps Esau was trying to crush the head of Jacob while in the womb.
Gen 25:27 And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.
Gen 25:27
Gen 25:27 Comments – There will eventually arise between Esau and Jacob a similar competition that took place between Cain and Abel. Esau did eventually attempt to kill Jacob, but was protected by divine providence.
Gen 25:28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.
The Birth of the Twelve Sons of Jacob – Gen 29:1 to Gen 30:24 gives an account of Jacob coming to the house of Bethuel and marrying Leah and Rachael. This narrative material records the births of all but one of the twelve sons of Jacob. These sons were named according to an event surrounding their births.
Word Study on “Reuben” Strong says the Hebrew name “Reuben” ( ) (H7205) means “see ye a son.” This name is based upon Leah’s statement in Gen 29:32, “Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.”
Word Study on “Simon” Strong says the Hebrew name “Simon” ( ) (H8095) means “hearing.” This name is based upon Leah’s statement in Gen 29:33, “Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also.”
Word Study on “Levi” Strong says the Hebrew name “Levi” ( ) (H3878) means “attached.” This name is based upon Leah’s statement in Gen 29:34, “Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons.”
Word Study on “Judah” – Strong says the Hebrew name “Judah” ( ) (H3063) means “celebrated.” This name is based upon Leah’s statement in Gen 29:35, “Now I will praise the Lord.”
Word Study on “Dan” – Strong says the Hebrew name “Dan” ( ) (H1835) means “judge.” This name is based upon Rachael’s statement in Gen 30:6, “God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son.”
Word Study on “Naphtali” – Strong says the Hebrew name Naphtali ( ) (H5321) means “my wrestling.” This name is based upon Rachael’s statement in Gen 30:8, “With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed.”
Word Study on “Gad” – Strong says the Hebrew name “Gad” ( ) (H1410) means “fortune, troop.” This name is based upon Leah’s statement in Gen 30:11, “A troop cometh.”
Word Study on “Asher” – Strong says the Hebrew name “Asher” ( ) (H836) means, “happy.” This name is based upon Leah’s statement in Gen 30:13, “Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed .”
Word Study on “Issachar” – Strong says the Hebrew name “Issachar” ( ) (H3485) means “there is recompense.” This name is based upon Leah’s statement in Gen 30:18, “God hath given me my hire , because I have given my maiden to my husband.”
Word Study on “Zebulun” – Strong says the Hebrew name “Zebulun” ( ) (H2074) means “exalted” This name is based upon Leah’s statement in Gen 30:20, “God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons.”
Word Study on “Joseph” – Strong says the Hebrew name “Joseph” ( ) (H3130) means “Jehovah has added.” This name is based upon Leah’s statement in Gen 30:23-24, “God hath taken away my reproachThe LORD shall add to me another son.”
Gen 29:4 Comments – Jacob travelled East in search of his uncle named Laban because this is what his mother instructed him to do (Gen 28:2).
Gen 28:2, “Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother’s father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother.”
Gen 29:6 Word Study on “Rachel” – Strong says the Hebrew name “Rachel” ( ) (H7354) means, “ewe.”
Gen 29:12 Comments – In Gen 29:12 Jacob called himself Laban’s brother. However, he was actually Laban’s nephew? This statement is made again in Gen 29:15, “And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother.” In the African culture, it is common to refer to a person who is a dear friend and even a close relative, as your father, mother, brother, or sister. It is a term of endearment, and not just a word of kinship. When extended families move in together, due to loss of parents, the children of the relatives become sons and daughters of uncles and aunts.
Gen 29:13 And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister’s son, that 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 29:17 Deu 20:8, “And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted ? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren’s heart faint as well as his heart.”
Deu 28:56, “The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter,”
2Sa 3:39 “And I am this day weak , though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.”
2Ch 13:7, “And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them.”
Job 41:3, “Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words unto thee?
Note how other translations differ in their interpretation of this phrase “tender eyed”:
Brenton, “ And the eyes of Lea were weak . But Rachel was beautiful in appearance, and exceedingly fair in countenance.”
DRC, “But Lia was blear eyed : Rachel was well favoured, and of a beautiful countenance.”
HNV, “ Le’ah’s eyes were weak , but Rachel was beautiful and well favored.”
NAB, “ Leah had lovely eyes , but Rachel was well formed and beautiful.”
YLT, “and the eyes of Leah are tender , and Rachel hath been fair of form and fair of appearance.”
Gen 29:17 Comments – Scholars are divided as to the meaning of the phrase “tender eyed.” Some believe it means that Leah’s eyes were unattractive. For example, Keil-Delitzsch notes that “bright eyes, with fire in them, are regarded as the height of beauty in Oriental women,” which he says Leah lacked. [237] A woman’s eyes play a large role in her beauty. If her eyes are poorly shaped, it takes away from her entire physical beauty. Other scholars suggest that her eyes alone were beautiful, while Rachel’s figure was more attractive. Adam Clarke says, “The chief recommendation of Leah was her soft and beautiful eyes; but Rachel was yephath toar, beautiful in her shape, person, mien, and gait, and yephath mareh, beautiful in her countenance.” [238]
[237] C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, Pentateuch, vol. 1, in Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament, trans. James Martin, in P.C. Study Bible, v. 3.1 [CD-ROM] (Seattle, WA: Biblesoft Inc., 1993-2000), comments on Genesis 29:15-20.
[238] Adam Clarke, Genesis, in Adam Clarke’s Commentary, Electronic Database (Seattle, WA: Hendrickson Publishers Inc., 1996), in P.C. Study Bible, v. 3.1 [CD-ROM] (Seattle, WA: Biblesoft Inc., 1993-2000), notes on Genesis 29:17.
Gen 29:18 Comments – Adam Clarke notes that Jacob offered seven years of service to Laban because he was destitute and lacked the customary dowry that a young man gives to the bride’s father. [239]
[239] Adam Clarke, Job, in Adam Clarke’s Commentary, Electronic Database (Seattle, WA: Hendrickson Publishers Inc., 1996), in P.C. Study Bible, v. 3.1 [CD-ROM] (Seattle, WA: Biblesoft Inc., 1993-2000), notes on Genesis 29:17.
Gen 29:30 Comments – Leah and Rachel were given to Jacob near the same time period, after the first 7 years of his hired serve under Laban.
Gen 29:31 And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.
Gen 29:31 Gen 29:31-35 Comments – Leah’s Bears Four Sons by Jacob – We see Leah, the wife of Jacob, simply wanting her husband’s love. She thought she was winning his love by giving him a multitude of sons, when in fact she was destined to become the mother of six tribes of Israel. She had no idea that a nation was in her womb. Nor did she understand how much more important was her favor with God than her favor with her husband, which she never really received. Leah’s greatness is found in her favor with God who gave her six sons rather than in her favor with Jacob; for there was nothing great about her relationship with her husband. This is what Paul meant in Eph 3:20 when he said that God was able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.
Eph 3:20, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,”
As I write these notes, I am sitting in a church service listening to an elderly woman named Irene, who founded an orphanage in the dangerous region of northern Uganda. She is introducing some of her children who lost their parents in war and were raised in this orphanage. They are now healthy and strong, and some of them are going to the university with dreams of becoming a doctor. As a side note, she once testified how she and her husband first traveled to northern Uganda during the hot summer with the dry semiarid desert wind blowing sand in their faces for weeks at a time. She tells how her husband soon left her alone there and married a local native girl. Thus, Irene’s greatness was not found in her relationship with her husband’s love, which failed, but in the orphans that she has loved and cared for through these years.
The Sons of Bilhah and Zilpah
v. 1. And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. v. 2. And Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel; and he said, Am I in God’s stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? v. 3. And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her. v. 4. And she gave him Bilhah, her handmaid, to wife; and Jacob went in unto her. v. 5. And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son.
v. 6. And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son; therefore called she his name Dan v. 7. And Bilhah, Rachel’s maid, conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son.
v. 8. And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed; and she called his name Naphtali v. 9. When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah, her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife, v. 10. And Zilpah, Leah’s maid, bare Jacob a son.
v. 11. And Leah said, A troop cometh; and she called his name Gad v. 12. And Zilpah, Leah’s maid, bare Jacob a second son.
v. 13. And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed; and she called his name Asher EXPOSITION
Gen 30:1
And when Rachel saw (apparently after, though probably before, the birth of Leah’s fourth son) that she bare Jacob no children (literally, that she bare not to Jacob), Rachel envied her sister (was jealous of her, the root referring to the redness with which the face of an angry woman is suffused); and said unto Jacob, Give me children (sons), or else I dieliterally, and if not, I am a dead woman; i.e. for shame at her sterility. Rachel had three strong reasons for desiring childrenthat she might emulate her sister, become more dear to her husband, and above all share the hope of being a progenitrix of the promised Seed. If not warranted to infer that Rachel’s barrenness was due to lack of prayer on her part and Jacob’s (Keil), we are at least justified in asserting that her conduct in breaking forth into angry reproaches against her husband was unlike that of Jacob’s mother, Rebekah, who, in similar circumstances, sought relief in prayer and oracles (Kalisch). The brief period that had elapsed since Rachel’s marriage, in comparison with the twenty years of Rebekah’s barrenness, signally discovered Rachel’s sinful impatience.
Gen 30:2
And Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel (not without just cause, since she not only evinced a want of faith and resignation, but wrongfully imputed blame to him): and he said, Am I in God’s stead,i.e. am I omnipotent like him? This you yourself will surely not presume to believe. The interrogative particle conveys the force of a spirited denialwho hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? Rachel herself understood that God alone could remove sterility (Gen 30:6); but to this fact jealousy of Leah appears for the moment to have blinded her.
Gen 30:3
And she said,resorting to the sinful expedient of Sarah (Gen 16:2), though without Sarah’s excuse, since there was no question whatever about an heir for Jacob; which, even if there had been, would not have justified a practice which, in the case of her distinguished relative, had been so palpably condemnedBehold my maid Bilhah (vide Gen 29:29), go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees,i.e. children that I may place upon my knees, as mothers do (Piscator, A Lapide, Calvin, Rosenmller, Lange, Ainsworth); the literal sense of the words being too absurd to require refutationthat I may also have childrenliterally, be builded up (cf. Gen 16:2)by her.
Gen 30:4
And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her. “Whence we gather that there is no end of sin where once the Divine institution of marriage is neglected” (Calvin). Jacob began with polygamy, and is now drawn into concubinage. Though God overruled this for the development of the seed of Israel, he did not thereby condone the offense of either Jacob or Rachel.
Gen 30:5
And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son. “Conception and birth may be granted to irregular marriages” (Hughes). “So God often strives to overcome men’s wickedness through kindness, and pursues the unworthy with his grace” (Calvin).
Gen 30:6
And Rachel said, God hath judged me,”hath chastened me,” as in Gen 15:14 (Ainsworth, Wordsworth); better, “hath procured for me justice,” as if reckoning her sterility an injustice by the side of Leah’s fecundity (Keil, Lange); or, hath carried through my cause like a patron, i.e. hath vindicated me from the reproach of barrenness (Munster, Rosenmller); or, hath dealt with me according to his sovereign justice, withholding’ from me the fruit of the womb while I was forgetful of my dependence on him, and granting me posterity when I approached him in humble supplication (Murphy), which it is obvious from the next clause that Rachel didand hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son. With undue severity older interpreters regard Rachel as using the Divine name more hypocritarum, who, when their schemes prosper, think that God favors them (Vatablus, Calvin). The employment of Elohim by Jacob and Rachel, supposed to mark the first thirteen verses as belonging to the primitive document (Tuch, Bleek, Kalisch), though by others (Davidson, Colenso) they are ascribed to the Jehovist, is sufficiently explained by Rachers consciousness that in a large measure her handmaid’s son was rather the fruit of her own impious device than the gift of Jehovah (Hengstenberg). Therefore called she his name Dani.e. “Judge,” one decreeing justice, vindex, from , to judge (Gesenius, Keil, Lange, et alii), though, as in other proper names, e.g. Joseph, Zebulun, in which two verbs are alluded to, Michaelis thinks non ajudicando solum, sed et ab audiendo nomen accepisse Danem, and connects it with another verb, a denominative from an Arabic root, signifying to hear.
Gen 30:7, Gen 30:8
And Bilhah Rachel’s maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son. And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, literally, wrestlings of God have I wrestled with my sister, meaning, by “wrestlings of Elohim;” not great wrestlings in rivalry, with Leah (A.V. Vatablus, Ainsworth, Rosenmller, Calvin), nor wrestlings in the cause of God, as being unwilling to leave the founding of the nation to her sister alone (Knobel), but wrestlings with God in prayer (Delitzsch, Lange, Murphy, Kalisch), wrestlings regarding Elohim and his grace (Hengstenberg, Keil), in which she at the same time contended with her sister, to whom apparently that grace had been hitherto restrictedand I have prevailed (scarcely in the sense of achieving a victory over Leah, who had already borne four sons, but in the sense of drawing the Divine favor, though only indirectly, towards herself): and she called his name Naphtalii.e. “My Wrestling.”
Gen 30:9
When Leah saw that she had left bearing (literally, stood from bearing, as in Gen 29:35), she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her to Jacob to wifebeing in this led astray by Rachel’s sinful example, both as to the spirit of unholy rivalry she cherished, and the questionable means she employed for its gratification.
Gen 30:10, Gen 30:11
And Zilpah Leah’s maid bare Jacob a son. And Leah said, A troop cometh. , for , in or with good fortune; (LXX.); feliciter, sc. this happens to me (Vulgate), a translation which has the sanction of Gesenius, Furst, Rosenmller, Keil, Kalisch, and other content authoritiesthe Keri, whith is followed by Onkelos and Syriac, reading , fortune cometh. The Authorised rendering, supported by the Samaritan, and supposed to accord better with Gen 49:19, is approved by Calvin, Ainsworth, Bush, and others. And she called his name Gadi.e. Good Fortune.
Gen 30:12, Gen 30:13
And Zilpah, Leah’s maid, bare Jacob a second son. And Leah said, Happy am I,literally, in my happiness, so am I (‘Speaker’s Commentary’); or, for or to my happiness (Keil, Kalisch )for the daughters will call me blessed (or, happy): and she called his name Asheri.e. Happy.
HOMILETICS
Gen 30:1-13
Rachel and Leah, or unholy rivalry.
I. RACHEL‘S ENVY OF LEAH.
1. The insufficient cause. “She saw that she bare Jacob no children,” while Leah had begun to have a family. Though commonly regarded by Hebrew wives as a peculiarly severe affliction, childlessness was not without its compensations, which Rachel should have reckoned. Then the motherhood of Leah was the good fortune of a sister, in which Rachel should have lovingly rejoiced; and both the barrenness and the fruitfulness were of God’s appointment, in which Rachel should have piously acquiesced.
2. The querulous complaint. “Give me children, or else I die.” To inordinately long for children was, on Rachel’s part, a great sin; to depreciate the gift of life with its manifold blessings because of their absence was a greater sin; to express her bitter and despondent feeling in reproachful language against her husband was a sin still greater; but the greatest sin of all was to overlook the hand of God in her affliction.
3. The merited rebuke. “Am I in God’s stead?” If Jacob sinned in being angry with Rachel, evincing want of sympathy and patience with her womanly distress, if even he erred in infusing a too great degree of heat into his words, he yet acted with propriety in censuring her fault. It is the province of a husband to reprove grievous misdemeanors in a wife, only not with severity, as Jacob, yet with Jacob’s fidelity.
4. The sinful expedient. “Behold my maid Bilhah.” Sanctioned by popular custom, the plan adopted by Rachel for obtaining children might almost seem to have been sanctified by the conduct of Sarah. But the circumstances in which the two wives were placed were widely different. Yet, even though they had been the same, Rachel was not at liberty, any more than Sarah, to tempt her husband to a violation of the marriage law. The bad example of a saint no more than the evil practice of the world can justify a sin.
5. The apparent success. “Rachel’s maid conceived.” God often allows wicked schemes to prosper, without approving of either the schemes or the schemers. Sometimes their success is needful, as in this case, to manifest their wickedness and folly.
6. The mistaken inference. “God hath judged me.” Rachel is not the only person who has reckoned God upon his side because of outward prosperity. The world’s standard of morality is success. But moral triumphs are frequently achieved through material defeats.
II. LEAH‘S IMITATION OF RACHEL.
1. Of Rachel‘s bad feeling. She might have borne with her sister’s exultation over the happiness of reaching motherhood by proxy, might have allowed Rachel to have her little triumph, but she could not. immediately foreseeing the possibility of being out-distanced by her favored rival, she became a victim of green-eyed jealousy. The envy stirring in the heart of Rachel had at length spread its contagion to her.
2. Of Rachel‘s sinful conduct. “Leah took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife. One never knows where the influence of a bad example is to end. When one saint steps aside from the straight path others are sure to follow. The more eminent the first transgressor is, the easier sinning is to his successors.
3. Of Rachel‘s wrong reasoning. “The daughters will call me blessed.” Faulty logic (at least in morals) seems as easy to copy as improper feelings or wicked deeds. The connection between much happiness and many children is not absolute and inevitable. The hopes of rejoicing mothers are sometimes sadly blighted, and their expectations of felicity strangely disappointed. She is truly happy whom not the daughters, but Jehovah, pronounces blessed.
Lessons:
1. The bitterness of envy.
2. The wickedness of polygamy.
3. The contagiousness of sin.
HOMILIES BY J.F. MONTGOMERY
Gen 30:1
Envy working in God’s people.
“Rachel envied her sister.” Jacob’s love for Rachel a type of Christ’s love for his Church. We cannot doubt that his love was returned. There was thus the chief element of conjugal happiness. But her sister, less favored in this, had a blessing which was denied her, and “Rachel envied her sister.” It was not that she feared to lose her husband’s love. Of that she had abundant proof: It was a selfish sorrow. Her husband’s children were growing up, but they were not hers. Rachel’s envy has its counterpart among Christians. Love for Christ may take the form of selfish zeal; unwillingness to acknowledge or rejoice in work for God in which we take no part. In the spiritual history of the world a blessing often seems to rest upon means irregular or unlikely. Where efforts that promised well have failed, God makes his own power felt; and many think this cannot be right (cf. Joh 9:16), and would rather have the work not done than done thus. Contrast the spirit of St. Paul (Php 1:18). Examples of this: unwillingness to rejoice in good done by some other communion, or some other party than our own; inclination to look at points of difference rather than at those held in common; the work of others doubted, criticized, or ignored; eagerness to warn against this or that. Self lies at the root of this. Perhaps the harvest of another seems to diminish ours. Perhaps our own thoughts are to us the measure of God’s plans. Men see the outside of others’ work, and judge as if they knew both the motives and the full results. Yet with this there may be much real zeal and love for the Lord. The failure lies in the want of complete acceptance of his will. To rejoice in work for Christ, by whomsoever done, is not inconsistent with decided views as to the objects to be aimed at, and the means to be used (1Th 5:21).
1. We are called to enlarge the household of God; to be the means of making enemies into children (cf. Psa 87:4, Psa 87:5) through producing faith (cf. Joh 1:12). Each responsible for the faithful use of the powers given to us, and bidden to examine ourselves as to sincerity. But the visible results are as God pleases. Here a test of singleness of mind. Can we rejoice in success of a work in which we have no share, or when another’s success appears greater than ours? (Gal 5:26).
2. As an exercise of unselfishness, be careful not to provoke envy by parading distinctive peculiarities (Rom 12:18) or exalting our own work.
3. Be not discouraged that work of others seems more blessed (Joh 4:36, Joh 4:37). Faithfulness is within the power of all. It is that which God regards (Mat 25:21). The result we cannot judge of here. The fruit delayed may prove a greater blessing.M.
Gen 30:1. Give me children, &c. It is very evident from the text, that the foundation of this impatient and unbecoming behaviour in Rachel, was envy and jealousy of her sister: and therefore, though sterility was counted a very great evil among the Hebrew women, and that principally from their hope of being respectively the mother of the blessed Seed; yet it is not evident, that Rachel was now actuated by this hope, but solely by envy of her sister, as appears further from the names which she gave her handmaid’s children. That, in her cooler and more serious hours, she was affected by the reproach of barrenness, there is no doubt, see Gen 30:23 as well as anxious to bear, that she might be the mother of that Seed of Abraham in whom all nations should be blessed.
SECOND SECTION
Jacobs wives and children. Jacob and Rachel, Labans youngest daughter. First and second treaty with Laban. His involuntary consummation of marriage with Leah. The double marriage. Leahs sons. Rachels dissatisfaction. The strife of the two women. The concubines. Jacobs blessing of children
Gen 29:1 to Gen 30:24
1Then Jacob went on his journey [lifted up his feet] and came [fled] into the land of the people [children] of the east [morning]. 2And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it [before him]; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the wells month. 3And thither were all the flocks gathered: and [then] they rolled the stone from the wells mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the wells mouth in his place. 4And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we. 5And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him. 6And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He Isaiah 7 well: and behold, Rachel [lamb, ewe-lamb] his daughter cometh with the sheep. And [But] he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them. 8And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till [then] they roll the stone from the wells mouth; then [and] we water the sheep.
9And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her fathers sheep: for she kept them. 10And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mothers brother, and the sheep of Laban his mothers brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the wells mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mothers brother. 11And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. 12And Jacob told Rachel that he was her fathers brother [nephew]. And that he was Rebekahs son; and she ran and told her father. 13And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sisters son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And [Then] he told Laban all these things. 14And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.
15And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother [relative], shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be. 16And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah [scarcely, the wearied; still less, the dull, stupid, 17 as Frst, rather: the pining, yearning, desiring], and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful [as to form] and well favored [as to countenance]. 18And Jacob loved Rachel: and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. 19And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee than that I 20should give her to another man: abide with me. And [thus] Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him [were in his eyes] but a few days, for the love he had to her.
