While traveling south, close to the Jabbok River, Jacob came upon a stranger who challenged him to a struggle. Finding the distance from a corner of a cube to the midpoint of an edge, What are the arguments for/against anonymous authorship of the Gospels. Read over Genesis 29 to familiarize yourself with the story of Jacob and Rachel. Jacob may have been a homebody, but he was no weakling. (1958 More. It isolated her in a grim world of loneliness. One of these men kept their promise and the other didnt. Jacob buried her in a tomb near Bethlehem and set up a pillar that reportedly still remains (Genesis 35:16-20). Forced to serve Rachels father, Laban, for seven years to win her, Jacob was tricked at the end of that time into marrying her sister, Leah. He was then allowed to marry Rachel as well, in return for seven more years of labour. At first childless, Rachel eventually gave birth to Joseph and died giving birth to Benjamin. He had just worked 7 years for Rachel, who he loved so much and then he wakes up to realize that he married Leah instead! What is the significance that Jacob offered to work for Laban ,seven years for Rachel ? If you feel that certain things should be changed, what should you do? 2124 Then Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife; Ive completed what we agreed Id do. (Q) 30Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. Hosea 12:12 And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep. And her eyeswhat gorgeous eyes they were! Which reverse polarity protection is better and why? 18 "Now Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, I will serve you seven years Too many couples marry in haste and repent at leisure. This is to be understood, as C. a Lapide observes, "not affective, but appretiative," i.e., in comparison with the reward to be obtained for his service. Why did God wrestle with Jacob and why did this appearance not become a "big deal"? Jacobs concubine Bilhah gave birth to Dan and Naphtali (Genesis 30:3-8), while another slave, Zilpah, gave him Gad and Asher (Genesis 30:9-13). She had a beautiful face and gorgeous long hair. Jacob soon fell in love with Labans younger daughter, Rachel, and agreed to work for Laban seven years in exchange for marriage to her ( Genesis 29:1620 ). After the bridal feast, Jacob thought he was consummating the marriage with Rachel, but when morning came he realized hed been fooled. All rights reserved. Maybe Jacob would have been commended for accepting these consequences from the sovereign hand of God had he exercised that degree of faith. (Note: This is the case still with the Bedouins, the Druses, and other Eastern tribes (Burckhardt, Voleny, Layard, and Lane). When Laban heard that his nephew had come, he ran out to meet Jacob. Jacob, by now humbled after his treachery and desperate for family ties and a place to call home, falls madly in love with Rachel. Jacob and Rachels love story pales in comparison to the mighty, never-ending love God our father has for us. Laban was obliged to provide food and shelter. Copyright 2019 by Zondervan. Is "I didn't think it was serious" usually a good defence against "duty to rescue"? Inside South Africas skeleton trade. The Lord had brought him safely to his destination. When you get a chance, please take the, from your pastor, priest, or other trustworthy counselor, New blog post from our CEO Prashanth: Community is the future of AI, Improving the copy in the close modal and post notices - 2023 edition. Their complicated union ultimately produced 12 sons who went on to be the 12 tribes of Israel, who God claimed as His own people. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, OT Law: Genesis 29:20 Jacob served seven years for Rachel (Gen. Ge Gn). And Yaquuv worked for Rakhyl seven years, and they were in his eyes as a few days, because he loved her. And Jacob served for Rachel seven years, and they were before him as a few days, by reason of his loving her. Jacob worked seven years for Laban, but the time seemed like only a few days, because he loved Rachel so much. Wasnt Jacobs love worth more than any number of sons? It says, I feel good when I am with you, so I want to hurry up and get you to the altar before I lose you and lose these good feelings. Love says, Your happiness is what I want most of all, and I am willing to wait, if need be, to be sure this is what is best for you. And if it is real, it will stand the test of time. Jacobs overt favoritism toward Rachel had prompted God to keep Rachels womb closed, but Rachels love was ultimately redeemed when she gave birth to a boy named Joseph, Jacobs favorite (Genesis 30:24-25). Just as Jacob had struggled with God, so too would the nation of Israel wrestle for centuries with its obedience to the Lord. To save chestnut trees, we may have to play God, Why you should add native plants to your garden, What you can do right now to advocate for the planet, Why poison ivy is an unlikely climate change winner, The gory history of Europes mummy-eating fad, This ordinary woman hid Anne Frankand kept her story alive, This Persian marvel was lost for millennia. What are the arguments for/against anonymous authorship of the Gospels. How to subdivide triangles into four triangles with Geometry Nodes? When Rachel was near, his heart pounded faster and a wonderful feeling swept over him. Discuss some of the values of a lengthy and close acquaintance before marriage. The Cross And Our Response to Trials (1 Peter 4:12-19), 8. She said, With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and I have indeed prevailed (Gen. 30:8). Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. En route to resettle with his father, Isaac, Rachel died giving birth to Jacobs 12th son, Benjamin. Glen : It is a very good answer +1, Seven years wages and most likely a 12 hour day, the then wages amounted to 50 shekels of silver. After some time of Jacob being with Laban, Laban asked him what Jacob would want in return for working for him. And he said,I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel., Speak a blessing over your kids: 1 John 4:16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. Axolotls and capybaras are TikTok famousis that a problem? 25 The next morning, Jacob realized that it was Leah! She gave birth to Joseph. More, more, more! 14 YEARS! He went straight to Laban and started asking him so many questions. It was at the end of the second seven year period that Joseph was born (Gen 30:25ff) and that Jacob wanted to leave but was persuaded to stay longer. Article Images Copyright , How Jacob and Rachels Bible Story Show's us God's Love in Action. God, as a consolation to the unloved Leah, enabled Leah to become pregnant with four sons in quick successionReuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. Then she died, leaving Jacob to the sister she envied so much in life. According to Gensis 29:16-18,He worked 7 years for Rachel, and was deceived and was given Leah. Rachel Who was Jacob in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org We know that a relationship based primarily on physical attraction rests on a shaky foundation. The answer may be simply that the seven years totaled up to a reasonable value of Jacob's labor which he was willing to "pay" eventually for Rachel and ultimately for Leah. 4:11). WebNew International Version. In fact, there are indications that he maintained his devotion to her to the very end of her life. Despite Rachel and Leahs sisterly squabbles and the addition of two more wives into their already crowded marriage, God produced Gods people through what looked like a mess. No matter what. Well Jacob knew he loved Rachel so much and he wanted to do everything in his power to marry her. (L) 27Finish this daughters bridal week;(M) then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work. Please be respectful of copyright. Laban agreed on the deal again and gave Rachel to be Jacobs wife. Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. Let us leave aside the age of Jacob, it is possible to deduce the a number of other facts about his chronology. Laban had given Leah to Jacob. And they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. When we last saw Jacob he was running from Beersheba for his life, fleeing the vengeance of his brother Esau. Homemakers want to be working wives, and working wives want to be full-time homemakers. Look, finally, at love through deep sorrow. Since they are contrasted with her older sister Leahs, which had no brightness or sparkle, they must have been dark and lustrous, captivatingly beautiful. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. Jesus willingly sacrificed Himself, dying a brutal death on the cross to pay our sin-debt and thereby serve as the path to heaven for those of us who believe and follow Him. And that will depend largely on the attitude her husband projects by things as little as the look on his face and the tone of his voice, especially when she is moody and disagreeable. Passing negative parameters to a wolframscript, A boy can regenerate, so demons eat him for years. He was probably furious with the whole family for their double-dealing fraud. What part did your kids seem to like the most in this Bible Lesson??? So Laban gave his daughter to Jacob and they got married. Jacob, the deceiver, had become the deceived. and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her; for though to lovers time seems long ere they enjoy the object beloved; yet Jacob here respects not so much the time as the toil and labour of service he endured in it; he thought that seven years' service was a trifle, like the service of so many days, in comparison of the lovely and worthy person he obtained thereby; all that he endured was nothing in comparison of her, and through the love he bore to her: besides, the many pleasant hours he spent in conversation with her made the time slide on insensibly, so that it seemed to be quickly gone; which shows that his love was pure and constant. Richard, was a 1954 graduate of Wheaton College, and received his Th.M. Why Does God Compare Our Relationship with Him to That of a Bride and Groom? By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. What is the story of Jacob, Leah, and Rachel? Finish the following statement as you might have done before reading this chapter: I could be happy if only . He loves us so much He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). 107:9). Leah, not to be outdone, realized she had stopped bearing children, so she gave over her servant, Zilpah, to Jacob, and Zilpah bore two sins: Gad and Asher (v. 11-13). Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! When Joseph was 17 years old, he went to check on his brothers, and they sold him into slavery. That is a minimum of 15 years. The two wrestled all night; the word wrestled (yeabeq) is another of Genesis wordplays, using Jacobs name (yaaqov) and that of the river (yabboq). She has a weekly YouTube devotional, too. Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian novelist, journalist, editor, blogger, and writing coach and the recipient of the 2018 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award for her novel, The Memory Garden. Laban agreed with Jacobs wages and told Jacob if he worked for 7 years, Laban would give Rachel to Jacob. STDs are at a shocking high. Except for the one time that Jacob got angry with her for blaming her childlessness on him, there is no indication that he ever loved her any less for her faults. That's great, thanks! Jacob was in love with Rachel, so he told Laban he would work for seven years in exchange for Rachels hand in marriage. It could be a parent, grandparent, sibling, friend, anyone. But Jacob, a fugitive from Esau, was in no position to bargain. Laban told Jacob that in their family customs, the older daughter gets married before the younger daughter. Why the obscure but specific description of Jane Doe II in the original complaint for Westenbroek v. Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity? Start your free trial today! She cooperated willingly with her fathers scheme but found very little satisfaction in the husband she had gained by deceit. Both Jacob and Laban, Rachels father, were sheepherders. When he brought them home and presented them to his mother, Rachel saw them and decided she wanted some too. The Hebrew name of Rachel means ewe or beautiful. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. No, it wasnt, not for Rachel. He promises to take care of you and protect you in all circumstances. After stealing his older brother's inheritance, Jacob feared his brother's wrath and fled to Harran. What's the cheapest way to buy out a sibling's share of our parents house if I have no cash and want to pay less than the appraised value? So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and indeed he loved Rachel more than Leah, and he served with Laban for another seven years (Gen. 29:30). Genesis: Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Pentateuch by John Goldingay. Genesis 30 TLB - Rachel, realizing she was barren, - Bible Gateway Is there anything I'm missing? What is the symbol (which looks similar to an equals sign) called? Jacob, as he had already lain with Leah, was stuck. Jacob built an altar and called it betel or Bethel (the house of God). Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! He told Rachel that he was a relative of her father, Laban. Time travel in this animation through the history of the Bible. THAT IS INSANE GUYS! We can, however, follow the chronology and the geography to know within about a year how long Jacob and Rachel were married. God wants wives to sense their husbands intense love for them even when they are acting like stinkers (Eph. Are there any details that make it possible to estimate (with any accuracy) how long Jacob and Rachel were married before her death? The history of book bansand their changing targetsin the U.S. Should you get tested for a BRCA gene mutation? As a result I've always tried to guesstimate the length of their marriage from the age difference between Benjamin and his older brothers, but unless some details are hiding in the original Hebrew that are lost in translation, it doesn't seem to me that there are enough details in Genesis to have any real idea. She was killed at age 39 in the 2015 Philadelphia train This means that it was a minimum of 13 years in Paddan-aram plus at least 2 more years that Jacob was married to Rachel. Stay here with me. 20So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel,(C) but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her. Among the many love stories in the Bible is that of Jacob and Rachel, a tale of love at first sight and trickery, of enduring passion and jealous aim. Thank you for your contribution. How to Have Joy in Your Golden Years Despite These 10 Life A God-Centered Life: 10 Faith-Based Practices When Youre Feeling Anxious, Grumpy, or Stressed, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Unexpected uint64 behaviour 0xFFFF'FFFF'FFFF'FFFF - 1 = 0? Finally, after 7 long years, the time had come for Jacob to marry Rachel. Seven years is a long time to wait, and I think Jacob really did grow to love Rachel during those years. 24And Laban gave his servant Zilpah(H) to his daughter as her attendant. How to reconcile the number of people that went down to Egypt with Jacob? 18:18; 1 Tim. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. Who didnt keep their promise? Why did Jacob insist that Joseph's sons were his? Q. It was a long and lonely journey. The next morning when he woke up and saw the woman he married, he realized that is was LEAH!!!! Her jealous malcontent was seen again a short time later. Rachel's death (shortly after giving birth to Benjamin) is record in Genesis 35:16-18. Learn more about her fiction and read her faith blog at jessicabrodie.com. Rachel | Bible, Jacob, Leah, & Facts | Britannica Jacob was impressedprobably too impressed. Isnt that so crazy??? WebJacob offered to serve him seven years for Rachel, the younger of his two daughters, whom he loved because of her beauty; i.e., just as many years as the week has days, For husbands: Does your wife continually sense your love for her? How can couples who married without it now compensate for it? Some husbands say, I could love her more if she would only be sweet. Love that functions only when she is sweet is not really love. We know this because Benjamin was a father when they went into Egypt 22 years after leaving Succoth (Joseph 17 years old - 39 years old). I don't know why I didn't think of running through the chronology myself! But godliness actually is a means of great gain, when accompanied by contentment (1 Tim. That is a remarkable statement. Shes also produced a free eBook, A God-Centered Life: 10 Faith-Based Practices When Youre Feeling Anxious, Grumpy, or Stressed. 