21And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. 22And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast [wedding feast]. 23And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. 24And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah, Zilpah [Maurer: the dewyfrom the trickling, dropping; Frst: myrrh-juice] his maid, for an handmaid. 25And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did [have] not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me? 26And Laban said, It must not be so done [it is not the custom] in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27Fulfil her [wedding] week [the week of this onefulfil, etc.is too strong], and we will give thee this also, for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. 28And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and [then] he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. 29And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah [Maurer, Frst: tender. Gesenius: bashful, modest] his handmaid to be her maid. 30And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.
31And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated [displeasing] he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren. 32And Leah conceived, and bare a son; and she called his name Reuben [see there, a son]: for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me. 33And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the Lord hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon [schimeon, hearing]. 34And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time [at last] will my husband be joined unto me, because I have borne him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi 35[joining, cleaving]. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she said, Now will I praise the Lord: therefore she called his name Judah [praise of God, literally, praised, viz., be Jehovah]; and left bearing.
Gen 30:1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. 2And Jacobs anger was kindled against Rachel; and he said, Am I [then] in Gods stead, who hath with held from thee the fruit of the womb? 3And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her, and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may [and I shall] also have children 4[be built] by her. And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife. And Jacob went in unto her. 5And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a Song of Solomon 6 And Rachel said, God hath judged me [decreed me my right], and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan [Judge; vindicator]. 7And Bilhah, Rachels maid, conceived again, and bare Jacob a second Song of Solomon , 8 Rachel said, With great wrestlings [wrestlings of God, Elohim] have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali [my conflict or wrestler]. 9[And] When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah, her maid, and gave 10her Jacob to wife. And Zilpah, Leahs maid, bare Jacob a son. 11And Leah said, A 12troop cometh [1 with felicity, good fortune]: and she called his name Gad [fortune]. And Zilpah, Leahs maid, bare Jacob a second son. 13And Leah said, Happy am I [for my happiness], for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher [blessedness].
14And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes [love-apples] in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy sons mandrakes. 15And she said unto her Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my sons mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to-night for thy sons mandrakes. 16And [as] Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my 17sons mandrakes. And he lay with her that night. And God [Elohim] hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son. 18And Leah said, God hath given me my hire [wages, reward], because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar [Yisashcar,2 it is the reward]. 19And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son. 20And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry [presented me with a beautiful present]; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun [dwelling, dwelling together]. 21And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah [judged, justified, judgment].
22And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. 23And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach: 24And she called his name Joseph [may he add]; and said, The Lord shall add to me another [a second] son.
GENERAL PRELIMINARY REMARKS
1. The first half of the history of Jacobs sojourn in Mesopotamia is a history of his love, his marriages, and his children. Bridal love, in its peculiar splendor of heart and emotion, never appeared so definitely in Genesis, after Adams salutation to Eve, as in the present case. With respect to the moral motives, by means of which Jacob became involved in polygamy, notwithstanding his exclusive bridal love, compare the preface p. lxxvi. We may divide the history into the following stages: 1. Jacobs arrival at the shepherds well in Haran (Gen 29:1-8); 2. Jacobs salutation to Rachel and his reception into Labans house (Gen 29:9-14); 3. Jacobs covenant and service for Rachel and the deception befalling him (Gen 29:15-25). How Jacob, under the divine providence, through the deception practised upon him, became very rich, both in sons and with respect to the future. (Gthe: It has always been proved true, That he whom God deceives, is deceived to his advantage.) 4. His renewed service for Rachel (Gen 29:26-30); 5. The first-born sons of Leah (Gen 29:31-35); 6. Rachels dejection and the concubinage of Bilhah, her handmaid (30. Gen 29:1-8); 7. Leahs emulation, and her handmaid Zilpah (Gen 29:9-13; Genesis 8. Leahs last children (Gen 29:14-21); 9. Rachel, Josephs mother (Gen 29:22-24).
2. Knobel finds here a mixture of Jehovistic representation with the original text. He knows so little what to make of the ancient mode of writing narratives that he remarks upon Gen 29:16-17 : Moreover the same writer who has spoken of Rachel already (Gen 29:9-12), could not properly introduce the two daughters of Laban, as is done in the present instance.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
1. Gen 29:1-8. Jacobs arrival at the shepherds well in Haran.Then Jacob went on his journey.This consoling and refreshing manifestation reanimated him, so that he goes cheerfully on his journey. Of course, he must use his feet, his bridal tour differs from that of Eliezer, although he himself is the wooer.Into the land of the people of the East.The choice of this expression, no doubt, indicates that from Bethel he gradually turned eastward, and crossing the Jordan and passing through the northern part of Arabia Deserta, he came to Mesopotamia, which is also included here.He looked, and behold.He looks around to find out where he is. Wells, however, are not only waymarks in nomadic districts, but also places of gathering for the shepherds.It was not a well of living water,at least not Eliezers well near Haran,but a cistern, as is proved from the stone covering it. It seems to have been in the midst of the plain of Haran, and the city itself was not yet in sight.There were three flocks of sheep lying by it.Scenes of this description were frequently seen in the ancient Orient, (Gen 24:11, etc.; Exo 2:16, etc.,) and may still be seen today (Robinson: Researches, ii. pp. 180, 357, 371; iii. 27, 250). Watering troughs of stone are placed around the well, and the rule is, that he who comes first, waters his flocks first (V. Schubert: Travels, ii. p. 453; Burkhardt: Syria, p. 128, etc.). Among the Arabian Bedouins the wells belong to separate tribes and families, and strangers are not permitted to use them without presents, i.e. pay (Burkhardt: Bedouins, p. 185; Robinson, iii. p. 7; comp. Num 20:17; Num 20:19; Num 21:22). They are, therefore, often the cause of strifes (Gen 26:19, etc.). The Arabians cover them very skilfully, so that they remain concealed from strangers (Diod. Sic., ii. 48, 19, 94). Even now they are covered with a large stone (see Robinson, ii. p. 180). Knobel. Robinson: Most of the cisterns are covered with a large, thick flat stone, in the centre of which a round hole is cut, which forms the mouth of the cistern. This hole, in many instances, we found covered with a heavy stone, to the removal of which two or three men were requisite. As to the cisterns (see also Keil, p. 203).And a great stone.This does not mean that all the shepherds were to come together, that by their united strength they might roll it away. The shepherds of these three herds must wait for the rest of the shepherds with their herds, because the watering of the herds was common and must take place in due order. The remark, no doubt, indicates, however, that the stone was too heavy to be removed by one of the shepherds. The shepherds also appear to have made the removal of the stone as easy as possible to them.My Brethren.A friendly salutation between the shepherds.Of Haran.[Haran lay about four hundred and fifty miles northeast from Beer-sheba. It would, therefore, be a journey of fifteen days, if Jacob walked at the rate of thirty miles a day. Murphy.A. G.] From this it does not follow certainly that the city was far off, still Laban might have had tents on the plains for his shepherds.Laban, the son of Nahor.Nahor was his grandfather. Bethuel, his father, here retires into the background, just as in Rebekahs history.It is yet high day.According to Starke, Jacob, as a shepherd, wished to remind these shepherds of their duty. It is obviously the prudent Jacob who acts here. He wishes to remove the shepherds, in order to meet his cousin Rachel, who is approaching, alone (see Keil). He thus assumes that they could water their flocks separately, and afterwards drive again to the pasture.
2. Gen 29:8-14.Jacobs salutation to Rachel, and his reception into Labans house.For she kept them.It is customary among the Arabians of Sinai, that the virgin daughters drive the herds to the pasture (see Burkhardt: Bedouins, p. 283). Knobel, Exo 2:16.And rolled the stone.The strong impression that the beautiful Rachel made upon her cousin Jacob is manifested in two ways. He thinks himself powerful enough to roll the stone from the mouth of the cistern out of love to her, and disregards the possibility that the trial might fail. At the same time, too, he boldly disregards the common rule of the shepherds present. Rachels appearance made him eager, as formerly Rebekahs appearance even the old Eliezer, when he took out the bracelets before he knew her. The power of beauty is also recognized here upon sacred ground. Tuch thinks that the united exertion of the shepherds would have been necessary, and the narrative, therefore, boasts of a Samson-like strength in Jacob. But there is a difference between Samson-like strength and the heroic power of inspired love. [Perhaps, however, there was mingling with this feeling the joy which naturally springs from finding himself among his kindred, after the long, lonely and dangerous journey through the desert.A. G.]Jacob kissed Rachel.The three-fold shows that he acted thus as cousin (rolling the stone from the wells mouth, etc.). As such he was allowed to kiss Rachel openly, as a brother his sister (Son 8:1). Knobel.Yet his excitement betrays him even here, since he did not make known his relationship with her until afterwards.And wept.Teals of joy, of reanimation after a long oppression and sorrow (Gen 45:15; Gen 46:29). He Wept aloud, with uplifted voice. Brother here equivalent to nephew (Gen 14:16; Gen 24:48).When Laban heard the tidings.That Jacob made the whole journey on foot might have caused suspicion in the mind of Laban. But he is susceptible of nobler feelings, as is seen from the subsequent narration (Gen 31:24), although he is generally governed by selfish motives.And he told Laban.Surely, the whole cause of his journey, by which he also explained his poor appearance as the son of the rich Isaac. In the view of Keil, he relates only the circumstances mentioned from Gen 29:2-12.Surely thou art my flesh and my bone.He recognizes him fully from his appearance and his communication, as his near relative.The space of a month.Literally, during some, an indefinite number of days. It was yet uncertain, from day to day, how they would arrange matters.
3. Gen 29:15-25. Jacobs suit and service for Rachel, and the deception practised upon him.Tell me what shall thy wages be.This expression is regarded by Keil already as a mark of Labans selfishness, but there is no ground for this view. It is rather to be supposed that Laban wished to open the way for his love suit, which, on account of his poor condition he had not yet ventured to press. We see afterwards, indeed, that Laban willingly gives both his daughters to him. We do not, however, wish to exclude the thought, that in the meantime he may have recognized a skilful and useful shepherd in Jacob, and besides acted from regard to his own interest, especially since he knew that Jacob possessed a great inheritance at home.The name of the elder was Leah.It is remarkable, that in the explanation of this name we are mostly inclined to follow derived significations of the word (see Frst upon this verb).The word used to describe the eyes of Leah, means simply: weak or dull, whence the Arabians have made, moist or blear-eyed. Leahs eyes were not in keeping with the Oriental idea of beauty, though otherwise she might be a woman greatly blessed. Eyes which are not clear and lustrous. To the Oriental, but especially to the Arabian, black eyes, full of life and fire, clear and expressive, dark eyes, are considered the principal part of female beauty. Such eyes he loves to compare with those of the Gazelle, (Hamasa, i. p. 557, etc. KnobelRachel, the third renowned beauty in the patriarchal family. If authentic history was not in the way, Leah, as the mother of Judah, and of the Davidic Messianic line, ought to have carried off the prize of beauty after Sarah and Rebekah.And well favored.Beautiful as to her form and beautiful as to her countenance. Beside the more general designation: beautiful as to her form, the second: beautiful must surely have a more definite signification: beautiful as to her countenance, and, indeed, with a reference to her beautiful eyes, which were wanting to Leah. Thus the passage indirectly says that Leahs form was beautiful.Serve thee seven years for Rachel.Instead of wages he desires the daughter, and instead of a service of an indefinite number of days he promises a service of seven years. Jacobs service represents the price which, among the Orientals, was usually paid for the wife which was to be won (see Winer, Realw., under marriage). The custom still exists. In Kerek, a man without means, renders service for five or six years (Ritter, Erdkunde, xv. p. 674), and in Hauran, Burkhardt (Syria, p. 464), met a young man who had served eight years for his bare support, and then received for a wife the daughter of his master, but must render service still. Knobel. On the contrary, Keil disputes the certainty of the assumption that the custom selling their daughters to men was general at that time. And we should certainly be nearer the truth in explaining many usages of the present border Asia from patriarchal relations, than to invert everything according to Knobels view. Keil holds that Jacobs seven years of service takes the place of the customary dowry and the presents given to the relatives; but he overlooks the fact that the ideas of buying and presenting (and barter) are not as far apart in the East as with us. Nor can we directly infer the covetousness of Laban from Jacobs acceptance of the offer, although his ignoble, selfish, narrow-minded conduct, as it is seen afterwards, throws some light also on these Eastern transactions.It is better that I give her to thee.Among all Bedouin Arabians the cousin has the preference to strangers (Burkhardt, Bedouin, p. 219), and the Druses in Syria always prefer a relative to a rich stranger (Volney, Travels, ii. p. 62). It is generally customary throughout the East, that a man marries his next cousin; he is not compelled to do it, but the right belongs to him exclusively, and she is not allowed to marry any other without his consent. Both relatives, even after their marriage, call each other cousin (Burkhardt, Bedouins, p., 91, and Arabian Proverbs, p. 274, etc.; Layard, Nineveh and Babylon, p. 222; Lane, Manners and Customs, i. p. 167). Knobel.They seemed unto him but a few days.So far, namely, as that his great love for Rachel made his long service a delight to him; but, on the other hand, it is not said that he did not long for the end of these seven years. Yet he was cheerful and joyful in hope, which is in perfect keeping with Jacobs character.A Feast.Probably Laban intended, at the great nuptial feast which he prepared, to facilitate Jacobs deception by the great bustle and noise, but then also to arrange things so, that after seven days the wedding might be considered a double wedding. For it is evident that he wishes to bind Jacob as firmly and as long as possible to himself (see Gen 30:27).Leah, his daughter.The deception was possible, through the custom, that the bride was led veiled to the bridegroom and the bridal chamber. Laban probably believed, as to the base deception, that he would be excused, because he had already in view the concession of the second daughter to Jacob.And Laban gave unto her Zilpah.We cannot certainly infer that he was parsimonious, because he gave but one handmaid to Leah, since he undoubtedly thought already of the dowry of Rachel with a second handmaid. The number of Rebekahs handmaids is not mentioned (Gen 24:61).Behold, it was Leah.[This is the first retribution Jacob experiences for the deceitful practises of his former days. He had, through fraud and cunning, secured the place and blessing of Esau,he, the younger, in the place of the elder; now, by the same deceit, the elder is put upon him in the place of the younger. What a man sows that shall he also reap. Sin is often punished with sin.A. G.] See Doctrinal and Ethical paragraphs.
4. Gen 29:26-30. His renewed service for Rachel.It must not be so done.The same custom exists among the East Indians (see Manu.: Statutes, iii. 160; Rosenm., A. u. Mod. Orient, and Von Bohlen, upon this place). Even in the Egypt of to-day, the father sometimes refuses also to give in marriage a younger daughter before an older one (Lane: Customs and Manners, i. p. 169). Knobel. Delitzsch adds the custom in old imperial Germany. This excuse does not justify in the least Labans deception, but there was, however, a sting for Jacob in this reply, viz., in the emphasis of the right of the first-born. But Labans offer that followed, and in which now truly his ignoble selfishness is manifest, calmed Jacobs mind.Fulfil her week.Lit., make full the week with this one, i.e., the first week after the marriage, which is due to her, since the wedding generally lasted one week (Jdg 14:12; Tob 11:19). [Her weekthe week of Leah, to confirm the marriage with her by keeping the usual wedding-feast of seven days. But if Leah was put upon him at the close of the feast of seven days, then it is Rachels week, the second feast of seven days which is meant. The marriage with Rachel was only a week after that with Leah. The seven years service for her was rendered afterwards.A. G.]And we will.Gen 31:1; Gen 29:23; probably Laban and his sons. Laban also, as Rebekahs brother, took part in her marriage arrangements.Rachel his daughter.Within eight days Jacob therefore held a second wedding, but he fulfilled the service for her afterwards. Laban, therefore, not only deceived Jacob by Leahs interposition, as Jacob tells him to his face, but he overreached him also in charging him with seven years of service for Leah. Thus Jacob becomes entangled in polygamy, in the theocratic house which he had sought in order to close a theocratic marriage, first by the father and afterwards by the daughters.
5. Gen 29:31-35. The first four sons of Leah.When the Lord saw.The birth of Leahs first four sons is specifically referred to Jehovahs grace; first, because Jehovah works above all human thoughts, and regards that which is despised and of little account (Leah was the despised one, the one loved less, comparatively the hated one, Deu 21:15); secondly, because among her first four sons were found the natural first-born (Reuben), the legal first-born (Levi), and the Messianic first-born (Judah); even Simeon, like the others, is given by Jehovah in answer to prayer. Jacobs other sons are referred to Elohim not only by Jacob and Rachel (Gen 30:2; Gen 30:6; Gen 30:8), but also by Leah (Gen 29:18; Gen 29:20), and by the narrator himself (Gen 29:17), for Jacobs sons in their totality sustain not only a theocratic but also a universal destination.He opened her womb.He made her fruitful in children, which should attach her husband to her. But theocratic husbands did not esteem their wives only according to their fruitfulness (see 1 Samuel 1) It is a one-sided view Keil takes when he says: Jacobs sinful weakness appears also in his marriage state, because he loved Rachel more than Leah, and the divine reproof appears, because the hated one was blessed with children but Rachel remained barren for a long time. All we can say is, it was Gods pleasure to show in this way the movements of his providence over the thoughts of men, and to equalize the incongruity between these women.Reuben.Lit., Reuben: Behold, a son. Joyful surprise at Jehovahs compassion. From the inference she makes: now, therefore, my husband will love me, her deep, strong love for Jacob, becomes apparent, which had no doubt, also, induced her to consent to Labans deception.Simeon, her second son, receives his name from her faith in God as a prayer-answering God.Levi.The names of the sons are an expression of her enduring powerful experience, as well as of her gradual resignation. After the birth of the first one, she hopes to win, through her son, Jacobs love in the strictest sense. After the birth of the second she hoped to be put on a footing of equality with Rachel, and to be delivered from her disregard. After the birth of the third one she hoped at least for a constant affection. At the birth of the fourth she looks entirely away from herself to Jehovah.Judah.Praised. A verbal noun of the future Hophal from . The literal meaning of the name, therefore, is: shall be praised, and may thus be referred to Judah as the one that is to be praised, but it may also mean that Jehovah is to be praised on account of him (see Delitzsch, p. 465). [See Rom 2:29. He is a Jew inwardly, whose praise is of God. Wordsworth refers here to the analogies between the patriarchs and apostles.A. G.]She left bearing.Not altogether (see Gen 30:16, etc.), but for a time.
6. Rachels dejection, and the connection with Bilhah, her maid (Gen 30:1-8).And when Rachel saw.We have no right to conclude, with Keil, from Rachels assertion, that she and Jacob were wanting in prayer for children, and thus had not followed Isaacs example. Even in prayer, patience may be finally shaken in the human sinful heart, if God intends to humble it.Give me children or else I die, i.e., from dejection; not: my remembrance will be extinguished (Tremell); much less does it mean: I shall commit suicide (Chrysost.). Her vivid language sounds not only irrational but even impious, and therefore she rouses also the anger of Jacob.Am I in Gods stead.Lit., instead of God. God alone is the lord over life and death (Deu 32:39; 1Sa 2:6). Rachels sad utterance, accompanied by the threat: or else I die, serves for an introduction as well as an excuse of her desperate proposition.My maid, Bilhah.The bad example of Hagar continues to operate here, leading into error. The question here was not about an heir of Jacob, but the proud Rachel desired children as her own, at any cost, lest she should stand beside her sister childless. Her jealous love for Jacob is to some extent overbalanced by her jealous pride or envy of her sister, so that she gives to Jacob her maid.Upon my knees.Ancient interpreters have explained this in an absurdly literal way. From the fact that children were taken upon the knees, they were recognized either as adopted children (Gen 50:23), or as the fruit of their own bodies (Job 3:12).That I may also have children by her.See Gen 16:2.Dan (judge, one decreeing justice, vindex).She considered the disgrace of her barrenness by the side of Leah an injustice.Naphtali.According to Knobel: wrestler; according to others: my wrestling, or even, the one for whom I wrestled. Delitzsch: the one obtained by wrestling. The LXX place it in the plural: Naphtalim, wrestlings. Frst regards it as the abbreviated form of Naphtalijah, the wrestling of Jehovah. Against the two last explanations may be urged the deviation from the form Naphtalim, wrestlings; and according to the analogy of Dan, vindicator, the most probable explanation is, my wrestler. As laying the foundation for the name, Rachel says: With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister.The wrestlings of God could only be in the wrestlings of prayer, as we afterwards see from Jacobs wrestlings, through which he becomes Israel. Delitzsch, too, explains: These are the wrestlings of prayer, in the assaults and temptations of faith. Hengstenberg: Struggles whose issue bears the character of a divine judgment, but through which the struggle itself is not clearly understood. Knobel: She was not willing to leave the founding of a people of God to her sister only, but wished also to become an ancestress, as well as Leah. But how can Rachel speak of a victory over her sister rich in children? Leah has left bearing, while Bilhah, her maid, begins to bear; at the same time, Rachel includes as much as possible in her words in order to overpersuade herself. [She believes that she has overcome.A. G.] Hence, still, at Josephs birth she could say: Now (not before) God has taken away my reproach.
7. Gen 30:9-13. Leahs emulation, and Zilpah, her maid.Took Zilpah, her maid.Leah is still less excusable than Rachel, since she could oppose her own four sons to the two adopted sons of Rachel. But the proud and challenging assertions of Rachel, however, seem to have determined her to a renewed emulation; and Jacob thought that it was due to the equal rights of both to consent to the fourth marriage. That Leah now acts no longer as before, in a pious and humble disposition, the names by which she calls her adopted sons clearly prove.A troop cometh.Good fortune. An unnecessary conjecture of the Masorites renders it , fortune, victory cometh.Asher.The happy one, or the blessed one.
8. Gen 30:14-21. Leahs last births.Call me blessed.An ancient mode of expression used by happy women from Leah to Mary (Luk 1:48). The preterite expresses the certain future.And Reuben went.Reuben, when a little boy (according to Delitzsch five years old; according to Keil only four), brought unto his mother a plant found in the fields, and called , a name which has been rendered in various ways. The LXX correctly translates, = ; (and the kindred ) is the Mandragora venalis (high-German: alrna, alrn, mandrake; Grimm., Mythol. ii. p. 1153, edit, iii.), out of whose small, white and-green flowers, which, according to the Song vii. 14, are harbingers of Spring, there grows in May, or what is equivalent, at the time of the wheat-harvest, yellow, strong, but sweet-smelling apples, of the size of a nutmeg (Arab tuffah ex Saitn, i.e., pomum Satan), which in antiquity as well as during the middle ages (see Graesse: Contributions to the literature and traditions of the Middle Ages, 1850) were thought to promote fruitfulness and were generally viewed as Aphrodisiacum. Delitzsch. Hence the fruit was called Dudaim amatoria, Love-apple. Theophrastus tells us that love-potions were prepared from its roots. It was held in such high esteem by them that the goddess of love was called Mandragoritis. All the different travellers to Palestine speak about it (see Knobel, p. 224; Delitzsch, p. 467; Keil, p. 207; Winer: Alraun, Mandrake).Give me of those mandrakes.Love-apples. In the transaction between Rachel and Leah concerning the mandrakes, her excited emulation culminated, not, however, as Keil says, as a mutual jealousy as to the affection of their husband, but a jealousy as to the births, otherwise Rachel would not have been obliged to yield, and actually have yielded to Leah the right in question.And God hearkened unto Leah.Knobel thinks that the Jehovistic and Elohistic views are here mingled in confusion. The Elohist records of Leah after the ninth verse, that she prayed, and considers her pregnancy an answer to her prayer; the Jehovist, on the contrary, ascribes it to the effect produced by the mandrakes, of which Leah retained a part. Here, therefore, the critical assumption of a biblical book-making culminates. It is obviously the design to bring out into prominence the fact that Leah became pregnant again without mandrakes, and that they were of no avail to Rachel, a fact which Keil renders prominent. Moreover, it could not be the intention of Rachel to prepare from these mandrakes a so-called love-potion for Jacob, but only to attain fruitfulness by their effects upon herself. Just as now, for the same purpose perhaps, unfruitful women visit or are sent to certain watering-places. From this standpoint, truly, the assumed remedy of nature may appear as a premature, eager self-help.Issachar.According to the Chethib, , there is reward; according to Keil, , it brings reward, which is less fitting here. Leah, according to Gen 30:18, looked upon Issachar as a reward for her self-denial in allowing her maid to take her place. By this act, also, her strong affection for Jacob seems to betray itself again. But no such struggle is mentioned of Rachel in the interposition of her maid.Zebulun.That the children here are altogether named by the mothers, is Jehovistic, as Knobel thinks: The Elohist assigns the names to the children through the father, and is not fond of etymologies! It is just as great violence to the words: God hath endued me, etc., to say the name signifies a present, while, according to the words following, it signifies dweller. The name of Zebulun is first formed after the inference which Leah drew from the divine gift or present. , to dwell, alludes to the preceding , to make a present; both verbs are .Dinah, is mentioned on account of the history, Genesis 34. Gen 37:35 and Gen 36:7 seem to intimate that he had other daughters, but they are not mentioned further. Dinah is the female Dan. Leah retains her superiority. Hence there is no fuller explanation of the name after the deed of Dinahs brothers, Genesis 34.
9. Gen 30:22-24. Rachel the mother of Joseph.And God remembered Rachel.The expression: he remembered, here also denotes a turning-point after a long trial, as usually, e.g., Gen 8:1. In relation to the removing of unfruitfulness, see 1Sa 1:19.And God hearkened to her.She therefore obtained fruitfulness by prayer also.Joseph.This name, in the earlier document, as Knobel expresses himself, is called , one that takes away, i.e., takes away the reproach, from ; and then, in the second document, he shall add, from . Delitzsch also explains: one that takes away. Keil adopts both derivations. The text only allows the latter derivation: he may add. To take away and to add are too strongly opposed to be traced back to one etymological source. Rachel, it is true, might have revealed the sentiments of her heart by the expression: God hath taken away my reproach; but she was not able to give to her own sons names that would have neutralized the significance and force of the names of her adopted sons Dan and Naphtali. That she is indebted to Gods kindness for Joseph, while at the same time she asks Jehovah for another son, and thereupon names Joseph, does not furnish any sufficient occasion for the admission of an addition to the sources of scripture, as Delitzsch assumes. The number of Jacobs sons, who began with Jehovah, was also closed by Jehovah. For, according to the number of twelve tribes, Israel is Jehovahs covenant people.
In regard to the fact, however, that Jacobs children were not born chronologically in the preceding order, compare Delitzsch with reference to Eusebius: Prparatio Evang., ix. 21, and Astruc.: Conjectures, p. 396, and Keil. The first-born, Reuben, was born probably during the first year of the second seven years, and Simeon at the close of the same. All the sons, therefore, were born during the second heptade. Dinahs birth, no doubt, occurs also during this period, though Keil supposes, from the expression , that she may have been born later. But if we now adopt the chronological succession, Leah would have given birth to seven children in seven years, and even then there was a pause for some time between two of them. The imperfect, with the consecutive, however, does not express always a succession of time, but sometimes also it expresses a train of thought. We may suppose, therefore, that Leah gave birth to the first four sons during the first four years. In the meanwhile, however (not after the expiration of the four years), Rachel effected the birth of Dan and Naphtali by Jacobs connection with Bilhah. This probably induced Leah, perhaps in the fifth year, to emulate her example by means of her handmaid, who in a quick succession gave birth to two sons in the course of the fifth and sixth years. During the sixth and seventh years Leah again became a mother, and a short time after Zebulun, Joseph was born also. According to Delitzsch, Josephs birth would occur between that of Issachar and Zebulun. But then the expression Gen 30:25 would not be exact, and the naming of Zebulun by his mother would be without foundation. The last remark also bears against Keils view, that Joseph probably was born at the same time with Zebulun, though he also considers it probable that he may have been born later.
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. The divine revelation, its consolations and its promises, revive the believer, so that he can proceed on his pilgrimage with renewed vigor. An experience similar to that at Bethel Jacob afterwards met with at Peniel (Gen 32:30).
2. Eliezer, acting for Isaac, Jacob, and Moses, found their future brides by the side of wells. These charming descriptions of the East resemble each other, and yet greatly differ in their details. On account of their significance and beauty, they were applied to spiritual relations by the fathers. [See also Wordsworth, who goes fully into all the details of these analogies.A. G.] 5. The characters. Labans character. That Laban was really a sharer in the theocratic faith, and susceptible of noble and generous sentiment, is evident not only from the manner in which he receives Jacob, but also from the way in which he dismisses him (Gen 31:24; Gen 31:54 ff.). But we also see, how, under the influence surrounding him at home (Gen 31:1), the selfishness in him gradually increased, until it culminated in the base use which he made of his nephews necessity and love, and thus, at last, proceeds to practise the grossest deception. Even in this deception, however, we must not overlook the fact that, with a friendly interest in Jacob, he considered it as a pious fraud. He was willing to give both his daughters to Jacob; perhaps, too, he had in his eye Leahs quiet but vehement affection for Jacob. He so far restrained his selfishness, also, that he permits Jacob to return home with the large possessions that he had acquired while with him. Moreover, he had to overcome the excited spirit of his sons and brethren. The lower standpoint which he occupies is evident from the fact that he himself leads his nephew into a theocratic double-marriage, but perhaps also with the intention of securing to his house, with greater certainty, a full share in the mysterious blessing expected by Abraham, and because he quietly consented that the strife of his daughters should involve Jacob still farther in polygamy.As to Leah, the narrator has no fault to find, except that her eyes were not as beautiful as those of her sister, but were tender. The vehement, though quiet love for Jacob, as seen on every occasion, no doubt made her also willing to enter into the deception of Jacob by Laban. Besides, she regarded herself certainly as excusable upon higher grounds and motives, just as Thamar, who fanatically married into the house of promise, and that by a guilty course (Genesis 38). Her increasing humility (see Exegesis) causes her to be an object of Jehovahs peculiar regard, or rather, by this humility, her especial election as ancestress of David and the Messiah becomes evident, and even in her over-zealous strife with her sister, in which the question is about the increase of the patriarchal family, her self-denial is proven by the struggle with which she gives her maid to Jacob, and the kindness with which she gave the mandrakes to her sister. Rachel, on the other hand, possessed not only bright eyes, but also ardent affections. In the fiery and glowing nature of her affection (Gen 30:1), as well as in her cunning (Gen 31:34-35) Rachel is the image of Rebekah, but with these features of character more strongly marked. So also at the end, in the tragical issue of her life. For as Rebekah did not reach the goal and see Jacob again, so Rachel did not attain her aim in sharing with him peacefully and honorably his paternal heritage. In Rachels sinful impatience too, there was not wanting also a moral element, for the pure desire of parents for offspring is the highest degree of virtuous matrimony. Delitzsch (see p. 465, and the words of Luther there quoted). Keil, without any sufficient reason, places Rachel (p. 206), in religious respects, below Leah. Distinctions of election are not always contrasts of light and darkness. Finally, Jacob here appears clearly as the man of the wrestlings of faith, and as the patriarch of hope. However prudent, it happens to him as to the dipus in the Greek tragedy. dipus solved the riddle of the sphinx, yet is blind, and remains blind in relation to the riddle of his own life. Laban cheated him, as his sons did afterwards, and he is punished through the same transgression of which he himself was guilty. Jacob is to struggle for everythingfor his birthright, his Rachel, his herds, the security of his life, the rest of his old age, and for his grave. But in these struggles he does not come off without many transgressions, from which, however, as Gods elect, he is liberated by severe discipline. He, therefore, is stamped as a man of hope by the divine providence. As a fugitive he goes to Haran, as a fugitive he returns home. Seven years he hopes for Rachel, twenty years he hopes for a return home; to the very evening of his life he is hoping for the recovery of Joseph, his lost son in Sheol; even whilst he is dying upon Egyptian soil, he hopes for a grave in his native country. His Messianic hope, however, in its full development, rises above all these instances, as is evident in the three chief stages in his life of faith: Bethel, Peniel, and the blessing of his sons upon his death-bed. His life differs from that of his father Isaac in this: that with Isaac the quickening experiences fall more in the earlier part of his life, but with Jacob they occur in the latter half; and that Isaacs life passes on quietly, whilst storms and trials overshadow, in a great measure, the pilgrimage of Jacob. The Messianic suffering, in its typical features, is already seen more plainly in him than in Isaac and Abraham; but the glorious exaltation corresponds also to the deeper humiliation.
6. Jacobs service for Rachel presents us a picture of bridal love equalled only in the same development and its poetic beauty in the Song of Solomon. It is particularly to be noticed that Jacob, however, was not indifferent to Rachels infirmities (Gen 30:2), and even treated Leah with patience and indulgence, though having suffered from her the most mortifying deception.
7. The deception practised by Laban upon Jacob was perfectly fitted, viewed as a divine punishment through human sin, to bring his own sin before his eyes. As he introduced himself as the first-born, by the instigation of his mother, so Leah, the first-born, is introduced to him by his mothers brother, under the pretence of the appearance of his own Rachel. And this deception Laban even excuses in a sarcastic way, with the custom as to the birthright of the daughters at Haran. Thus Jacob atones for his cunning, and Laban truly must atone for his deception. 9. If we would regard the deception and imposition practised upon Jacob as at all endurable, we must assume, on the one hand, Leahs fanatic and vehement love; on the other, his own perfect illusion. This unconscious error and confusion of nature, seems almost to have been transmitted to Reuben, the first-born (Gen 35:22; Gen 49:21); and therefore, in consequence of his offence, he also lost the birthright. We cannot, however, entirely concur in Luthers view, which Delitzsch approves, that while there was nothing adulterous in the connection of Jacob and Leah, it was still extra-natural, and in that sense, monstrous. There was undoubtedly an impure and unnatural element in it. But we must bear in mind, as was remarked above, not only Leahs love, but also Jacobs self-oblivion, in which the free choice is generally limited and restrained by the blind forces of the night-life, through and in which God works with creative energy. It is the moment in which the man falls back into the hand of God as the creator.
10. The difference between the house at Haran and Isaacs house at Beer-sheba, appears from this, that Laban, entangled Jacob in polygamy. And even in this case the evil consequences of polygamy appear: envy, jealousy, contention, and an increased sensuality. Nevertheless Jacobs case is not to be judged according to the later Mosaic law, which prohibited the marrying of two sisters at the same time (Lev 18:18). Calvin, in his decision, makes no distinction between the times and the economies, a fact which Keil justly appeals to, and insists upon as bearing against his harsh judgment (that it was a case of incest) (p. 205).
11. In our narrative we first read of a great and splendid wedding-feast, lasting for seven days. It is therefore not by chance that this splendid wedding-feast was followed by a painful illusion. And, leaving out of view grosser deceptions, how often may Rachels image have been changed afterwards into Leahs form. 17. How important Josephs birth was to Jacob is seen from this: that henceforth he thinks of his journey home, although the report looked for from Rebekah tarried long. He was urged to venture a journey home. HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
See Doctrinal and Ethical paragraphs. Jacobs wrestlings of faith.The patriarch of hope.Jacobs double flight, from Esau and from Laban.Rich in fortune and rich in misfortune, in both respects rich in blessing.Jacob and Rachel, or the consecration of bridal love.The shepherd and the shepherdess: the same condition.Jacobs service for his bride a type of the same service of Christ for the church, his bride.Rachel and Leah, or God makes a great difference between his children, and yet esteems them alike according to his justice.The three marriage connections at wells: that of Isaac, of Jacob, and of Moses.The names of Jacobs sons, a type of human weakness and divine salvation in his house. (Texts for marriage occasions.)
To Section First, Gen 30:1-8. Starke: Cramer: If Gods command and promise are before us, we can proceed in our undertakings with joy and confidence.Places where wells are mentioned (see Concordances).(Jesus, the well of life. The stone, the impotence of human nature, to be removed by faith. Since, according to Gen 31:47, the Chaldans spoke a different language from that of the inhabitants of Canaan, Jacob probably made himself understood to the people of Haran, because he had learned the Chaldee from his mother (Clericus).The changing of the language of the patriarchs into the later Hebrew of the Jews.) [There is every reason to believe that these dialects were then so nearly alike that there was no difficulty in passing from one to the other.A. G.]Because the word peace embraces both spiritual and natural well-being, the Hebrews used it as a common salutation.
Section Second, Gen 30:9-14. Divine providence was here at work.(Allegory of the well. How Christ has removed the heavy stone of sin and death. The three herds referred to the three days in which Christ was in the grave! etc. Burmann.)
Gen 30:13. This was necessary in order to remove all suspicion from the mind of Laban, since he still remembered what a numerous retinue had accompanied Eliezer.As three distinguished patriarchs found their brides at wells (Moses and his Zipporah), just so the Lord Christ presents to himself the church, his spiritual bride, through holy baptism, as the laver in the word.Schrder: Their first meeting a prophecy of their whole future united life.
Gen 30:11 (Calvin). In a chaste and modest life greater liberties were allowed.(If any one turn to the true source of wisdom, to the word of God, and to the Saviour revealed therein, he will receive celestial wisdom for his bride. Berl. Bibel.)
Section Third, Gen 30:15-25. Gen 30:20. As a regular servant. A typical intimation of the Messiah, who in the form of a servant, with great and severe toil, obtained his bride.(Reward of Jacobs patient waiting, of his faith and his chastity.
Gen 30:18. Virtuous maidens do not attend large, exciting assemblies, to get a husband, but remain at their vocation, and trust in God, who is able to give to them a pious, honorable, and upright husband.Lange: If the whole difficult service became easy to Jacob from the love he had to Rachel, why should it not be said of Gods children, that it is from love to God that we keep his commandments, etc. (1Jn 5:3).Bibl. Wirt.: A chaste love is a beautiful thing, by which conjugal love is afterwards more and more strengthened and confirmed.
Gen 30:25. Here Jacob might have understood how it grieved Esau when, for the sake of his birthright, he had practised upon him such cunning and deceit. As he had done unto others, God permitted that he should receive from others.The crafty Laban wears the image of the world; whoever serves it never receives what he expects; he looks for Rachel, and behold it is Leah (Olear).
Gerlach: From this instance onward (especially) God speaks to Jacob by every occurrence. Laban deceives him, because he thinks that Labans (Jacobs?) service will be profitable to him, and thus he (Laban) loses not only a great part (?) of his herds, but is also obliged to part from his children.The misery of bigamy: it was therefore expressly forbidden in the law (Lev 18:18) that any one should marry two sisters at the same time, or to favor one wife before the other (Deu 21:17). The seven years of service reminds us perhaps of the later statute among the Israelites, according to which servants were to obtain their freedom during the seventh year (Exo 21:2); Jacob, therefore, as a compensation for the daughters, took upon himself a seven years service (slavery).(The danger of exciting Esau prevented him from bringing the price from his home, even had he entrusted his affair to God.)Schrder: Space is no obstacle to faith, nor time to hope.An engagement of long standing, if decreed by God, may become a salutary and beneficial school for a Christian marriage.Comparisons between the deception practised by Laban upon Jacob, and that which Jacob practised upon Esau: 1. One brother upon another. 2. There the younger instead of the older; here the older, etc. 8. (Roos) He did not know Leah when he was married to her, just as his father knew him not when he blessed him. 4. Leah at the instigation of her father, Jacob at the instigation of his mother.But he received, notwithstanding his ignorance as to Leah, the wife designed for him by God, who was to become the mother of the Messiah, just as Isaac blessed him unwittingly as the rightful heir of the promise. Ah, in how many errors and follies of men, here and everywhere, do we find Gods inevitable grace and faithfulness intertwined (Roos).
Section Fourth, Gen 30:26-30. Starke: Gen 30:27. It is remarkable that the ancient Jews, at births, marriages, and deaths, observed the seventh day as an holy day (Gen 21:4; Luk 2:21; Gen 50:10; Sir 22:13). From this fact we may conclude that the ancient Hebrews already considered the day of birth and circumcision, the day of marriage, and the day of death, as the three most important ones in life.(Gen 30:28. Jacob might have asked for a divorce.)Jacobs polygamy not caused by sensuality; but did not remain unpunished.(Burmann: Comparison between the two wives and the Old and New Testament, the two churches to whom the Lord is betrothed. The Old Testament Leah, the wearied, the tender eyed.)Hall: God often afflicts us through our own friendship (relatives). He often punishes our own sins by the sins of others, before we are aware of it (2Sa 16:22).Osiander: Oh, what is avarice not capable of?Hall: Gods children do not easily obtain what they wish for, but must toil hard for it; (German) work for it, tooth and nail.Schrder: Jacobs history, in its turning-points, meets with personages who serve to bring out his character more clearly in contrast with theirs; their thoughts bound in the present,his looking on into the future. Thus Esau and Laban.
Section Fifth, Gen 30:31-35. Starke: Osiander: It is still customary with God to take care of the distressed.Cramer: God distributes his gifts by parts. Do not despise any one.Hall: God knows how to weigh to us in similar ways both our gifts of grace and our crosses.Bibl. Wirt.: There is nothing so bad or so complicated but that God can bring good out of it.(Signification of the word from which Judah is derived: 1. To thank; 2. to commend; 3. to praise; 4. to confess.) From this Judah all Jews received their beautiful name.Gerlach: Reuben: see a son; in allusion to Raah-Be-Onyi, i.e., he (Jehovah) hath looked upon my affliction.Schroder: The mother gives the names, as she does also in Homer.
Section Sixth, Gen 30:1-8. Starke: Bibl. Wirt.: Impatience is the mother of many sins.Even to the pious in their married life the sun of peace and harmony does not always shine; at times dark clouds of dissension and strife arise. But we must guard in time against such clouds and storms.We must not try to obtain the divine blessing by unrighteous means.Schrder: Children are Gods gift. All parents should consider this, and take such care of these divine gifts that when God calls those whom he has entrusted to them, they may render a good account (Valer. Herb.).In Rachel we meet with envy and jealousy, while in Jehovah there is compassion and grace.
Section Seventh, Gen 30:9-13. Schrder: For all times Israel is warned by the patriarchs culpable weakness and pliancy in relation to his wives, as well as by the frightful picture of his polygamy. (Israel, it is true, should even in this way learn to distinguish the times, to recognize the workings of divine grace in and over the errors of men, and to rejoice at the progress in his law.)
Section Eighth, Gen 30:14-21. Starke: (Do you ask as to the nature of the Dudaim? some think they are lilies, others that they are berries, but no one knows what they are. Some call them winter cherries. Luther.)The rivalry of the sisters. Thus God punished him because he had taken two wives, even two sisters. Even the holy women were not purely and entirely spiritual.Schrder: In reference to the maids children, Gods name is neither mentioned by Leah nor by the narrator. They were in the strictest sense begotten in a natural way (Hengstenberg). (This is wrong, for in the first place Jacob had nothing to do with the maids in the natural way of mere lust; 2. in that case they would not have been numbered among the blessed seed of Israel. The principal tribes, indeed, did not spring from them.)
Section Ninth, Gen 30:22-24. Starke: Why barrenness was considered by Abrahams descendants as a sign of the divine curse: 1. It appeared as if they were excluded from the promise of the enlargement of Abrahams seed; 2. They were without the hope of giving birth to the Messiah; 3. They had no share in Gods universal command: be fruitful and multiply.Osiander: Our prayers are not to be considered as in vain, if we receive no answer immediately. If we are humbled sufficiently below the cross, then we will be exalted.Schrder: Luther says respecting Jacobs wives that they were not moved by mere carnal desire, but looked at the blessing of children with reference to the promised seed.
Footnotes:
[1][Gen 30:11. Lit, with a troop or band.Lange follows the Sept., Vulg., and the most of the early versions. But whether we follow the Keri, or the Chethib, as in our version, it is better to adhere to the signification, a troop or band. For while Leah uses hereafter the name instead of indicating the lower religious state into which she has fallen, through the use of these mere human expedients, we can hardly suppose that she would thus name her child in recognition of the power of a fictitious deity, or avow her faith that her children were the result of mere fortune. Aside from this, Gen 49:19, is decisive.A. G.
[2][Gen 30:18. Heb. , there is a rewardor , he brings reward. A. G.
CONTENTS
The further relation of the events in Jacob’s history, is contained in this Chapter. Of the increase of his family, his children; of the increase of his wealth and riches: until after fourteen years in the service of Laban, his father-in-law, he proposeth to return to his father Isaac; but is detained by Laban, who agreeth to certain conditions which, Jacob had offered for his further labours in Laban’s service; Jacob adopts a singular method for the increase of his flock , and succeedeth.
Psa 127:3 ; 1Sa 1:6 .
Sad perversion of the original appointment of God! Gen 2:24 ; Mat 19:5 . ” Be built up by her.” Hebrews
In the Service of Laban
Genesis 29-31
The story occupied by Genesis 29-31 represents one of the oft-recurring mysteries of human life. That is to say, in view of what has just taken place, that story seems to be an anti-climax, and is felt to be, in some serious sense, even a disappointment. It is almost impossible to bring the mind from the contemplations upon which it has just been fixed to read such an incident as that which spreads itself over these three chapters. When a man has seen angels, heaven, God: whatever he sees next must be poor and small, wanting in light and pale in colour. It is hardly just to some scenes to come to them from greater visions. By force of contrast they do not get the credit which is fairly due to their smaller dimensions and their simpler beauty. After all, in every sense, it is a long way from heaven to earth. We have first seen Jacob made solemn by a great fear, and ennobled by a surprising revelation; now he has become as he was yesterday and the day before one of ourselves. Yet this is the way through which we are divinely conducted all life through sometimes on the mountain; then swiftly driven down into lonely places; today in great rapture almost in heaven everything there but the body, and tomorrow we shall be writing our names in the dust, eating the bread which stands for a moment between us and death, and be quite common men again. We tell of a great dream, saying what we have seen in the visions of the night, and presently we are sold off into Egyptian slavery; our faces burn when we commune with God upon the mountain-top, and presently we descend to be mocked by Aaron and Miriam; now we are upon Tabor, the mount of transfiguration, where we would gladly build; and behold presently we are sent down to heal the sorrow which is moaning at its base. It is so with Jacob now. After the fulness of light, the quiver of mysterious joy which is half fear, half hope, he must pick up the threads of life and work patiently like a drudge who has never been off the common way. This is so with us. The poetical balance of things would be disturbed when we read this history but for the confirmation of it which is supplied by our own daily experience; we should say the contrast is too sudden, too violent; only one hour has passed, and behold the great transformation has been wrought. As literary readers we would criticise the swiftness of the transition, and ask for more space, and a finer gradation of events; but life is always contradicting criticism, for life will have its own strange way. God will not accept the pathways which we cut for his Providence; he reigns, he is the One Sovereign; there is no measure to be laid upon his scheme of things; we must take its unfoldment as he sends it always holding ourselves ready for gracious surprises, for new changes, for unexpected wonders and heavens. How wondrous the change here! We, who have just been with Jacob in his dream, and have overheard his solemn words, now see him with staff in hand going on his journey, and coming into the land of the people of the east.
Jacob has left home as a deceiver how will he be made to feel that? In a very direct manner: Jacob himself will be deceived, as he had deceived his own father. There is no escape from that rule. Judgment cannot be avoided or evaded, eluded, bribed, or deprived of its terrific but righteous force and claim. Jacob goes out and is himself deceived: the only intelligible way by which he can be taught the wickedness of deceit. Yet how surprised we are when we are made the victims of our own policy. Jacob was amazed when he found that he had been deceived by his kinsfolk. His countenance was a picture; his face was marked all over with signs of amazement that he, of all living creatures, should have been deceived. We do not like to be paid in our own coin; it does not enter into our minds that we have to reap the produce which we have sown. Is it to be supposed that we can do just what we like, and hasten away from the consequences, or escape the penalty due to evil? “Be sure your sin will find you out.” What eyes it has! what keenness of scent! what little need of rest or sleep! The sinner has but twelve hours in the day judgment has twenty-four; it overtakes us in the dark. If we have been vainly thinking that we would sleep and the sin would sleep at the same time, we have miscalculated the operation of forces. Is not Jacob most human when he lifts up his pale, innocent face, and says, “What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?” How soon we forget our own selves. The mark of the supplanter was upon every feature of his face; he was a vagabond on the face of the earth; he had himself run away from the deception of his own father, and behold he says, “What is this thou hast done unto me?” Jacob turned into Daniel! The supplanter on the judicial seat! The beautiful innocence that never put on skins that his hands might be hairy asks Laban however it has come to pass that he, Jacob, of all guileless persons, should be deceived. We understand the mystery: it is part of our own daily life; but how utterly surprising that any of us should be misled, that we should be robbed, that we should be unkindly treated. Is there not a cause? Can you rob others without in turn being robbed? Can you sow bad seed and reap good crops? Can you escape the solemn consequence of events which is now known amongst us and magnified under the holy name of Providence? Is there not a God that judgeth in the earth a mysterious, unmeasurable, sometimes unnameable, Power that seizes us and says, “There is something due to you now”? Then comes the great stroke that almost severs us in twain; then the great blow that stuns us and lays us prostrate on the earth, or then the subtle craftiness that makes fools of us in the twilight, mocks us in the darkness, and leaves us helpless in the morning. We ask, What is this? Poor innocence, sweet guilelessness; how can it be that any Laban should have sunk to such a depth of wickedness as to practise an imposture upon us? How odd that we should have to suffer. How mysterious the ways of Providence. No: how mysterious the ways of man first. There is a mystery in us: that we, who were made to sing God’s praise, and to hold converse with heaven in holy prayer, should have deceived the old, and the blind, and the helpless. That is the ineffable and eternal mystery. “Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished.” “Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.” “With what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged.” “The Lord hath done unto me as I have done unto others.” It is well; the balance of things is exquisitely kept. “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine: I will repay, saith the Lord” not today, or tomorrow, or here, or there according to your fixing and appointing: but God’s word cannot be broken. Is this a shaft shot into the core of some hearts? Is this an awful blow aimed at some self-righteousness? The Lord be blessed! There is a smiting that is followed by healing; there is a cry of contrition which may be followed by a hymn of praise.
Further pursuing the story, you will find that Jacob must be made to feel the strength and agony of natural instincts, and so enter into sympathy with his distressed father. The Lord will complete his educational work in Jacob; the Lord will make him cry bitterly. We do not deceive our fathers for nothing. The Lord will not allow the old man’s heart to be sawn asunder, as it were, by our cruelty, without making us feel some day what sorrow we have wrought. In the far-away land, Jacob speaks about “mine own place, and my country,” saying, “Let me go back to them; nor let me go alone: let me take with me my wives and my children.” Thus God gets hold of us at a thousand points. God creates a great heart-hunger for the old country, the old homestead, the old folks we have left behind, the old associations; and that hunger bites us, gives us mortal pain, and, through that hunger, we are sometimes led to pray. Jacob says, Let me take my wives and my children with me. He is beginning himself now to feel the mystery of the home-feeling. When he perpetrated the deed of supplanting, and accomplished the transfer of the blessing to himself, there was in the view of his selfishness but one man; he seemed to have no one to consider but himself; he could perform an evil deed and flee away without needing family counsel, or without rending family or paternal sensibility on his own part. Now the case is different: now Jacob has struck his social roots deep into the earth: now it is like taking up some well-planted tree to move him. Yet he says, “Let me go.” God thus gets hold of us: he gets hold of us through our little children, through our family interests, through our household circle. We are nailed and bound down by uncontrollable instincts and forces. Again and again these forces renew themselves. Why does not Jacob go away alone? He cannot: there are some murders which even Jacob cannot commit. How is it that even men who can lie, deceive, cheat, rob, and do many wicked things, always fall back from one particular crime which seems to shock them and produce in their minds a feeling of unutterable revulsion? This is the mystery of God. It is imaginatively hard to break all the ten commandments at a stroke: who does not leave just one that he cannot violate? and having left that one which he himself cannot break, how the man wonders that any other human creature can break that particular statute. He prides himself that one is untouched, and has yet upon it the bloom of its honour. In what various ways our hearts are wrung. Could we see a map of all the ways by which men are brought back again to God, we should be amazed at the intricacy, and relations, and crossings of the innumerable lines; here they coincide, there they sharply separate, again they seem to touch; across them run other lines in great surprises of movement, and yet, by some mysterious action, all the lines converge upon the abandoned house of the Father, the discarded altar of the Cross, and all the various voices of life are one in the solemn pathos of the confession and petition for pardon. This is the Lord’s way.
As to the transactions between Jacob and Laban, they must stand without explanation or defence. They amaze us. It would seem impossible for some men to live other than a life of trickery, scheming, and selfish policy. Did we not know it in ourselves, we should resent it on the page of the biographer, or in the verses of the poet. It is a mystery in the moral kingdom beyond all other mysteries of a human kind that men can be perpetrating deeds of evil, can be following policies of self-aggrandisement, can be telling or acting lies, and yet all the time have a certain broad line of religious feeling and aspiration drawing itself through their divided and chaotic life. This is mystery. We need not go into heaven to ask for wonders: we ourselves are living problems; enigmas to which there is no present and satisfactory reply. Jacob was still a swindler; Jacob still divided his week into opportunities for promoting himself and deceiving his mother’s brother. Do not let us become special pleaders on Jacob’s behalf. All I can say can be said under two divisions of thought. First, God spared Jacob: therefore I must not strike; God forbore him, had patience with him, saw something in him that no one else could see. Blessed be God! he is the same with us, or who could live one whole day upon the earth? Were he to mark one iniquity in a thousand, who could ever pray again? or lift up his head in hope? or feel upon his blanched face the warmth of the sun’s bright smile? God sees in every Jacob more than Jacob sees in himself. Second: We may not really know the whole story. Who can tell all a man’s life every word, syllable, and tittle of it? We are all seen in phases, aspects, and partial manifestations, and the reports which are made of us partake very largely of the imperfection of the manifestations which we ourselves make to our fellow-creatures. We do not know all that Jacob did, or all that Laban did. We know in part; the part we do know we do not admire; but we must always fall back upon the circumstance that God spares, and therefore has a reason for the sparing. If the case were so narrow, and little, and puny, as we often make it a criminal and a judge, a felony and destruction why then the whole tragedy of life could be settled in a moment; but in the worst of us there is some faint sparkle of better things which God sees, in the meanest of us there is a soul meant for heaven. Even the man who is basest, who has broken all the commandments, and has been almost sorry there were not more commandments to break, has in him, in God’s sight, some point on which, if not the Divine complacency, the Divine compassion may be fixed. His mercy endureth for ever; his patience is greater than our transgression. Where sin aboundeth, grace doth much more abound like a great billow of the sea rising, heightening, swelling into infiniteness of pathos. On these grounds, then, I rest, viz., the forbearance of God, therefore the possibility of features of a redeeming kind I do not see; and, second, the incompleteness of my knowledge which, when completed, may enable me to judge otherwise. This will be the explanation of the rest of heaven; this will be the mitigation of the judgment day namely, that we shall then see things from God’s own standpoint We shall then see hell as God sees it; we shall then know perfectly according to the measure of our capacity; and whether the issue be darkness outer and unspeakable, or light complete and ineffable, we shall say, “He hath done all things well.”
How bold a book is the Bible. The Bible hides nothing of shame; the Bible is not afraid of words which make the cheek burn; the Bible conceals nothing of moral crippleness, infirmity, or weakness, or evil. The Bible holds everything up in the light. Recognise, at least, the fearless honesty of the book. This is not a gallery of artistic figures; this is no gathering together of dramatic characters painted, arrayed, taught to perform their part aesthetically, without fault and beyond criticism; these are living men and women when they pray, when they sin, when they shout like a host of worshippers, and when they fall down like a host of rebels, or flee like a host of cowards. The Bible paints real characters. God says what is true about every one of us. If there is shame in it, we must feel it: the wrong is ours, not his. No other book could be so dauntless, could paint what we call the defective side of human nature with so bold a hand and yet claim to be the revelation of God. Things, however, must always be looked at in their proper relation and in their right perspective. You may bring some chapters of the Bible so closely to your eyes as to be shocked by their revelations. You say they are not to be read, they are not to be spoken of: they are to be quickly hastened over. Or you yourself can rise by the grace of God to such heroic righteousness as to be able to look upon putrefaction, and blasphemy, and all wickedness, and great hell itself, and name them all without a blush, or without a shudder. Things are what they are in their right relation and proper atmosphere.
So we return to our starting-point Life is varied sometimes a dream all light, sometimes a vision of blue heavens; a great cloudless day, or a night burning with innumerable stars lamps of an unseen sanctuary; sometimes a transfiguration, sometimes a holy ecstasy, sometimes a vale of tears a place of weeping, a desert of sand, a sea all storm; sometimes extraordinary all but supernatural, without one trace of commonness or familiarity upon it; and then servitude, sheep-tending, field-culture, monotony: rising in the morning, going the daily round, retiring at night weary, eating the bread of industry, and sleeping the sleep of honesty a commonplace, dull, pendulum-life. So be it It is not mine to choose my life: let me resign the disposal of the lot into the hand of God, saying, “Lord, if it be mine to dream on the way to Padan-aram, and to build a Bethel in unexpected places, blessed be thy name! Or if it be mine to be a common herdsman, a gatherer of sycamore fruit; if it be mine to be a hewer of wood or a drawer of water, thy will be done; if thou dost mean me to be a flying angel, thy will be done; if thou dost lay me upon a bed of suffering and say, ‘By patience learn the mystery of my purpose,’ thy will, my God, not mine be done.” To say all this under such circumstances is to touch the very acme and sublimity of grace.
XXVII
JACOB’S CONVERSION AND LIFE IN HARAN
Gen 28:10-31:55
Now we come to an important event in Jacob’s life, his leaving home to be absent many years, and his conversion. How different his leaving from old Eliezer’s! Eliezer went openly, with a large train and many handsome presents. Jacob had to slip off, without money, an exile and afoot. From this time on the man’s individuality will come out. This chapter gives an account of his conversion, the great event of his life, Gen 28:10-18 . That dream was God’s method of communicating with this lonely man. The ladder in that dream, according to John’s Gospel, represents Jesus Christ, the connecting stairway between earth and heaven, upon which angels descend to earth and ascend to heaven. In that dream Jacob saw a grand sight for any man. Earth and heaven had been separated by sin with earth’s inhabitants under a curse. By grace that chasm was spanned by the coming of the Redeemer. Upon that stairway angels come to earth and carry back their reports. Jesus said (Joh 1 ), “Hereafter you shall see the angels of heaven ascending and descending upon the Son of man,” showing that he fulfilled the type of Jacob’s ladder. Dr. Richard Fuller has a marvelous sermon on Jacob’s ladder. He was the great orator of the Southern Baptist pulpit, tall, finely formed, handsome, his voice as a silver bell, and as sweet in its melody as the whisper of an Aeolian harp. It is said that no man could interest a crowd following Dr. Fuller in a speech. He is the only man, other than Dr. J. L. Burrows who has preached the Convention Sermon more than once in the Southern Baptist Convention. People were carried away by the man and his personality. He was one of the few rich men who are called a man of great intellectuality. Read his sermon on Jacob’s ladder, and also the one on “The Cross of Christ.”
Jacob awakened from his sleep and said, “Surely Jehovah is in this place,” and he called the name of that place Bethel. “And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, and Jehovah shall be my God, then this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.” There is the evidence of his conversion, his keen sense of divine presence and realization of the import of divine communication, his recognition, as if for the first time in his hitherto unworthy life, of his relations to God and the fixed purpose that came into his heart from that time on to serve God, and to honor God with the firstfruits. Here we come to the second mention of tithing before the giving of the law on Sinai. We have seen before that Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek. This man is changed from this time on. He does not lose his shrewd business sense, but he is godly and prayerful and believes that wherever he goes God is with him. That is the secret of a religious life. The conviction that there is a direct connection between earth and heaven, and that every angel in heaven, to the extent of his power, is pledged to the companionship and protection of every child of God, and that Jesus Christ is the connecting link between earth and heaven, and that through sickness and health, good and evil report, God will be with his people, is a sure basis of a good life. That consciousness brings out the purpose, “I will serve and honour God with everything that I have.” I remember, while sitting in the back end of a wagon, I read this passage to my wife. The circumstances were these: At the close of the War Between the States, though crippled with wounds, and bankrupt, I voluntarily assumed an antebellum debt of $4,000, not legally my own, and had finally paid all by selling everything I bad but wife and baby, and was moving to a church on the promise of $500 a year. I said, “Now, wife, here is a time to settle our financial relation to God. We haven’t got a thing, and we are sure to fail if he is not honored by us, and if he is honored we will succeed. Let us enter into a covenant right here that whatever happens we will give God one-tenth of every cent that we ever make.” We did from that time on. I have long since passed that limit. For many years I have been giving one-fifth, and some years two-fifths. So here was the event that changed this man’s life. What matters it that he was banished from home and alone, without friends and without money? If God’ was his portion he was rich no matter how poor. If God was with him he had company, no matter how lonely. If God was for him, who could be against him?
The rest of this chapter we devote to Jacob’s life in Haran (Genesis 29-31:55), a period of twenty years. He enters tliat country afoot, with nothing but the clothes he had on and the staff in his hand. He comes out an exceedingly rich man, very much married, with twelve children. Another son was born later. The lesson commences with telling how he arrived at Haran and stopped at the well, perhaps the same at which old Eliezer stopped when he went after a bride for Isaac. Here he meets Rachel, the one woman throughout his life he was to love. She was a little girl about ten or twelve years old, or she would not have bad charge of the flock by herself. But in Oriental countries a girl of twelve is equal in maturity to a girl of seventeen here. It was a case of love at first sight. He never loved another woman while he lived. After they were made known to each other (v. II), “And Jacob kissed Rachel and lifted up his voice and wept.” My first question is, Why did he weep after kissing that girl? I leave that for you to find out. When Brother Truett and his wife were here, looking toward each other just about like Jacob and Rachel, and we were passing over this, I gave that same question. Some of the class answered, “He wept because he had not commenced that work sooner.” And one ill-natured young preacher said, “He wept because Rachel had been eating onions.” But Brother Truett’s wife gave the true answer. See who of you will give it.
The next remark is on the Gen 29:14 : “And Laban, the father of Rachel, said unto him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him a month of days,” i.e. he stayed as a guest for a full month. A guest must not stay too long. So naturally Laban raised the question of something to do, and said to Jacob, “Because thou art my brother,” which means kinsman, “shouldst thou, therefore, serve me for nothing? Tell me what shall be thy wages.” Laban proposes a business transaction. Look at it. Jacob says, referring to the two girls Leah, the elder, was not beautiful and her eyes were weak, but Rachael was beautiful of form and countenance “I will serve thee seven years for thy younger daughter. It was the custom for the bridegroom to give presents, and in the Orient today a man in a measure purchases his wife. But Jacob had nothing to give, but he was to serve seven years without other wages. Young men of the present day think if they serve for a girl thirty days that it is a great tax on them, and they begin to think how much they have paid for ice cream, streetcar fare, buggy rides, theater tickets, etc., and begin to bring matters to a focus. They have not the love that Jacob had. And his proposition was accepted. Next, Gen 29:20 , “And Jacob served for Rachel seven years, and they were in his eyes but a few days for the love he had for her.” There is a remarkable proof of the genuineness of his love. This is one of the most illustrious cases of deep, personal, lifelong attachment that we have any historical account of, and has become proverbial: “Serve seven years for Rachel.” At the end of the seven years he claimed the fulfillment of the contract. Now this young man who had practiced the deception upon his old, blind father, has a deception practiced upon him. Laban is very tricky and unscrupulous. All that crowd up there are shrewd traders and sharp bargainers. Whoever deals with them has to keep both eyes open, and not sleep in the day, and not sleep very sound at any time in the night. They are that way till this day. The manner of consummating the marriage, the betrothal of which had lasted seven years, is very simple: In a formal way the father veils the girl and at night turns her over to the bridegroom. That ends the ceremony. I have seen a letter today from a judge who occupies his seat for the first time, and he says one of the first acts of his administration was to marry a couple and he tells of the ceremony, too simple to repeat, but it does not make much difference about the form, the fact that the transfer has been made and accepted establishes the validity.
Here comes a general question, What ill-natured English poet, in order to illustrate what he calls the disillusions that follow marriage said, “With Rachel we lie down at night; in the morning, behold it is Leah”? I don’t agree with him at all. There have been thousands and thousands of marriages where there was not only no disillusion after the marriage was consummated, but an ever-deepening, lifelong attachment. I expect if some woman had written a couplet she would have put it: “With George Washington we lie down at night, and in the morning, lo I it is Benedict Arnold.” It sounds smart, but you ought not to have any respect for any man who reflects upon the sanctity of the marriage relation. I knew a couple who married early, the man about twenty-three, and the girl about eighteen. After twenty-five years had passed the man said, “I have not been anywhere in the world that she has not been with me. Even when I go hunting, fishing, traveling, she is with me. And there has never been an hour since I married her that I had not rather be with her than with anybody else in the world.” And the woman said the same thing. I think that kind of testimony is much better than the English poet’s testimony.
Jacob was very indignant at the cheat perpetrated upon him. He did not love Leah, and he did not want her at all. The explanation that Laban made is so thin that it won’t hold water. It is not true that in the East you cannot marry the younger until the older is disposed of. Laban then said, “As soon as the week of wedding festivities is over, I will let you have Rachel, provided you will serve seven more years. You can take her at the end of the week, but you take her on a credit until you have served the seven years.” Jacob made that trade. Fourteen years of hard work! I want you to think of that whenever you think of the bad things Jacob did; think also of the good points in the man.
Now we come to the evils of polygamy forced upon Jacob. He never wanted but one woman, but this trickery of his uncle gave him two, and the jealousy of these two wives fastened upon him two more; so that there were two wives and two concubines. For quite a while the strife between the two wives goes on. What kind of a home do you suppose that was? Among the Mormons they do sometimes give a separate house to each wife, but others put a dozen in the same house. Jealousy is certain to develop and cause conflict among the children. A struggle between these two wives is manifested in the names given to the children. Leah, in these seven years, bore Jacob seven children, six sons and one daughter. Rachel bore one son, Joseph, and afterward another. The two maidservants bore two each. That makes twelve sons. I will call the names out in the order in which they were born. Reuben, Leah’s firstborn, means “See, a son.” It expresses her pride, that Jacob’s firstborn was a son, and not a daughter. Simeon, her second, means “a hearing”: that she asked God, as the love of her husband had not come when Reuben was born as she supposed, to send her another child, but Jacob still did not love her. Levi, her third, means “a Joiner”; “Now I will be joined to my husband.” But he did not join them. Judah, her fourth, means “praise”; “Praise Jehovah for the blessing that has come upon me, now that I have borne four sons to my husband.” When Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid, bore a son, Rachel named him Dan, meaning “a judge”; “God has judged my side of the case.” When Naphtali, the second son, was born to her handmaid, Rachel names him “wrestling.” She had wrestled in prayer to God for still additional hold on the husband. Then Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid, bore a son and he is named Gad. The literal Hebrew means “good fortune,” but when we come to interpret it in chapter 49, it means “7 troop,” i.e., four sons have already been born on the Leah side and here is another. That means there is going to be a troop of them. Her next son is named Asher, which means “happy” happy in getting the advantage of Rachel. Then Leah herself bears another son, Issachar, which means “reward.” Her next son, Zebulun, means “dwelling.” “I have borne six sons to my husband. Surely he will dwell with me.” When her daughter was born she named her Dinah, which means “vindication”: “God is vindicating my side of the marriage relation.” At that time Rachel bore her first child and she named him Joseph, “May he add, as I now have a start.” Later on, Rachel’s last son is born, and dying she names him Benoni, “the child of my anguish.” But the husband steps in and for the first time gets to name one of the children. He names him Benjamin, “the child of my right hand.” These are the twelve names bestowed on the sons. When we come to the dying blessing that Jacob pronounces in chapter 49 upon all of the children, we will see some additions to the names and the characteristics there brought out. These titles come from what the mothers thought of the twelve children at the time they were born, but the names from chapter 49 come from the developments of character in the boys themselves. In Deu 33 , where Moses pronounces the blessing on the twelve tribes, calling them by their names, he leaves out one of the twelve altogether, and brings in new titles not based upon what was in the mother’s mind, nor upon the characteristics of the twelve sons, but upon the characteristics of the tribes descended from the sons. In Rev 12 , we will come upon another list of them, where the reference is not at all to the reasons heretofore expressed in their names but to the later tribal characteristics. As we pass along I, will ask you to compare these four lists of the children of Jacob. You know we have four lists of the twelve apostles, and sometimes different names for the same person. Yet more particularly will I call your attention to the birthright man. Reuben, the firstborn, is entitled to the right of primogeniture. You will find out later how he loses it, and how the several elements of the right of primogeniture are distributed among three other sons of Jacob. At the end of the fourteen years Jacob claimed the fulfillment of his contract. Up to this time he had not made anything, except the wife that he wanted. He has a large family, no money or property, but rich in this family. A young man of the present time, encumbered with twelve children in fourteen years of married life, would think himself pretty much hampered, particularly if he had no bank account, cotton field, or big salary. Now the question comes up about a new contract. God had marvelously blessed Laban on account of Jacob. Jacob had attended to his business so well, being competent from habits of earlier life to which I called your attention in a previous chapter, that Laban did not want to lose Jacob. Jacob makes another proposition: “You shall not pay me any salary, but I propose that we leave it for divine providence to designate how much I ought to get. Most of the sheep are white, brown, or black, an unmixed colour. I propose that my part shall be the speckled, striped or ringstreaked.” Laban looked over his flocks and found only a little sprinkle in all the multitudes not having a solid color. So he accepted the proposition. He was a very shrewd old man. Before the contract goes into effect he moves every one that is already ring-streaked, striped, or speckled, three days’ journey from Jacob, and puts them in the hands of his sons and says to Jacob, “We will start even.” Jacob said nothing, but God was with him, and we have here presented in the history how Jacob got rich, and the expedients that he resorted to in order that the flocks might bear striped, speckled, and ring-streaked. And we learn how God intervened that Jacob, who had been working fourteen years and had been cheated, might have compensation. Through Jacob’s expedient, and particularly through divine providence, Jacob’s flocks increased. Old Laban looked on and it puzzled him. Laban’s children looked on and it puzzled them. The pure white and solid colors began to get fewer and fewer. Jacob’s flock began to multiply beyond all human calculation. What follows? Laban’s sons begin to talk about it: “This stranger has come up here. He did not have a thing when he came to our house. He is managing this business and getting all of our father’s property. After a while there won’t be anything to divide between us.” Laban heard the boys talking and he agreed with them. When he would pass Jacob he would look at him sideways and would not speak to him. Jacob saw a storm was brewing. God came to him in a vision and said, “Return to thy native land. It is time to go, twenty years have passed.” Jacob did not know how his wives would stand on the matter. So he sent for them to come out to the field. He would not talk to them about it at the house. He stated the case fairly: how badly he had been treated, and wanted to know if the wives would stand by him and would go with him. They told him they would, and he might have known it. A man need never be afraid, if he is a good husband, of her not standing by him. Everybody else in the world may go back on him, but a good wife will be true. Laban was away on a three days’ journey, so they decided to strike out without letting him know. And to add to it, Rachel went into Laban’s house and stole his teraphim, little images of idolatry and divination. Just as Demetrius, the silversmith at Ephesus, made little models of the temple of Diana at Ephesus, so they could tie them around their necks or put them in their pockets and carry them around with them. Wherever they felt like worshiping, they could bow down before this little trinket, or as they now tie crosses around their necks, or when they get up they bow down before that cross or little image of the virgin Mary. Now, the question comes up, Why did Rachel steal the teraphim? That is what I want you to answer. I have my own opinion, but I don’t want to force it on you now. One may answer that she was herself at heart an idolater, at least in part. Now, you may adopt that, if you want to, for your answer. It is not mine. They started at a good time. Laban was gone to that other flock, and they knew he would not be back for three days and that they would have three days the start. So they crossed the Euphrates and set out with many servants, cattle, sheep, goats, and quite a sprinkling of children and only four wives. It was a pretty big caravan. I don’t know just which way Jacob went. He may have gone down to Damascus, and from Damascus to Gilead.
Three days passed before Laban heard of it. He cornea home after shearing his sheep and wanted to find his little gods, but he could not find them. Then he went out to look for his interests in that other herd, and lo, Jacob was gone. So he rallied a party, a flying column, without women or children, flocks, or other hindrances, on swift dromedaries, or horses suppose dromedaries and at the end of seven days he caught them near the mountains of Gilead. But the night before he caught up with them old Laban had an experience that he had never had before in his life. In that night Almighty God in a vision comes to him and says, “Laban, don’t you speak either good or evil to Jacob. Keep your hands of.” Unquestionably that is the only thing that prevented the killing of Jacob and taking the wives and children and that property God’s divine intervention. It sobered Laban very much. They had a meeting, and it was one of the most touching incidents in human history. Why some novelist has not brought it out I don’t know. Old Laban said, “You have stolen my goods, my cattle, my teraphim.” Jacob knew nothing about these little gods and denied it, and said he had carried off only what was his own. Now comes Jacob’s speech which I would like for you to be able to memorize. “And Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast hotly pursued after me? Whereas thou hast felt about all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us two. These twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she-goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flocks have I not eaten. That which was torn of the beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day or by night. Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from mine eyes. These twenty years have I been in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy flock; and thou hast changed my wages ten times. Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now hadst thou sent me away empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.” Old Laban could not say a word to that. The promise that God had made to Jacob that he would be with him had been literally fulfilled. Laban then proposes that a covenant be made between them. They erected and consecrated a pillar, that Laban’s crowd should never pass that pillar toward the Holy Land to do evil to Jacob, and Jacob’s crowd could never pass that pillar going to Laban’s country to do evil to him.
Now open wide your eyes and ears: “And Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha; but Jacob called it Galeed.” The first is Aramaic, and the second word is Hebrew, and they mean exactly the same thing. Dr. Joseph Parker of England has preached a great sermon on the text entitled “Logomachy,” i.e., strife about words. “And Laban said, This heap is witness between me and thee this day,” and he called it Mizpah. Here I am going to tell you a fragment of a very touching story. In the first year of the war, just before a young man had started to the army, he paid very pointed attention to a lady, and they became engaged. During the war, the man, in passing the time in absence and with new faces, changed his feelings. His first letters were very loving and glowing. Then they began to lose the glow and diminish in length, and at last he quit writing. One evening just before a terrible battle in which many were killed, I was standing by the side of this man when one of the men who had been on a furlough brought a letter and handed it to him. He looked at the letter and said, “Pshaw! that is from that bothersome woman.” He opened it and there wasn’t a thing in it except a piece of colored paper, and on it was written in capital letters: “Mizpah, THE LORD WITNESSETH BETWEEN ME AND THEE.”
He turned white as he looked at it. This woman knew the Bible story and knew that, where a covenant had been made in the name of God and God’s name brought in, whoever violated that covenant not only wronged a human being but was guilty of sin toward God. His hand shook as he looked at it. He told me about it, and I said, “If you are a man, you go right to your tent and send her a humble, penitent letter.” He said, “I won’t do it.” And I said, “Then watch out. That woman has quit appealing to you. She has appealed to God. Mizpah, the Lord witness between me and thee.” He says, “I reckon I can take care of myself.” The next day we went into battle. He was shot through the heart and fell on me. That saved my life. When the battle was over I went back and found him thoroughly dead, and in going through his pockets to send home to his family, I found that piece of paper and through the center of the word “Mizpah” the Yankee bullet had gone right into his heart.
My reason for calling your attention to this is that he is a profane person who is irreverent toward God in anything. He is profane in the East who breaks an oath, and it is counted an everlasting degradation. Whenever you agree to anything in the name of God, you bring God in as a witness. Then you do what is said in another Old Testament book, “When I swear to my hurt, I will keep my word.” Stick to your word. Notice when Jacob meets Laban it is diamond cut diamond, but when Jacob meets Esau, it is rapier meeting hammer.
QUESTIONS 1. What was the great event of Jacob’s life?
2. State the time, place, and circumstances of his conversion.
3. What New Testament passage explains Jacob’s ladder and who preached a great sermon on it?
4. What melting hymn was suggested by this incident?
5. What name did Jacob give to the place of his conversion, and why?
6. What vow did he make?
7. What was the evidence of his conversion?
8. What is the secret of a successful, religious life?
9. What do we find here which was mentioned in the Bible only once before this, and what is the author’s belief respecting that teaching?
10. How long was Jacob in Haran?
11. Contrast his condition when he went in with his condition when he came out.
12. Describe the meeting of Jacob and Rachel.
13. Why did Jacob weep after he kissed Rachel?
14, How did Jacob get Rachel and what evidence that he loved her?
15. What proverb based on this incident?
16. How was the law of lex talionis exemplified in Jacob’s case?
17. What do you think of the English poet’s testimony referred to?
18. Was Laban’s explanation to Jacob plausible and what good points of Jacob here comes out?
19. State some of the evils of polygamy.
20. Who were Jacob’s children by Leah? Rachel? Bilhah? Zilpah?
21. What the meaning of their names?
22. From what were these names derived?
23. What four lists of these names do we have in the Bible?
24. What was Jacob’s condition, at the end of fourteen years?
25. What business contract did he now make with Laban and what do you think of the way he executed his part?
26. How did Jacob get away from Laban and why did Rachel steal Laban’s teraphim?
27. How did Jacob get the start of Laban and where did Laban over-take him?
28. What kept Laban from killing Jacob?
29. What charge did Laban bring against Jacob?
30. What was Jacob’s reply?
31. Cite the passage that shows the hardness of Jacob’s life in Haran.
32. How was it finally settled?
33. What is the meaning of Mizpah and what illustration of this is given by the author?
Gen 30:1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.
Ver. 1. Give me children, or elso I die. ] She was sick of the fret; and could not live, unless Jacob could cure her. “Envy is the rottenness of the bones,” Pro 14:30 and ever devours itself first; as the worm doth the nut out of which it groweth.
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Gen 30:1-8
1Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she became jealous of her sister; and she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I die.” 2Then Jacob’s anger burned against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” 3She said, “Here is my maid Bilhah, go in to her that she may bear on my knees, that through her I too may have children.” 4So she gave him her maid Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her. 5Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a Song of Solomon 6 Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me, and has indeed heard my voice and has given me a son.” Therefore she named him Daniel 7 Rachel’s maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second Song of Solomon 8 So Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and I have indeed prevailed.” And she named him Naphtali.
Gen 30:1 “jealous of her sister” This is literally “red in the face” (from Arabic root, BDB 888, KB 1109, Piel IMPERFECT). She apparently took her jealousy out on Jacob (“give me children,” BDB 396, KB 393, Qal IMPERATIVE), who did not appreciate it one bit (cf. Gen 30:2)! Barrenness seems to be common in the wives of the Patriarchs. Rachel’s impatience can be seen in Gen 30:1, whereas Rebekah had prayed for over twenty years. After four children by Leah, Rachel is jealous, angry, and impatient.
Gen 30:3 “Here is my maid Bilhah, go in to her, that she may bear on my knees” This is a cultural idiom which seems to refer to adoption (cf. Gen 48:12). We know from the law codes Lipit-Ishtar, the code of Hammurabi, the Nuzi Tablets, the Mari Tablets, and Alalakh Tablets that this was a cultural possibility. We cannot judge the morality of this custom in light of our own day.
Rachel’s frustration can be seen in a series of commands.
1. go in to her, BDB 97, KB 112, Qal IMPERATIVE (a strong request)
2. that she may bear, BDB 408, KB 411, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense
3. that through her I too may have children (lit. I may be built), BDB 124, KB 139, Niphal IMPERFECT used in a COHORTATIVE sense
Gen 30:5-6 “And Bilhah conceived and bore a son. . .Dan” The name “Dan” is the Hebrew word “judged” (BDB 192). The daughter who will be born in Gen 30:21 is the feminine form of this same word (Dinah, BDB 192).
Gen 30:8
NASB, NRSV “with mighty wrestlings”
NKJV “with great wrestlings”
TEV “a hard fight”
NJB “a fateful battle”
LXX “contended”
The problem is that the MT has “elohim,” which could mean Rachel wrestled with God, or translate it as descriptive “mighty/great/hard” and see it as denoting a metaphorical wrestling match with Leah. Possibly it relates to both the spiritual (God) and physical (her sister) struggle related to her barrenness (cf. Peshitta).
“Naphtali” This term is related to the term “wrestled” (lit. “twisted,” BDB 836). She wrestled with her sister in rivalry and with God in prayer.
children. Hebrew sons.
Chapter 30
Now when Rachel saw that she could not bare Jacob children, Rachel envied her sister; and she said to Jacob, Give me children, or else I’m going to die. And Jacob was angry with her: and he said, Am I in God’s place, who hath withheld thee from the fruit of the womb ( Gen 30:1-2 )?
So here’s some hard feelings and harsh words between husband and wife because Rachel feels the disgrace of not being able to bear children.
And so she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in to her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may have children by her. And so she gave him Bilhah her handmaid as a wife: and Jacob went in to her. And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son. And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and so she called his name Judge, Dan ( Gen 30:3-6 ).
Daniel means God is judge. But she called him Dan because she said, God has judged me.
And Bilhah Rachel’s maid conceived again ( Gen 30:7 ),
Now this could have been coinciding this; these boys could be being born at the same time that Leah was having her sons. She conceived again,
bare Jacob a second son. And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and now I have prevailed: and so she called his name Wrestler. And Leah saw that she had finished bearing or left off bearing, and so she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her to Jacob as his wife ( Gen 30:7-9 ).
This competition; you have to admit that he was a very burrow man.
And Zilpah Leah’s maid bare Jacob a son. And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad ( Gen 30:10-11 ).
Now that may be an unfortunate translation. There are those who believe that it should not be translated “A troop,” but I forget what it’s supposed to be translated so we can look that up.
And Zilpah Leah’s maid bore Jacob a second son. And Leah said, Happy am I, for all the daughters will call me blessed: and so she called his name Happy. And Reuben went in the days of the wheat harvest ( Gen 30:12-14 ),
Now Reuben was probably only about seven years old at this time but he was the oldest son. And in the days of the wheat harvest, he went out
and he found mandrakes in the field ( Gen 30:14 ),
Now a mandrake was a little orange-colored fruit that grew on bushes. And the mandrakes were thought to have had aphrodisiac types of powers and also fertility powers. And they were thought, they were called love apples and they were thought to have fertility powers.
and so Reuben brought them into his mother Leah. And then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of your son’s mandrakes ( Gen 30:14 ).
Probably hoping that they would make her fertile.
And Leah said unto her, Is it a small matter that you have taken my husband? and would you take also my son’s mandrakes? And Rachel said, I’ll give you permission to spend the night with him if you’ll give me your son’s mandrakes. And so Jacob came out of the field, and Leah came out to meet him, and said, You’re mine tonight; for surely I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes ( Gen 30:15-16 ).
Now again you can see the problems with polygamy. I don’t read of Jacob complaining. I imagine it was sort of healthy for his ego to have them fighting over him this way. And so he went into her that night.
And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bore a fifth son. And Leah said, God has given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Hired. And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son. And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, I have born him six sons: and she called his name Dwelling. And afterwards she bore a daughter, and called her name Dinah ( Gen 30:17-21 ).
Now how many other daughters were born, we don’t know. If there were daughters born in between here, we don’t know. We do know that Jacob did have daughters. They are mentioned later but none of them by name. Dinah is the only daughter that is named and she’s only named here because she becomes an important part of the story later. The girls weren’t named. Girls weren’t considered valuable, only the fellows were considered valuable.
In fact, when a woman went into labor, they would gather together with, you know, they’d come together with gather things together for a feast and prepare to have a great big feast. They’d bring in the wine and the meat and everything else. And when the baby was born, if it were a boy they would just have a huge party, a big feast. But with a girl, they just fold up everything and go home. So you’ve come a long way, baby. And in reality, it is through Jesus Christ that the cultural patterns have been so changed where He has brought us to the place where there is no superior sex. “But Christ is all, and in all” ( Col 3:11 ).
And it’s so neat that through Jesus Christ we have been able to recognize a total equality, not only of the sexes but of people themselves. And the thing that God hates is the exalting or lifting up of one person above another. Thinking that you are more important, you’re more, you know, you’re greater or whatever. It’s an attitude that God detests. He wants us to all recognize that, the equality.
There is no difference, Paul said. There are similarities in all as we’ve all sinned; we’ve all come short of the glory of God. We all need the Savior Jesus Christ and in Christ, “there is neither Jew nor Greek, Barbarian, Scythian, bond or free, male nor female” ( Gal 3:28 ). Just an equality all in Jesus and we’re one together in Him. So it’s a very beautiful thing that Christ has done for us in bringing to us that recognition of the value of all persons and He places tremendous value on each of you.
So much so he said, “What shall it profit a man, if he would gain the whole world, and lose his own soul” ( Mar 8:36 )? He’s talking about you and your soul. It’s more important to God than the whole world. And thus He has placed a high value upon each of us and He has prized you dearly.
So problems arose because of this relationship.
But God [verse twenty-two] remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. And she conceived, and bare a son; and she said, God has taken away my reproach: and so she called his name Joseph; which means Adding ( Gen 30:22-24 ),
Which she was hoping that God would add now more sons. And so it was-it was his name was sort of expressing the hope of her heart that now I hope I will be able to give my husband more sons.
And so it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto my own place, and to my country ( Gen 30:25 ).
Now at this point, Reuben the oldest could not have been more than twelve years old because Jacob only served six years after the seven years for the second dowry. He served a total of twenty years. So having married in the seventh year, and of course, figuring the nine-month pregnancy and so forth, and now the twenty years are almost over, it means that the oldest of his sons was still quite young. Reuben was at this point at the time that Joseph was born just about twelve-and a-half years old, perhaps twelve years old, somewhere in there.
And so that’s a lot of little kids running around. Twelve and under you’ve got to, you’ve got twelve kids at least. We don’t know how many other girls but there are at least twelve that are running around at this point. And well, of course, Joseph isn’t running around yet, but I mean, you got a bunch of them around at least.
And so Joseph-I mean Jacob is coming and he’s saying, “Give me my own place, my own country”. Beg your pardon? At this point, he doesn’t leave. He stays on and serves. So that means that Reuben at this point is probably only seven years old. So you’ve got all of them born within a seven-year span, all of these that you just read about. So it’s even more proud of the little one, because at this point he’s just saying send me away and then he contracts for six more years and Joseph is already born. So all of them are born in this short space of time. “Send me away to my own place, to my own country”.
Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for you know my service that I have done to thee. And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience ( Gen 30:26-27 )
The word experience there is “teraphim”, I’ve learned by my little gods-or not “teraphim”, but it’s enchantments. I have learned by enchantment.
that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake ( Gen 30:27 ).
So he was serving pagan gods, he would have these little enchantments and so forth and seeking counsel off on them. And he had learned by his enchantments that “the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake.”
And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it ( Gen 30:28 ).
Just tell me, what do you want? I’ll pay your wages.
And so he said unto him, You know how I have served you, and how your cattle were with me. For it was little which you had before I came, and now it is increased unto a multitude; and the LORD hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for my own household also ( Gen 30:29-30 )?
In other words, Jacob was saying, “Hey, you remember when I came you really didn’t have much”. You had just a small flock and now through my diligence, my service, you know you really have a lot of wealth, a great multitude of herds and all.
And he said, What shall I give you? And Jacob said, You will not give me any thing: for if you will do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep your flock ( Gen 30:31 ).
In other words, I won’t take anything from you but this is the deal I’ll make with you.
I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from them all of the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and all such and of such shall be my hire. And so shall my righteousness answer for me in the time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and the brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me. And Laban said, Behold, I would that it might be according to thy word. And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all of the brown among the sheep, and he gave them unto the hand of his sons. And he set three days’ journey between himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks ( Gen 30:32-36 ).
Now Jacob said, “Look, all of those that are born that are ringstreaked, speckled and so forth, they will be my hire. The solid colors will be yours”. Laban says, “All right, good deal”. And then immediately he goes out and pulls them out of the flock and takes them three days’ journey so that they cannot intermingle with the solid colors. So he leaves Jacob with nothing but solid colors. And he takes all of those that were ringstreaked or spotted completely out of the scene so that Jacob is just left with the solid colors.
Now Jacob is saying this is the way I want it so that my righteousness will speak for me. In other words, God will be the One to bless me. He had the promise of God, “Go and I’m going to bless thee”. And he had that promise of God of blessing. So he was confident that God would take care of the issue but he was also a little bit knowledgeable of breeding practices. He had spent his life around animals, breeding them and so forth and he was conscious of some of the genetic issues, of the dominant and recessive traits and so forth. And he used some of his knowledge of these things in developing the flocks.
“So shall my righteousness answer for me in the time to come.” In other words, he’s committing it unto the Lord that God is going to prove that I have been righteous and all. And Laban said, “All right, let it be”. And he took the flocks and separated them three days journey.
So Jacob took rods of green poplar, and of hazel and the chestnut tree; and he pilled white streaks in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods. And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink. The flocks conceived before the rods, and they brought forth cattle ringstreaked, speckled, and spotted. And Jacob did separate the lambs, and he set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstreaked, and all the brown of the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and he put them not unto Laban’s cattle. And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before their eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods. But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: and so the feebler were Laban’s, and the stronger were Jacob’s. And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses ( Gen 30:37-43 ).
Now there are those who believe that he was actually trying to give sort of a prenatal thing, you know, by making the streaked the striped boughs and so forth and so there would be sort of a pre-natal impression that would create. The Hebrew word “conceive” is actually to be made hot. And we do know that they, the animals, are by placing stripes in front of them causes them to desire to conceive.
And so it was probably that which he was doing rather than trying to prenatally mark them. That he was just knowing the genetic structures and the recessive genes and so forth, that the recessives combine with the dominant, you know, can come forth spotted and so forth. And he was sharp, even when he was doing no doubt and the stronger ones he had set these things and caused them to conceive, the weaker ones went on to Laban. And anyhow, he was getting the better of the deal.
Chapter 31
And he heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father’s; and all that which was our father’s hath he gotten all this glory ( Gen 31:1 ).
In other words, they are now saying, “Hey, that really belongs to our dad. Jacob’s stolen it from us”. Not so. Jacob made the deal. His dad made the deal, but now the brothers are jealous because Jacob has such a large flock. They’re so strong and healthy and there’s a great jealousy.
And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before ( Gen 31:2 ).
It wasn’t, “Oh, hi there”, you know, and “son”, and wasn’t the old good buddy anymore but his father-in-law was really changing in his attitude.
And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to your family; and I will be with thee ( Gen 31:3 ).
And so Jacob now hears from the Lord. He sees that the attitude is changing and God speaks to his heart and tells him to go back.
And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flock ( Gen 31:4 ),
Now he, rather than talking about it in the tent where he might be overheard, he calls them out in the field so that he can talk to them privately.
And he said unto them, I see that your father’s countenance, that it is not toward me as it was before; but the God of my father hath been with me. And you know that with all my power I have served your father. And your father has deceived me, and he’s changed my wages ten times; but God would not allow him not to hurt me. If he said thus, The speckled shall be your wages; then all the cattle bore speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstreaked shall be your hire; then the cattle all ringstreaked. And thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me. And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up my eyes, and I saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstreaked, speckled, and grisled ( Gen 31:5-10 ).
In other words, God showed him really in a dream how and when and so forth to cause them to conceive.
And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I. And he said, Lift up now your eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstreaked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee. And I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar, and where you vowed a vow unto me: now arise, and get thee out from this land, and return to the land of thy family ( Gen 31:11-13 ).
So it is interesting that God announces to him, “I am the God of Bethel. Come back to the place of your family. I am the God that met you there in Bethel”.
And so Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house ( Gen 31:14 )?
In other words, our father has gone ahead and used up our dowry. He’s not given us anything. We’ve got nothing there.
We are counted to him as strangers for he has sold us, and has devoured our money ( Gen 31:15 ).
He spent the dowry. He sold them. He spent the dowry. We’re just like a stranger to him.
For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, it’s really ours, and our children’s: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto you, go ahead and do it. Then Jacob rose up, and he set his sons and his wives upon camels; And he carried away all of his cattle, and his goods which he had gotten, and the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan. And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen [the teraphims], the images that were her father’s ( Gen 31:16-19 ).
The little idols that they used.
And Jacob stole away unaware to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he was fleeing. So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and he passed over the river, and he set his face toward mount Gilead ( Gen 31:20-21 ).
Now Mount Gilead is about three hundred miles away and Mount Gilead is the mountain range that goes on the West Bank of the sea of Galilee and into that area there, about three hundred miles away. He fled with all of he had towards Mount Gilead. But of course, traveling with that many animals and the family and everything was slow travel. The best you could do would be about fifteen to twenty miles a day. And he had a good start.
Actually his father-in-law was out shearing the sheep and it was three days before Laban even found out that he was gone. He probably had worked his flocks down to the southern extremities anyhow. And probably put about ninety miles distance between at the start of the time before he started driving them away. And then he put three days more journey between him and Laban and Laban couldn’t just leave the shearing of the sheep immediately. Probably finished up as fast as he could before he took off to catch Jacob. But because he was forced in a fast march to catch Jacob, he caught him down around the area of Mount Gilead. Just about three hundred miles distance.
So it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled. And so he gathered his brothers with him, and he pursued after him for seven days; until he overtook him at mount Gilead. And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, Take heed that you speak not to Jacob either good or bad. Then Laban overtook Jacob. And now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brothers pitched in the mount of Gilead. And Laban said to Jacob, What have you done, you stolen away unaware to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword? Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and did not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with parties, and songs, and the tabret, and the harp? And you’ve not allowed me to even kiss my grandchildren, my daughters? You’ve done foolishly in doing this ( Gen 31:22-28 ).
Laban really had other ideas. He had really ideas of taking by force all that Jacob had. He had ideas of perhaps even killing Jacob. But God came to him in the night before and said, “Hey, don’t you even talk to him good or bad”. Well, that was a hard order and so Laban comes in and he puts on this whole hypocritical thing, you know. “Why did you steal off? I wanted to kiss my grandchildren. We could have had a big party”, you know. In reality he would have never let Jacob go. He would have just ripped him off and sent him away without anything. But because God has now put the squeeze on him and won’t let him do anything, he’s just, you know, acting like he’s been hurt and offended and all.
And he said,
It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me last night, saying, Take heed that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad. And now, though you would needs be gone, because you long after your father’s house, why have you stolen my gods? And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure you would take by force your daughters from me ( Gen 31:29-31 ).
And Jacob had a right to be afraid. The guy probably would have taken the daughters and all of the animals.
With whomsoever you find your gods, let him not live: before our brothers discern thou what is thine with me, take it to thee ( Gen 31:32 ).
Whatever I have, search through everything. Whatever I have that belongs to you, take it. Let these guys be a witness. I don’t want anything of yours. And so he’s accusing him of stealing his gods.
But he did not know that Rachel had ripped off these two little teraphims, these two little idols. And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and into Leah’s tent, and into the two maidservants’ tents; but he did not find them. And so he went out of Leah’s tent, and he entered into Rachel’s tent. Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel’s furniture, and she was sitting on them. And Laban searched all the tent, but he did not find them. And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up; for the custom of woman is upon me. [I’m weak; I’m in my menstrual period.] And so he searched, but he did not find the images. And Jacob ( Gen 31:32-36 ).
At this time had his little chance to spout off.
He was angry and he chided with Laban: and Jacob answered and said unto Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that you have so hotly pursued after me? Whereas you’ve searched all my stuff, what have you found of all of your household stuff? set it here before the brothers, let them judge between us both. For twenty years I’ve been with you; the ewes and the she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of the flock have I not eaten ( Gen 31:36-38 ).
In other words, there were-he was careful there were many times when the animals were pregnant. They would have miscarriages because they weren’t taken care of properly. But he had so carefully watched over them, had been so diligent. There were no miscarriages of the animals while he was serving. Not only that, it was the right of the shepherd to eat, you know, to kill a lamb and to eat it occasionally. But he never once killed any of the animals for his own eating. And so he’s just telling, you know, how honestly and how diligently he was serving the old man for twenty years.
That which was torn by the beasts I brought it not unto thee ( Gen 31:39 );
Now if a shepherd was watching over a flock and a beast would tear it, he would bring the carcass to the owner and give him the carcass, and thus he proved that he had driven off the wild beast and captured the animal. But he didn’t have to pay for it. Actually the owner suffered the loss. But he said, I didn’t bring any carcasses to you.
I bore the loss of it; of my hand did you require it, whether it was stolen by day, or stolen by night ( Gen 31:39 ).
Laban, you know, charged him for everything.
And thus I was; and in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night ( Gen 31:40 );
He was out there in the hot sun. And he was out there in the cold nights. And for twenty years he had really gone through all of the miseries of the outdoors and all.
and my sleep departed from my eyes. Thus have I been for twenty years in your house; and I have served you for fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your cattle: and you have changed my wages ten times. And except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely you would have sent me away empty. But God has seen my affliction and the labour of my hands, and he rebuked you last night. And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that you see is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, and unto their children which they have born? Now therefore come, let’s make a covenant, you and I; and it’ll be a witness between me and thee ( Gen 31:40-44 ).
I can’t do anything; I feel it’s all mine. I don’t know by what right but yet,
So they took a stone, and they set it for a pillar. And Jacob said to his brothers, Gather stones; and they took the stones, and they made a heap of them. And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed ( Gen 31:45-47 ).
He called it by the Hebrew name whereas Laban called it by the Aramaic name. And it’s a heap of the heap of witness.
And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and you this day. So we’ll call it Galeed; and Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch over you, when we are absent one from the other. And if you will afflict my daughters, or if you will take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; let God watch over you and witness between me and thee. And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, this is the pillar that I have cast between me and you; This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and you shalt not pass over this heap and pillar unto me ( Gen 31:48-52 ).
In other words, you don’t come my way, I don’t go yours. This is it. This is the separation.
The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of thy father, judge between us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac. And then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount. And early in the morning Laban rose up, kissed his sons and daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned to his place ( Gen 31:53-55 ).
Now this Mizpah, verse forty-nine, has been used sometimes as sort of a Christian greeting. That’s tragic. It isn’t a very pleasant thing. It sounds beautiful to read that the Lord watch between me and thee while we are absent one from the other. Like God watch over you, you know, my beloved friend, while we’re absent. But that isn’t the idea of the context at all. The idea is “I think you’re a crook, I don’t know what to do about it. You’re leaving me; I can’t watch you anymore. May God watch over you and if you do anything wrong, may God smite you”.
So next time one of your Christian friends says Mizpah, you might not be so willing to just smile. It isn’t a pleasant departure but it has one intention, the Lord watch you, I can’t.
So we’ll start in chapter thirty-two next Sunday and we did pretty well tonight. Moving along. “
In reading these stories we must never forget that we are looking at things as they were in that far-gone time and must make all necessary allowances for the imperfect light in which these people lived. That, however, does not prevent our seeing how much is chronicled here which contradicts the principle of faith. It is the story of domestic trouble and heart-burning out of which arose actions utterly out of keeping with the life of simple trust. Nevertheless, throughout there is a manifest consciousness of the divine overruling. The interpretation of that government is often at fault, as when Rachel imagined that the son born to Bilhah was in any sense an answer to prayer. That answer came with the birth of Joseph.
At the birth of Joseph, Jacob attempted to break from Laban. Laban, however, realized that Jacob’s coming and sojourn with him had brought him great gain; and for pure selfishness he was anxious to retain him. Thus a new compact was entered into between them.
Laban at once attempted to make impossible the enrichment of Jacob by setting three days’ journey between the cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted, and the rest, giving the former into the hands of his sons, and the latter into the hands of Jacob. It was an attempt to frustrate the possibility of Jacob’s gaining anything from the compact. The sequel shows that he had underestimated the shrewdness of his nephew.
Neither side acted admirably; but watching the movement between two schemers, it is impossible to avoid a feeling of satisfaction that Jacob was one too many for Laban. Comparing Jacob with Abraham, however, one sees how much lower was the level of his faith. Abraham had been content to let the scheming Lot choose. Jacob, always believing in God, nevertheless was not able to commit these matters of worldly possession to Him.
Sons Born to Jacob
Gen 30:1-24
The details of this paragraph are given with great minuteness, because they concern the twelve sons of Jacob, the forefathers of Israel. After all, history is made in the nursery, and we are very much what our mothers have made us in the formative years. An old Spanish proverb says, An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy. Leahs influence on her boys, as judged by their subsequent life, was anything but healthy; yet with Jacob being the man he was, there was poor chance for them to realize the highest ideals. Rachels anguish of heart led her to earnest prayer. Compare Gen 30:1; Gen 30:22. Wait on God, oh, anguished ones: ye shall surely have reason to praise him. Was it not worth waiting for, to bear a Joseph, whose branches were to run over the wall in blessing? There are more compensations in life than we think for. If Rachel had her husbands love, Leah had a large family of boys. In the saddest lives there are glints of sunshine.
Gen 30:27
The words are Laban’s, and taken in their connection they intimate that even an utterly worldly man, such as he was, may be forced to acknowledge the moral providence of God, whereby He takes especial and peculiar care of His servants. Look at the moral and religious lessons which a thoughtful man may learn by experience.
I. We learn by experience much that is wholesome about ourselves. By the blunders we have made, the falls we have suffered, the injuries we have sustained, the sins we have committed, and the wrongs we have inflicted on others, God has enlightened us in the knowledge of ourselves, and made us feel that it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
II. Experience has taught us much regarding the world and its pleasures, possessions, and enjoyments. Even in the case of the Christian, there is much to wean him from the world as the years roll on. As he grows older the world becomes less and less to him, and Christ becomes more and more. He learns to delight in God, and his growth in holiness becomes the ambition of his life.
III. The experience of the lapse of years teaches us more and more of God as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have increasing proofs of God’s wisdom and God’s faithfulness. Whoever has been false to us, He has remained true. This testimony of experience thus grows with our growth and strengthens with our strength. It is a fortress which is utterly impregnable.
W. M. Taylor, The Christian at Work, Sept. 16th, 1880.
References: Gen 30:1-26.-R. S. Candlish, Book of Genesis, vol. ii., p. 36. Gen 30:27.-Parker, vol. i., p. 362; Homiletic Quarterly, vol. iii., p. 278. Gen 30:27-43.-R. S. Candlish, Book of Genesis, vol. ii., p. 46. Gen 30-Expositor, 2nd series, vol. vi., p. 267; R. S. Candlish, Book of Genesis, vol. ii., p. 16. Gen 31-R. S. Candlish, Book of Genesis, vol. ii., pp. 16, 53. Gen 31:3, Gen 31:5.-Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxvii., No. 1630. Gen 31:13.-J. Van Oosterzee, The Year of Salvation, vol. ii., p. 360; Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxi., No. 1267; J. R. Macduff, Communion Memories, p. 175. Gen 31:38.-Homiletic Quarterly, vol. iii., p. 530. Gen 31:47.-Parker, vol. i., p. 362. Gen 31:48, Gen 31:49.-Homiletic Quarterly, vol. iii., p. 549. Gen 31:48-50.-F. W. Robertson, Notes on Genesis, p. 113. Gen 31:53.-Expositor, 2nd series, vol. iii., p. 352.
CHAPTER 30 Jacob with Laban
1. The sons of Bilhah: Dan and Naphtali (Gen 30:1-8)
2. The sons of Zilpah: Gad and Asher (Gen 30:9-13)
3. The children of Leah: Issachar, Zebulon and Dinah (Gen 30:14-20)
4. The birth of Joseph (Gen 30:22-24)
5. Jacobs request to return (Gen 30:25-26)
6. Labans confession and Jacobs prosperity (Gen 30:27-43)
Little comment is needed on this. The avarice and deceit of Laban is matched by the dexterity and cunning of Jacob. Josephs birth marks an important event. It is then that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away that I may go unto mine own place and to my country. All this is likewise typical. Rachel the first loved represents Israel; Leah, the Gentiles. The names Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Juda (see translations) tell out the story of His grace towards the Gentiles. Rachel, the barren, was remembered and gave birth to Joseph (adding), the one who was made great among the Gentiles and the deliverer of his brethren, and therefore the type of Christ. How interesting that Jacob thought at once of returning when Joseph had been born. But he had to wait six years more.
when Rachel: Gen 29:31
Rachel envied: Envy and jealousy are most tormenting passions to the breast which harbours them, vexatious to all around, and introductory to much impatience and ungodliness. “Who is able to stand before envy?” Gen 37:11, 1Sa 1:4-8, Psa 106:16, Pro 14:30, Ecc 4:4, 1Co 3:3, Gal 5:21, Tit 3:3, Jam 3:14, Jam 4:5
or else I die: Gen 35:16-19, Gen 37:11, Num 11:15, Num 11:29, 1Ki 19:4, Job 3:1-3, Job 3:11, Job 3:20-22, Job 5:2, Job 13:19, Jer 20:14-18, Joh 4:3, Joh 4:8, 2Co 7:10
Reciprocal: Gen 11:30 – barren Gen 15:2 – childless Gen 29:17 – Rachel Gen 32:22 – his two wives Gen 35:18 – her soul Exo 1:1 – General Exo 17:2 – Give us Rth 4:11 – Rachel 2Ki 4:14 – she hath no child 2Ki 4:28 – Did I desire Psa 106:33 – he spake Psa 127:3 – children Luk 1:7 – they had Act 7:8 – and Jacob 1Co 13:4 – envieth
Rachel and Jacob were naturally frustrated by her inability to bear children. Like Sarah before her, Rachel chose to have a child through her handmaid, Bilhah. The son born of the handmaid was named Dan, or “he has judged,” because Rachel believed God had judged her case and heard her appeal. The second son borne by Bilhah was named Naphtali, or “my wrestling.” Apparently, she saw herself as in a contest with Leah in the bearing of children to Jacob and felt she had won through her handmaid giving birth to two sons.
It appears Leah gave Jacob her handmaid, Zilpah, because she did not want to be outdone by her sister. She bore a son Leah named Gad, or “good fortune.” Leah named Zilpah’s second son Asher, or “happy” because she said other women would call her blessed ( Gen 30:1-13 ).
Gen 30:1. Rachel envied her sister The Hebrew women considered barrenness as one of the greatest misfortunes that could befall them, not only from a natural desire of children, but from their eager wishes to be the means of fulfilling the promise to Abraham, and bringing forth that seed in which all the families of the earth were to be blessed. But Rachel does not seem to have been chiefly actuated by this motive in desiring children, but by envy of her sister; hence she says, Give me children A child would not content her; but because Leah has more than one, she must have more too. And her heart is set upon it: she repines, and grows impatient with her husband; else I die That is, I shall fret myself to death; the want of this satisfaction will shorten my days. Observe the difference between Rachels asking for this mercy, and Hannahs, 1Sa 1:10, &c. Rachel envied, Hannah wept: Rachel must have children, and she died of the second; Hannah prayed for this child, and she had four more: Rachel is importunate and peremptory, Hannah is submissive and devout; If thou wilt give me a child, I will give him to the Lord. Let Hannah be imitated, and not Rachel; and let our desires be always under the conduct and check of reason and religion.
Gen 30:2. Am I in Gods stead. Rachels impatience provoked Jacobs anger, because she asked of man whist was the prerogative of God to give. The rabbins remark here, that God keeps in his own hands the four grand keys of nature. First, the key of life or generation; secondly, the key of bread; thirdly, the key of rain, Deu 28:12; fourthly, the key of the grave, or resurrection from the dead. Eze 37:12. Those favours of posterity are to be asked in prayer, and with all deference and submission to the Father of spirits.
Gen 30:3. She shall bear upon my knees; that the child might be free born, and adopted from its birth. By these privileges it became heir of the wealth and hopes of the family; and with this view a dotal maid was usually given with a lady on her marriage, as a precaution against the want of issue.
Gen 30:11. A troop cometh, and she called his name Gad. From this birth, Leah augured a numerous progeny to Jacob; yea, a troop or army of descendants. The apostate Israelites gave the name of Gad to the altars which they built to prosperity, as in the note on Isa 65:11. Gad is also used to designate happiness.
Gen 30:13. She called his name Asher; that is, blessed.
Gen 30:14. Mandrakes. We do not know what sort of fruit these were. Augustine says he once saw some. They were beautiful in appearance, fragrant in smell, but insipid in the taste. Son 7:13. Some think they were apples of that name.
Gen 30:18. She called his name Issachar; that is, hire.
Gen 30:20. She called his name Zebulon; that is, a dwelling, or a little habitation.
Gen 30:24. Joseph, that is, addition.
Gen 30:37. Made the white appear. The human ftus is often marked in the mothers womb with blood, or with the shape of red and purple fruits; but when do we see cattle devoid of reason, so marked? Though we presume not to deny the influence of those rods, yet it is safer to say that God gave Jacob the cattle.
Gen 30:38. The rods which he had peeled. This was a mere prejudice of the ancient shepherds. The rods, however they were peeled, could not procure these effects on the cattle. It was God therefore who graciously blessed him with substance. But with regard to women, there have been many occurrences in natural history, which strongly corroborate what is here asserted of the effects of the imagination, &c. Vide Poli. syn. crit. in loc. An Ethiopian lady once had a white child, which made a great deal of talk; but as no one could impeach the ladys chastity, the physicians at length ascribed the cause to a portrait of Andromache, which hung in the ladys bedchamber.
REFLECTIONS.
From the painful feelings of Rachel at the happiness and prosperity of Leah, let us endeavour never to envy another in regard to the wealth, honour, talents, or advantages they may enjoy, of which we are for the present deprived. Having God, the alsufficient God for our portion, let us be content with our lot.
Was Rachel so afflicted for the want of children as to be on the point of dying with anguish and grief? How much more should ministers of the gospel travail, that children of the promise may be converted under their word. Oh, how afflictive to a faithful minister, to see his audience crowded from week to week, and yet to hear of no conversions! Let him weep, and grieve, and pray for success. Tears will soften his soul, devotion will raise him up to God, and heaven will descend with his ministry in more fruitful showers of grace. The God who pitied Rachel, will not forget the weeping pastor of his flock.
Was Laban poor when Jacob arrived; and did God in fourteen years bless him exceedingly by Jacobs industry and superior skill? How happy is a man, surrounded by religious and faithful servants; how happy is the house where the ark of God abides. But oh blessed man, be not content with the inferior gifts, look for the double portion promised in the covenant. God will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
Did Jacob serve Laban faithfully in three successive engagements, though the terms were apparently hard? He is then a fine example to young men who enjoy the honourable liberty of serving their fathers. Let them be faithful in the discharge of every duty as unto God, and they shall reap the rewards here in peace of conscience, in temporal happiness, and the works of virtue shall not be forgotten in the life to come.
But did Laban deceive Jacob, and change his wages ten times? Let parents learn to keep faith with their children, and not to provoke them. To envy another in his prosperity is sinful, and much more unnatural to envy a son- in-law, in whose children the parents still survive. God requires fidelity in all men; and peculiarly so in persons so nearly connected. Blessed is the man that hath sworn to his hurt, and keepeth his word: he shall ascend into the holy hill of the Lord. Psa 15:4. This is the high morality of our scriptures; and godliness with contentment is great gain.
In the extraordinary prosperity of Jacob we see farther, the faithfulness of God to his covenant and promises. And indeed, while a man continues to walk with God, it is a continued chain of blessedness here, and the fulness of felicity for ever.
Genesis 27 – 35
These chapters present to us the history of Jacob-at least, the principal scenes in that history. The Spirit of God here sets before us the deepest instruction, first, as to God’s purpose of infinite grace; and, secondly, as to the utter worthlessness and depravity of human nature.
There is a passage in Gen. 25 which I purposely passed over, in order to take if up here, so that we might have the truth in reference to Jacob fully before us “And Isaac entreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord was entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. And the children struggled together within her: and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the Lord. And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.” This is referred to in Malachi, where we read, “I have loved you, saith the Lord: yet ye say, wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the Lord: yet I have loved Jacob, and hated Esau.” This is again referred to in Rom. 9: “For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God, according to election, might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth; it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger, as it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”
Thus we have very distinctly before us, God’s eternal purpose, according to the election of grace. There is much involved in this expression. It banishes all human pretension from the scene, and asserts God’s right to act as He will. This is of the very last importance. The creature can enjoy no real blessedness until he is brought to bow his head to sovereign grace. It becomes him so to do, inasmuch as he is a sinner, and, as such, utterly without claim to act or dictate. The great value of finding oneself on this ground is, that it is then no longer a question of what we deserve to get, but simply of what God is pleased to give. The prodigal might talk of being a servant, but he really did not deserve the place of a servant, if it were to be made a question of desert; and, therefore, he had only to take what the father was pleased to give – and that was the very highest place, even the place of fellowship with himself. Thus it must ever be. “Grace all the work shall crown, through everlasting days.” Happy for us that it is so. As we go on, day by day, making fresh discoveries of ourselves, we need to have beneath our feet the solid foundation of God’s grace: nothing else could possibly sustain us in our growing self-knowledge. The ruin is hopeless, and therefore the grace must be infinite: and infinite it is, having its source in God Himself, its channel in Christ, and the power of application and enjoyment in the Holy Ghost. The Trinity is brought out in connection with the grace that saves a poor sinner. “Grace reigns through righteousness, unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord.” It is only in redemption that this reign of grace could be seen. we may see in creation the reign of wisdom and power; we may see in providence the reign of goodness and long-suffering; but only in redemption do we see the reign of grace, and that, too, on the principle of righteousness.
Now, we have, in the person of Jacob, a most striking exhibition of the power of divine grace; and for this reason, that we have in him a striking exhibition of the power of human nature. In him we see nature in all its obliquity, and therefore we see grace in all its moral beauty and power. From the facts of his remarkable history, it would seem that, before his birth, at his birth, and after his birth, the extraordinary energy of nature was seen. Before his birth, we read, “the children struggled together within her.” At his birth, we read, “his hand took hold on Esau’s heel.” And, after his birth – yea to the turning point of his history, in Gen. 32, without any exception – his course exhibits nothing but the most unamiable traits of nature; but all this only serves, like a drab background, to throw into relief the grace of Him who condescends to call Himself by the peculiarly touching name, “the God of Jacob” – a name most sweetly expressive of free grace.
Let us now examine the chapters consecutively. Gen. 27 exhibits a most humbling picture of sensuality, deceit, and cunning; and when one thinks of such things in connection with the people of God, it is sad and painful to the very last degree. Yet how true and faithful is the Holy Ghost! He must tell all out. He cannot give us a partial picture. If he gives us a history of man, he must describe man as he is, and not as he is not. So, if He unfolds to us the character and ways of God, He gives us God as He is. And this, we need hardly remark, is exactly what we need. We need the revelation of one perfect in holiness, yet perfect in grace and mercy, who could come down into all the depth of man’s need, his misery and his degradation, and deal with Him there, and raise him up out of it into full, unhindered fellowship with Himself in all the reality of what He is. This is what scripture gives us. God knew what we needed, and He has given it to us, blessed be His name!
And, be it remembered, that in setting before us, in faithful love, all the traits of man’s character, it is simply with a view to magnify the riches of divine grace, and to admonish our souls. It is not, by any means, in order to perpetuate the memory of sins, for ever blotted out from His sight. The blots, the failures, and the errors of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, have been perfectly washed away, and they have taken their place amid “the spirits of just men made perfect;” but their history remains, on the page of inspiration, for the display of God’s grace, and for the warning of God’s people in all ages; And, moreover, that we my distinctly see that the blessed God has not been dealing With perfect men and women, but with those of “like passions as we are” that He has been walking and bearing with the same failures, the same infirmities, the same errors, as those over which we mourn every day. This is peculiarly comforting to the heart; and it may well stand in striking contrast with the way in which the great majority of human biographies are written, in “which, for the most part, we find, not the history of men, but of beings devoid of error and infirmity. histories have rather the effect of discouraging than of edifying those who read them. They are rather histories of what men ought to be, than of what they really are, and they are, therefore, useless to us, yea, not only useless, but mischievous.
Nothing can edify save the presentation of God dealing with man as he really is; and this is what the word gives us. The chapter before us illustrates this very fully. Here we find the aged patriarch Isaac, standing, as it were, at the very portal of eternity, the earth and nature fast fading away from his view, yet occupied about “savoury meat,” and about to act in direct opposition to the divine counsel, by blessing the elder instead of the younger. Truly this was nature, and nature with its “eyes dim.” If Esau had sold his birthright for a mess of pottage, Isaac was about to give away the blessing for a mess of venison, How very humiliating!
But God’s purpose must stand, and He will do all His pleasure. Faith knows this; and, in the power of that knowledge, can wait for God’s time. This nature never can do, but must set about gaining its own ends, by its own inventions. These are the two grand points brought out in Jacob’s history – God’s purpose of grace, on the one hand; and on the other, nature plotting and scheming to reach what that purpose would have infallibly brought about, without any plot or scheme at all. This simplifies Jacob’s history amazingly, and not only simplifies it, but heightens the soul’s interest in it also. There is nothing, perhaps, in which we are so lamentably deficient, as in the grace of patient, self-renouncing dependence upon God. Nature will be working in some shape or form, and thus, so far as in it lies, hindering the outshining of divine grace and power. God did not need the aid of such elements as Rebekah’s cunning and Jacob’s gross deceit, in order to accomplish His purpose. He had said, “the elder shall serve the younger.” This was enough – enough for faith, but not enough for nature, which must ever adopt its own ways, and know nothing of what it is to wait on God.
Now, nothing can be more truly blessed than the position of hanging in child-like dependence upon God, and being entirely content to wait for His time. True, it will involve trial; but the renewed mind learns some of its deepest lessons, and enjoys some of its sweetest experiences, while waiting on the Lord; and the more pressing the temptation to take ourselves out of His hands, the richer will be the blessing of leaving ourselves there. It is so exceedingly sweet to find ourselves wholly dependent upon one who finds infinite joy in blessing us. It is only those who have tasted, in any little measure, the reality of this wondrous position that can at all appreciate it. The only one who ever occupied it perfectly and uninterruptedly was the Lord Jesus Himself. He was ever dependent upon God, and utterly rejected every proposal of the enemy to be anything else. His language was, “In thee do I put my trust;” and again, “I was cast upon thee from the womb.” Hence, when tempted by the devil to make an effort to Satisfy His hunger, His reply was, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” When tempted to cast Himself from the pinnacle of the temple, His reply was, “It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” When tempted to take the kingdoms of the world from the hand of another than God, and by doing homage to another than Him, His reply was, “It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” In a word, nothing could allure the perfect man from the place of absolute dependence upon God. True, it was God’s purpose to sustain His Son; it was His purpose that He should suddenly come to His temple; it was His purpose to give Him the kingdoms of this world; but this was the very reason why the Lord Jesus would simply and uninterruptedly wait on God for the accomplishment of His purpose, in His own time, and in His own way. He did not set about accomplishing His own ends. He left Himself thoroughly at God’s disposal. He would only eat when God gave Him bread; He would only enter the temple when sent of God; He will ascend the throne when God appoints the time. “Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thy foes thy footstool.” (Ps. 110)
This profound subjection of the Son to the Father is admirable beyond expression. Though entirely equal with God, He took, as man, the place of dependence, rejoicing always in the will of the Father; giving thanks even when things seemed to be against Him; doing always the things which pleased the Father; making: it His grand and uvarying object to glorify the Father; and finally, when all was accomplished, when He had perfectly finished the work which the Father had given, He breathed His spirit into the Father’s hand, and His flesh rested in hope of the promised glory and exaltation. Well, therefore, may the inspired apostle say, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”
How little Jacob knew, in the opening of his history, of this blessed mind! How little was he prepared to wait for God’s time and God’s way! He much preferred Jacob’s time and Jacob’s way. He thought it much better to arrive at the blessing and the inheritance by all sorts of cunning and deception, than by simple dependence upon and subjection to God, whose electing grace had promised, and whose almighty power and wisdom would assuredly accomplish all for him.
But, oh! how well one knows the opposition of the human heart to all this! Any attitude for it save that of patient waiting upon God. It is almost enough to drive nature to distraction to find itself bereft of all resource but God. This tells us, in language not to be misunderstood, the true character of human nature. In order to know what nature is, I need not travel into those scenes of vice and crime which justly shock all refined moral sense. No; all that is needful is just to try it for a moment in the place of dependence, and see how it will carry itself there. It really knows nothing of God, and therefore cannot trust Him; and herein was the secret of all its misery and moral degradation. It is totally ignorant of the true God, and can therefore be nought else but a ruined and worthless thing. The knowledge of God is the source of life – yea, is itself life; and until a man has life, what is he? or, what can he be?
Now, in Rebekah and Jacob, we see nature taking advantage of nature in Isaac and Esau. It was really this. There was no waiting upon God whatever. Isaac’s eyes were dim, he could therefore be imposed upon, and they set about doing so, instead of looking off to God, who would have entirely frustrated Isaac’s purpose to bless the one whom God would not bless – a purpose? founded in nature, and most unlovely nature, for “Isaac loved Esau,” not because he was the first-born, but “because he did eat of his venison.” How humiliating!
But we are sure to bring unmixed sorrow upon ourselves, when we take ourselves, our circumstances, or our destinies, out of the hands of God.* Thus it was with Jacob, as we shall see in the sequel. It has been observed by another, that whoever observes Jacob’s life, after he had surreptitiously obtained his father’s blessing, will perceive that he enjoyed very little worldly felicity. His brother purposed to murder him, to avoid which he was forced to flee from his father’s house; his uncle Laban deceived him, as he had deceived his father, and treated him with great rigor; after a servitude of twenty-one years, he was obliged to leave him in a clandestine manner, and not without danger of being brought back or murdered by his enraged brother; no sooner were these fears over, than he experienced the baseness of his son Reuben, in defiling his bed; he had next to bewail the treachery and cruelty of Simeon and Levi towards the Shechemites; then he had to feel the loss of his beloved wife; he was next imposed upon by his own sons, and had to lament the supposed untimely end of Joseph; and, to complete all, he was forced by famine to go into Egypt, and there died in a strange land. So just, wonderful, and instructive are all the ways of providence.”
{*We should ever remember, in a place of trial, that what we want is not a change of circumstances, but victory over self.}
This is a true picture, so far as Jacob was concerned; but it only gives us one side, and that the gloomy side. Blessed be God, there is a bright side, likewise, for God had to do with Jacob; and, in every scene of his life, when Jacob was called to reap the fruits of his own plotting and crookedness, the God of Jacob brought good out of evil, and caused His grace to abound over all the sin and folly of His poor servant. This we shall see as we proceed with his history.
I shall just offer a remark here upon Isaac, Rebekah, and Esau. It is very interesting to observe how, notwithstanding the exhibition of nature’s excessive weakness, in the opening of Genesis 27, Isaac maintains, by faith, the dignity which God had conferred upon him. He blesses with all the consciousness of being endowed with power to bless! He says, “I have blessed him; yea, and he shall be blessed.. Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him; and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?” He speaks as one who, by faith, had at his disposal all the treasures of earth. There is no false humility, no taking a low ground by reason of the manifestation of nature. True, he was on the eve of making a grievous mistake – even of moving right athwart the counsel of God; still, he knew God, and took his place accordingly, dispensing blessings in all the dignity and power of faith. “I have blessed him; yea, and he shall be blessed.” “With corn and wine have I sustained him.” It is the proper province of faith to rise above all one’s own failure and the consequences thereof, into the place where God’s grace has set us.
As to Rebekah, she was called to feel all the sad results of her cunning actings. She, no doubt, imagined she was managing matters most skillfully; but, alas! she never saw Jacob again: so much for management! How different it would have been had she left the matter entirely in the hands of God. This is the way in which faith manages, and it is ever a gainer. “Which of you by taking thought, can add to his stature one cubit?” We gain nothing by our anxiety and planning; we only shut out God, and that is no gain. It is a just judgement from the hand of God to be left to reap the fruits, of our own devices; and I know of few things more sad than to see a child of God so entirely forgetting his proper place and privilege, as to take the management of his affairs into his own hands. The birds of the air, and the lilies of the field, may well be our teachers when we so far forget our position of unqualified dependence upon God.
Then, again, as to Esau, the apostle calls him “a profane person, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright,” and “afterwards, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place of change of mind, though he sought it carefully with tears.” Thus we learn what a profane person is, viz. one who would like to hold both worlds; one who would like to enjoy the present, without forfeiting his title to the future. This is, by no means, an uncommon case. It expresses to us the mere worldly professor, whose conscience has never felt the action of divine truth, and whose heart has never felt the influence of divine grace.
We are now called to trace Jacob in his movement from under his fathers roof, to view him as a homeless and lonely wanderer on the earth. It is here that God’s special dealings with him commence. Jacob now begins to realise, in some measure, the bitter fruit of his conduct, in reference to Esau; while, at the same time, God is seen rising above all the weakness and folly of His servant, and displaying His own sovereign grace and profound wisdom in His dealings with him. God will accomplish His own purpose, no matter by what instrumentality; But if His child, in impenitence of spirit, and unbelief of heart, will take himself out of His hands, he must expect much sorrowful exercise and painful discipline. Thus it was with Jacob: he might not have had to flee to Haran, had he allowed God to act for him. God would, assuredly, have dealt with Esau, and caused him to find his destined place and portion; and Jacob might have enjoyed that sweet peace which nothing can yield save entire subjection in all things to the hand and counsel of God.
But here is where the excessive feebleness of our hearts is constantly disclosed. We do not lie passive in God’s hand; we will be acting; and, by our acting, we hinder the display of God’s grace and power on our behalf. “Be still and know that I am God,” is a precept which nought, save the power of divine grace, can enable one to obey. “Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. (eggus) Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.” What will be the result of this activity? “The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall garrison (phrouresei) your hearts and minds by Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4: 5-7)
However, God graciously overrules our folly and weakness, and while we are called upon to reap the fruits of our unbelieving and impatient ways, He takes occasion from them to teach our hearts still deeper lessons of His own tender grace and perfect wisdom. This, while it, assuredly, affords no warrant whatever for unbelief and impatience, does most wonderfully exhibit the goodness of our God, and comfort the heart even while we may be passing through the painful circumstances consequent upon our failure. God is above all; and, moreover, it is His special prerogative to bring good out of evil; to make the eater yield meat, and the strong yield sweetness; and hence, while it is quite true that Jacob was compelled to be an exile from his father’s roof in consequence of his own restless and deceitful acting, it is equally true that he never could have learnt the meaning of “Bethel” had he been quietly at home. Thus the two sides of the picture are strongly marked in every scene of Jacob’s history. It was when he was driven, by his own folly, from Isaac’s house, that he was led to taste, in some measure, the blessedness and solemnity of “God’s house.”
“And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. and he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.” Here we find the homeless wanderer just in the very position in which God could meet him, and in which He could unfold His purposes of grace and glory. Nothing could possibly be more expressive of helplessness and nothingness than Jacob’s condition as here set before us. Beneath the open canopy of heaven, with a pillow of stone, in the helpless condition of sleep. Thus it was that the God of Bethel unfolded to Jacob His purposes respecting him and his seed. “And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And behold the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed. And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.”
Here we have, indeed, “grace and glory.” The ladder “set on the earth” naturally leads the heart to meditate on the display of God’s grace, in the Person and work of His Son. On the earth it was that the wondrous work was accomplished which forms the basis, the strong and everlasting basis, of all the divine counsels in reference to Israel, the Church, and the world at large. On the earth it was that Jesus lived laboured. and died; that, through His death, He might remove out of the way every obstacle to the accomplishment of the divine purpose of blessing to man.
But “the top of the ladder reached to heaven.” It formed the medium of communication between heaven and earth; and “behold the angels of God ascending and descending upon it” – striking and beautiful picture of Him by whom God has come down into all the depth of man’s need, and by whom also He has brought man up and set him in His own presence for ever, in the power of divine righteousness! God has made provision for the accomplishment of all His plans, despite of man’s folly and sin; and it is for the everlasting joy of any soul to find itself, by the teaching of the Holy Ghost, within the limits of God’s gracious purpose.
The prophet Hosea leads us on to the time when that which was foreshadowed by Jacob’s ladder shall have its full accomplishment. “And in that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow, and the sword, and the battle, out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely. And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgement, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies; I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness; and thou shalt know the Lord. And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the Lord, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; and the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel. And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.” (Hosea 2: 18-23) There is also an expression in the first chapter of John, bearing upon Jacob’s remarkable vision; it is Christ’s word to Nathanael, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.” (Ver. 51)
Now this vision of Jacob’s is a very blessed disclosure of divine grace to Israel. We have been led to see something of Jacob’s real character, something, too, of his real condition; both were evidently such as to show that it should either be divine grace for him, or nothing. By birth he had no claim; nor yet by character. Esau might put forward some claim on both these grounds; i.e., provided God’s prerogative were set aside; but Jacob had no claim whatsoever; and hence, while Esau could only stand upon the exclusion of God’s prerogative, Jacob could only stand upon the introduction and establishment thereof. Jacob was such a sinner, and so utterly divested of all claim, both by birth and by practice, that he had nothing whatever to rest upon save God’s purpose of pure, free, and sovereign grace. Hence, in the revelation which the Lord makes to His chosen servant, in the passage just quoted, it is a simple record or prediction of what He Himself would yet do. “I am…. I will give…. I will keep …. I will bring….. I will not leave thee until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of” It was all Himself. There is no condition whatever. No if or but; for when grace acts there can be no such thing. Where there is an if, it cannot possibly be grace. Not that God cannot put man into a position of responsibility, in which He must needs address him with an ‘if.’ We know He can; but Jacob asleep on a pillow of stone was not in a position of responsibility, but of the deepest helplessness and need; and therefore he was in a position to receive a revelation of the fullest, richest, and most unconditional grace.
Now, we cannot but own the blessedness of being in such a condition, that we have nothing to rest upon save God Himself; and, moreover, that it is in the most perfect establishment of God’s own character and prerogative that we obtain all our true joy and blessing. According to this principle, it would be an irreparable loss to us to have any ground of our own to stand upon, for in that case, God should address us on the ground of responsibility, and failure would then be inevitable. Jacob was so bad, that none but God Himself could do for him.
And, be it remarked, that it was his failure in the habitual recognition of this that led him into so much sorrow and pressure. God’s revelation of Himself is one thing, and our resting in that revelation is quite another. God shows Himself to Jacob, in infinite grace; but no sooner does Jacob awake out of sleep, than we find him developing his true character, and proving how little he knew, practically, of the blessed One who had just been revealing Himself so marvellously to him. “He was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” His heart was not at home in the presence of God; nor can any heart be so until it has been thoroughly emptied and broken. God is at home, blessed be His name, with a broken heart, and a broken heart at home with Him. But Jacob’s heart was not yet in this condition; nor had he yet learnt to repose, like a little child, in the perfect love of one who could say, “Jacob have I loved.” “Perfect love casteth out fear;” but where such love is not known and fully realised, there will always be a measure of uneasiness and perturbation. God’s house and God’s presence are not dreadful to a soul who knows the love of God as expressed in the perfect sacrifice of Christ. such a soul is rather led to say,” Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.” (Ps. 26: 8) And, again, “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.” (Ps. 27: 4) and again, “How amiable are Thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth, for the courts of the Lord.” (Ps. 84) When the heart is established in the knowledge of God, it will assuredly love His house, whatever the Character of that house may be, whether it be Bethel, or the temple at Jerusalem, or the Church now composed of all true believers, “builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” However, Jacob’s knowledge, both of God and His house, was very shallow, at that point in his history on which we are now dwelling.
We shall have occasion, again, to refer to some principles connected with Bethel; and shall, now, close our meditations upon this chapter, with a brief notice of Jacob’s bargain with God, so truly characteristic of him, and so demonstrative of the truth of the statement with respect to the shallowness of his knowledge of the divine character. “And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this may that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my Father’s house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God; and this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me, I will surely give the tenth unto thee.” Observe, “if God will be with me.” Now, the Lord had just said, emphatically, “I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land,” &c. And yet poor Jacob’s heart cannot get beyond an “if” nor, in its thoughts of God’s goodness, can it rise higher than “bread to eat, and raiment put on.” Such were the thoughts of one who had just seen the magnificent vision of the ladder reaching from earth to heaven, with the Lord standing above, and promising an innumerable seed, and an everlasting possession. Jacob was evidently unable to enter into the reality and fullness of God’s thoughts. He measured God by Himself, and thus utterly failed to apprehend Him. In short, Jacob had not yet verily got to the end of himself; and hence he had not really begun with God.
“Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.” As we have just seen, in Gen. 28 Jacob utterly fails in the apprehension of God’s real character, and meets all the rich grace of Bethel with an “if” and a miserable bargain about food and raiment. We now follow him into a scene of thorough bargain-making. “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” There is no possibility of escaping from this. Jacob had not yet found his true level in the presence of God; and, therefore, God uses circumstances to chasten and break him down.
This is the real secret of much, very much, of our sorrow and trial in the world. Our hearts have never been really broken before the Lord; we have never been self-judged and self-emptied; and hence, again and again, we, as it were, knock our heads against the wall. No one can really enjoy God until he has got to the bottom of self, and for this plain reason, that God has begun the display of Himself at the very point at which the end of flesh is seen. If, therefore, I have not reached the end of my flesh, in the deep and positive experience of my soul, it is morally impossible that I can have anything like a just apprehension of God’s character. But I must, in some way or other, be conducted to the true measure of nature. To accomplish this end, the Lord makes use of various agencies which, no matter what they are, are only effectual when used by Him for the purpose of disclosing, in our view, the true character of all that is in our hearts. How often do we find as in Jacob’s case, that even although the Lord may come near to us, and speak in our ears, yet we do not understand His voice, or take our true place in His presence. “The Lord is in this place, and I knew it not ….. How dreadful is this place!” Jacob learnt nothing by all this, and it, therefore, needed twenty years of terrible schooling, and that, too, in a school marvellously adapted to his flesh; and even that, as we shall see, was not sufficient to break him down.
However, it is remarkable to see how he gets back into an atmosphere so entirely suited to his moral constitution. The bargain-making Jacob, meets with the bargain-making Laban, and they are both seen, as it were, straining every nerve to outwit each other. Nor can we wonder at Laban, for he had never been at Bethel: he had seen no open heaven, with a ladder reaching from thence to earth; he had heard no magnificent promises from the lips of Jehovah, securing to him all the land of Canaan, with a countless seed: no marvel, therefore, that he should exhibit a grasping grovelling spirit; he had no other resource. It is useless to expect from worldly men ought but a worldly spirit, and worldly principles and ways; they have gotten nought superior; and you cannot bring a clean thing out of an unclean. But to find Jacob, after all he had seen and heard at Bethel, struggling with a man of the world, and endeavouring, by such means, to accumulate property, is peculiarly humbling.
And yet, alas! it is no uncommon thing to find the children of God thus forgetting their high destinies and heavenly inheritance, and descending into the arena with the children of this world, to struggle there for the riches and honours of a perishing, sin-stricken earth. Indeed, to such an extent is this true, in many instances, that it is often hard to trace a single evidence of that principle which St. John tells us “overcometh the world.” Looking at Jacob and Laban, and judging of them upon natural principles, it would be hard to trace any difference. One should get behind the scenes, and enter into God’s thoughts about both, in order to see how widely they differed. But it was God that had made them to differ, not Jacob; and so it is now. Difficult as it may be to trace any difference between the children of light and the children of darkness, there is, nevertheless, a very wide difference indeed – a difference founded on the solemn fact that the former are “the vessels of mercy, which God has before prepared unto glory,” while the latter are “the vessels of wrath, fitted (not by God, but by sin) to destruction.” Rom 9: 22, 23)* This makes a very serious difference. The Jacobs and the Labans differ materially, and have differed, and will differ for ever, though the former may so sadly fail in the realization and practical exhibition of their true character and dignity.
{*It is deeply interesting to the spiritual mind to mark how sedulously the Spirit of God, in Rom. 9 and indeed throughout all scripture, guards against the horrid inference which the human mind draws from the doctrine of God’s election – when He speaks of “vessels of wrath,” He simply says, “fitted to destruction.” He does not say that God “fitted” them.
Whereas, on the other hand, when He refers to “the vessels of mercy” he says, “whom he had afore prepared unto glory.” This is most marked.
If my reader will turn for a moment to Matt 25: 34-41, he will find another striking and beautiful instance of the same thing.
When the king addresses those on His right hand, he says, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Verse 34) But when He addresses those on His left, He says, “Depart from me ye cursed.” He does not say, “cursed of My Father.” And, further, He says, “into everlasting fire, prepared,” not for you, but “for the devil and his angels.” (Verse 41)
In a word, then, it is plain that God has “prepared’ a kingdom of glory, and “vessels of mercy’ to inherit that kingdom; but He has not prepared” everlasting fire” for men, but for the “devil and his angels” nor has He fitted the “vessels of wrath,” but they have fitted themselves.
The word of God as clearly establishes “election” as it sedulously guards against “reprobation.” Everyone who finds himself in heaven will have to thank God for it; and everyone that finds himself in hell will have to thank himself.}
Now, in Jacob’s case, as set forth in the three chapters now before us, all his toiling and working, like his wretched bargain before, is the result of his ignorance of God’s grace, and his inability to put implicit confidence in God’s promise. The man that could say, after a most unqualified promise from God to give him the whole land of Canaan, “IF God will give me food to eat and raiment to put on,” could have had but a very faint apprehension of who God was, or what His promise was either; and because of this, we see him seeking to do the best he can for himself. This is always the way when grace is not understood: the principles of grace may be professed, but the real measure of our experience of the power of grace is quite another thing. One would have imagined that Jacob’s vision had told him a tale of grace; but God’s revelation at Bethel, and Jacob’s actings at Haran, are two very different things; yet the latter tell out what was Jacob’s sense of the former. Character and conduct prove the real measure of the soul’s experience and conviction, whatever the profession may be. But Jacob had never yet been brought to measure himself in God’s presence, and therefore he was ignorant of grace, and he proved his ignorance by measuring himself with Laban, and adopting his maxims and ways.
One cannot help remarking the fact that inasmuch as Jacob failed to learn and judge the inherent character of his flesh before God, therefore he was, in the providence of God, led into the very sphere in which that character was fully exhibited in its broadest lines. He was conducted to Haran, the country of Laban and Rebekah, the very school from whence those principles, in which he was such a remarkable adept, had emanated, and where they were taught, exhibited, and maintained. If one wanted to learn what God was, he should go to Bethel; if to learn what man was, he should go to Haran. But Jacob had failed to take in God’s revelation of Himself at Bethel, and he therefore went to Haran, and there showed what he was – and oh, what scrambling and scraping! what shuffling and shifting! There is no holy and elevated confidence in God, no simply looking to and waiting on Him. True, God was with Jacob – for nothing can hinder the outshining of divine grace. Moreover, Jacob in a measure owns God’s presence and faithfulness. Still nothing can be done without a scheme and a plan. Jacob cannot allow God to settle the question as to his wives and his wages, but seeks to settle all by his own cunning and management. In short, it is “the supplanter” throughout. Let the reader turn, for example, to Gen. 30: 37-42, and say where he can find a more masterly piece of cunning. It is verily a perfect picture of Jacob. In place of allowing God to multiply “the ringstraked, speckled, and spotted cattle,” as be most assuredly could have done, had He been trusted, he sets about securing their multiplication by a piece of policy which could only have found its origin in the mind of a Jacob. So in all his actings, during his twenty years’ sojourn with Laban; and finally, he, most characteristically, “steals away,” thus maintaining, in everything, his consistency with himself.
Now, it is in tracing out Jacob’s real character, from stage to stage of his extraordinary history, that one gets a wondrous view of divine grace. None but God could have borne with such an one, as none but God would have taken such an one up. Grace begins at the very lowest point. It takes up man as he is, and deals with him in the full intelligence of what he is. It is of the very last importance to understand this feature of grace at one’s first starting; it enables us to bear, with steadiness of heart, the after discoveries of personal vileness, which so frequently shake the confidence and disturb, the peace of the children of God.
Many there are who, at first, fail in the full apprehension of the utter ruin of nature, as looked at in God’s presence, though their hearts have been attracted by the grace of God, and their consciences tranquillised, in some degree, by the application of the blood of Christ. Hence, as they get on in their course, they begin to make deeper discoveries of the evil within, and, being deficient in their apprehensions of God’s grace, and the extent and efficiency of the sacrifice of Christ, they immediately raise a question as to their being children of God at all. Thus they are taken off Christ, and thrown on themselves, and then they either betake themselves to ordinances, in order to keep up their tone of devotion, or else fall back into thorough worldliness and carnality. These are disastrous consequences, and all the result of not having “the heart established in grace.”
It is this that renders the study of Jacob’s history so profoundly interesting and eminently useful. No one can read the three chapters now before us, and not be struck at the amazing grace that could take up such an one as Jacob, and not only take him up, but say, after the full discovery of all that was in him, “He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel.” (Num. 23: 21) He does not say that iniquity and perverseness were not in him. This would never give the heart confidence – the very thing, above all others, which God desires to give. It could never assure a poor sinner’s heart, to be told that there was no sin in him; for, alas! he knows too well there is; but to be told there is no sin on him, and that, moreover, in God’s sight, on the simple ground of Christ’s perfect sacrifice, must infallibly set his heart and conscience at rest. Had God taken up Esau, we should not have had, by any means, such a blessed display of grace; for this reason, that he does not appear before us in the unamiable light in which we see Jacob. The more man sinks, the more God’s grace rises. As my debt rises, in my estimation, from the fifty pence up to the five hundred, so my sense of grace rises also, my experience of that love which, when we “had nothing to pay, could “frankly forgive” us all. (Luke 7: 42) Well might the apostle say, “it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace: not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.” (Heb. 13: 9)
Gen 29:31 to Gen 30:24. The Birth of Jacobs Children.This section is from JE, with slight touches from P. Roughly Gen 29:31-35, Gen 30:9-13 is from J, Gen 30:1-6; Gen 30:8 is from E, Gen 30:14-24 mainly from JE, the two strands here being hard to unravel. It records the origin of the tribes of Israel. It reflects conditions a good deal earlier than those known to us in the history of Israel. In the later period Reuben dwindled into insignificance, Simeon and Levi were largely exterminated, Judah was detached from the other Leah tribes, Joseph closely associated with them. The rivalry between the sisters plays an important part. The less favoured wife is compensated by the blessing of children, barrenness redresses the superiority of the more fondly loved (1 Samuel 1). It drives her to the device, chosen by Sarah (Gen 16:1-3), of yielding her maid to her husband, and, by receiving the child on her knees as it was born, of making it her own. Apparently by this means Rachel secured two sons, while her sister had only one, for when Naphtali is born she gives him a name claiming to have beaten her sister in her mighty wrestlings with her. The names play an important part in the story, reflecting for the most part the struggle between the wives. The etymologies are not scientific, they are based on similarities of sound (see mg., which, however, does not bring out all the assonances); in several cases, two etymologies are suggested, one by E, the other by J. Some of the names in the story are those of animals; Rachel means ewe, Leah perhaps antelope, Reuben possibly lion or wolf, Simeon the mongrel of wolf and hyna; they may point to an earlier prevalence of totemism. In its original form the story of the mandrakes (Ca. Gen 7:13*) presumably explained the fruitfulness of Rachel. They were a plum-like fruit ripening at wheat harvest in May. They are regarded as aphrodisiacs (cf. mg.) and as promoting conception. Rachel does not require the former; she has all her husbands love, but she longs for children, and offers to surrender her husband (for one night!) to the neglected Leah, in return for some of the mandrakes. Opportunity is thus given for the hired (Gen 29:16) husband to become the father of Issachar. The mandrakes, the earlier form of the story probably went on to say, removed the disability from which Rachel, like Sarah (Gen 16:1 f.) and Rebekah (Gen 25:21), suffered, so that Joseph was born. It is to be noted that the chronology does not permit more than about three years between Judah and Joseph, so that Joseph and Issachar may well have been about the same age. This is not the general impression left by the narrative, but the whole of Gen 29:32 to Gen 30:24 has been crowded into the first seven years of Jacobs married life, too short an interval for the events, it is true, Leah having six sons in the period (unless Zebulun is put later), not to speak of Dinah, who seems to be interpolated to prepare for Gen 29:34, and an interval of barrenness (Gen 29:35), during which Zilpah has two sons.
THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN RACHEL AND LEAH
The fruitfulness of Leah moved Rachel to jealousy, then her demand to Jacob for children moves him to anger (vs.1-2). We may see a serious lesson in Rachel’s words, “Give me children or else I die.” If we do not see evident fruit, we have the tendency to give up: the exercise of soul that desires true godliness may virtually die. Many Christians have their proper growth stunted by this very thing.
On the other hand, Jacob’s anger does not help the situation. If Christ is not the Object of our lives, our efforts to make ourselves more spiritual will always involve the principles of jealousy, anger, and discouragement, which are contrary to the very result we seek to obtain.
Then we too often resort to a humanly conceived substitution, as Rachel did in verse 3. Sarah had done the same in giving Abraham her handmaid by whom to have a child. Rachel ought to have known that this did not work out as Sarah planned, but she thought, as Sarah, that the children of Bilhah, her handmaid, would be hers. When a boy was born (vs.5-6), Rachel said that God had given her a son, and she named him Dan, meaning “judge.” Bilhah also had a second son whom Rachel named Naphthali, meaning “my wrestling,” because of Rachel’s wrestling with her sister Leah. All of this struggle is a picture of the struggle of Rom 7:1-25, which only stirs up the evil passions of our hearts, rather than subduing them, as we attempt to do. At first sight it may that people would not discern any spiritual significance of a history like this, and might wonder why the Lord has gone to such pains to record all the details of this. But all scripture is of vital consequence to every believer.
When Leah had no more children, she resorted to the same tactics as Rachel had, giving her maid Zilpah to Jacob, by whom he had a son, Leah naming him Gad, then another whom she named Asher (vs.9-13). Gad means “a troop” and Asher means “happy.” Thus we find human support (a troop), and seek to make ourselves happy as we are, without attaining the state we desire, but Leah is not satisfied with this. For as soon as Reuben brings her mandrakes she sees the possibility of having another son. Rachel tried to obtain some with the same purpose, but Leah answered her sharply (v.15). She knew Rachel’s purpose. Thus neither were actually content: the struggle continues.
Evidently mandrakes were a cherished delicacy, and Jacob was persuaded to share his bed with Leah that night. His natural appetite leads him, and Leah bears another son, Issachar, meaning “he will be hired.” Then a sixth son is added for Leah herself, named Zebulon, which means “dwelling.” These six are all the sons that Leah herself bore. This pictures the fact that people can struggle hard to accomplish their own ends, but always come short, for seven is the number of completeness, while six is the number of man’s work day week. So Leah, speaking of what I am, can only produce that which falls short of any proper satisfaction, though she did then bear a daughter whom she names Dinah (v.21).
Finally God answered the prayer of Rachel, and she gave birth to Joseph (vs.22-24), whose name means “adding” because she had confidence that God would add to her another son. Joseph is plainly a type of Christ. A desire of a high spiritual state should thus lead us to the person of Christ, who is the only One in whom such a state is seen. Yet, Joseph gives us only one side of the truth concerning Christ, that is, that He was a Sufferer before being exalted. This is most important for us all to learn, before we are in any condition to appreciate the truth seen in Benjamin, a type of Christ as the Son of the Father’s right hand, glorified and exalted to the throne, reigning in glory.
A BUSINESS AGREEMENT WITH LABAN
Appropriately, when Joseph is born, Jacob’s thoughts turn toward his proper home in Canaan (v.25). When the person of Christ dawns upon the vision of the believer, he begins to realize that he should be in God’s place for him. However, when Jacob informs Laban of his intention of leaving, Laban is unwilling to be deprived of the service of his son-in-law. He says he has leaned by experience that the Lord has blessed him through Jacob’s presence there, and does not want to lose this (v.27). If Jacob had insisted on leaving at that time, he and Laban would have parted on less unpleasant terms than they did later (ch.31:25-55). but Jacob agreed to stay on terms that he himself suggested.
There are some who question that Jacob’s trickery in verse 37-39 made any actual difference, but whether it did or not, there is a spiritual lesson here that ought to have spoken deeply to Jacob himself. The things that we allow to most occupy our attention will affect us and everything that comes from us. Jacob was allowing his desire for gain to have foremost place in his thoughts. This was bad for him spiritually, and cause him to be selfish and underhand in his actions. But we can generally recognize such principles in natural things, while not seeing their significance in our spiritual lives.
Jacob separated the lambs that he could claim for his own and kept all of his own apart from the flock of Laban (v.40), then when the stronger sheep of Laban were mating he would use his peeled rods in the watering troughs, which he would not do in the case of the weaker sheep. Thus he was able to secure the stronger sheep while Laban was left with those weaker (vs.41-42). No doubt Laban was not aware of what Jacob was doing, and Jacob wanted Laban to consider that Jacob was only depending on God to decide how many sheep Jacob should have. How often it is true with us too, that we persuade ourselves we are walking by faith in God while using our own wits to help God out in supplying our needs!
Rachel’s reaction to her barrenness and Jacob’s response contrast with how Rebekah and Isaac, and Sarah and Abraham behaved in similar circumstances. Sarah resorted to a custom acceptable in her culture, though contrary to God’s will, to secure an heir for Abraham (cf. Gen 16:1-2). Isaac prayed that God would open Rebekah’s womb and waited (Gen 25:21). Rachel and Jacob followed the example of Sarah and Abraham.
The conflict between Rachel and Leah focuses on love and motherhood. Rachel had Jacob’s love, but she could not become a mother. Conversely Leah was the mother of Jacob’s children, but she could not win his love. [Note: See Samuel Dresner, "Rachel and Leah: Sibling Tragedy or the Triumph of Piety and Compassion?" Bible Review 6:2 (April 1990):25.]
The account of the birth of Bilhah’s sons, Dan and Naphtali, follows (Gen 30:5-8).
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Fuente: The Complete Pulpit Commentary
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
3. Jacob experienced the gracious providence of Jehovah here at the well, through one act after another: Shepherds from Haran; acquaintances of Laban; Rachels appearance; the occasion and call to assist her at the moment.
4. Is he well? . Happiness and welfare, according to the oriental, but particularly according to the biblical, view, consists especially in peace, inviolability, both as to outward and inward life.
8. Leahs election is founded upon Jehovahs grace. Without any doubt, however, she was fitted to become the ancestress of the Messianic line, not only by her apparent humility, but also by her innate powers of blessing, as well as by her quiet and true love for Jacob. The fulness of her life becomes apparent in the number and the power of her children; and with these, therefore, a greater strength of the mere natural life predominates. Joseph, on the contrary, the favorite son of the wife loved with a bridal love, is distinguished from his brethren, as the separated (Genesis 49) among them, as a child of a nobler spirit, whilst the import of his life is not as rich for the future as that of Judah.
12. While the sisterly emulation to surpass each other in obtaining children is tainted with sin, there is yet at the bottom a holy motive for it, faith in the Abrahamic promise consisting in the blessing of theocratic births. Thus also we can explain how the fulness of the twelve tribes proceeded from this emulation.
13. Isaacs prejudice, that Esau was the chosen one, seems to renew itself somewhat in Jacobs prejudice that he must gain by Rachel the lawful heir. The more reverent he appears therefore, in being led by the spirit of God, who taught him, notwithstanding all his preference for Joseph, to recognize in Judah the real line of the promise.
14. That the respective mothers themselves here assign the names, is determined by the circumstances. The entire history of the birth of these sons, too, is reflected in their names. Of similar signification are the names: Gad and Asher; Levi and Zebulun; Simeon and Naphtali; Judah and Joseph; Reuben and Benjamin born afterwards; Issachar, Dan and Dinah.
15. The progress of life equalizes and adjusts, to a great extent, the opposition between Jacobs love for Rachel and his disregard toward Leah, especially by means of the children. At the same time in which he recognizes Leahs resignation, Rachels passionate ill-humor incites him to anger.
16. He shall add; he shall give to me another son. This wish was fulfilled, and was the cause of her death. She died at Benjamins birth. How dangerous, destructive, and fatal, the fulfilment of a mans wishes may be to him, is illustrated by frequent examples in the Scriptures. Sarah wished for a son from Hagar, a source of great grief to her. The desire of Judas to be received among the disciples of Jesus was granted, but just in this position he fell into the deepest corruption. Peter wished to be as near as possible to the Lord in the house of the high priest, but hence his fall. The sons of Zebedee wished for places at the right and left hand of Jesus,had their wish been fulfilled they would have filled the places of the malefactors on the cross, at the right and left of the Crucified. Rachels wish, it is true, was not the only cause of her death, but with a certain triumph the once barren one died in childbirth, just as she was completing the number twelve of Israels sons.
18. This history of Jacobs and Leahs union sheds a softening light upon even the less happy marriages, which may reconcile us to them, for this unpleasant marriage was the cause of his becoming the father of a numerous posterity; from it, indeed, proceeded the Messianic line; leaving out of view the fact that Leahs love and humility could not remain without a blessing upon Jacob. The fundamental condition of a normal marriage is doubtless bridal love. We notice in our narrative, however, how wonderfully divine grace may change misfortune, even in such instances, into real good. God is especially interested in marriage connections, because he is thus interested in the coming generations.
Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker
Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: Through the Bible Commentary
Fuente: An Exposition on the Whole Bible
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
Fuente: The Sermon Bible
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Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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Fuente: Sutcliffe’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Mackintosh’s Notes on the Pentateuch
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
Fuente: Grant’s Commentary on the Bible
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)