6. You might find out by asking her. seventeen years He was going to have what he wanted in spite of Gods will. By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. It only takes a minute to sign up. Then a few chapters later (Genesis 37) it goes back to that point (at the end of the fast-forwarded decade) and picks up the narrative from a Joseph's perspective and shows the events that led to Jacob abandoning his house in Succoth. Who were Jacob and Rachel, and what can we learn from their story? Dinah is also 17). God always keeps His promises no matter what. He did not get very far before he learned that God was going with him. After he had completed his 7 years, he demanded that his father-in-law, Laben, give him Rachel in marriage. For various reasons, I've always wondered how long Jacob and Rachel were married before her death. A new discovery raises a mystery. Now Jacob had two wives, Leah and Rachel, both sisters, one he loved and one he did not. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. for your younger daughter Rachel.. When the seven years were fulfilled at last, Jacob spent his wedding night only to discover at dawn that it wasnt Rachel, but her elder sister Leah whom Laban had delivered to Jacobs tent. 2 Jacob flew into a rage. New International Version (NIV). And it came about, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mothers brother, and the sheep of Laban his mothers brother, that Jacob went up, and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well, and watered the flock of Laban his mothers brother (Gen. 29:9, 10). 5. And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him. Leah was Labans oldest daughter, she had weak eyes and wasnt as beautiful as her younger sister Rachel. Here's how we get that number: Now they've been married 13 years. Made with clay, wire, and recycled paper, the characters come to life in frame-by-frame motion. Little Reuben, Leahs firstborn, who may have been about four years old at the time, was out in the field following the reapers around picking some plants called mandrakes or love apples, as any little boy of that time might do. It may not take any longer than the honeymoon for his wife to discover that she married a monster she never really knew. Now Rachel was the most beautiful woman Jacob had ever seen. Webster's Bible Translation And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and Give me children or Ill die, she exclaimed to Jacob. We first meet Jacob in Genesis 25, when he is born as the second of twin boys who comes from the womb grasping his older brothers heel. Did Jacob placing branches in front of his flock really result in the offspring being speckled and spotted? More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! The older one was named Leah and the younger was named Rachel. Gen 30 describes the birth of the first 11 sons (and 1 daughter, Dinah) of Jacob born in the that second 7 year period. What could Rachel have done to overcome her jealous discontentment? Jacobs work for Laban wasnt easyit was hard, grueling labor. Pray with your kids and have them thank God for His love for them. Why does the narrative change back and forth between "Isabella" and "Mrs. John Knightley" to refer to Emma's sister? Jacob There is an old saying that goes, True love never runs smoothly. Thats the way it was with Jacob and Rachel. How should we view/interpret Jacob's initiative involving the rolling of the stone from the mouth of the well? What do I do about calling a priest father at my Catholic University? Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. Jacob worked a total of 20 years for Laban (Gen 31:38). He spotted a well and stopped to rest. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? 29 Laban also gave his woman servant Bilhah to his daughter Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Jacob tore his clothes and refused to be consoled and said, Judah did not approve of his brothers' dealings with Joseph, and lying to their father letting him think Joseph was dead. So she peddled Jacobs affections to Leah for the night for a couple of those love apples (Gen. 30:14, 15). Something else always looks better to them. And being the shrewd operator that he was, he got down to business immediately. And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had to her. That gnawing discontentment kept her from enjoying anything totally, and it kept others from enjoying her. It only takes a minute to sign up. So Jacob said to Laban, What is this you have done to me? No matter how hard some wives try, they can never please their husbands. Whatever the "value" was for those years of work, it was acceptable to Laban. Parabolic, suborbital and ballistic trajectories all follow elliptic paths. God made one woman for one man (Gen. 2:24, cf. He arrived in the general vicinity of the city weary, footsore, homesick, and not exactly sure where to go. 20 So Jacob worked seven years for Rachel. Benjamin was born, but Rachel didn't survive. 2 hours of sleep? God loves you so much that He would do anything to help you. How many years did Jacob serve laban? After these 11 sons and a daughter, Jacob took his family and returned to his homelandafter still more trickery, deception, and conflict with his cousin and father-in-law, Laban. All rights reserved, National Geographic explores notable biblical figures in our ongoing series People in the Bible, as part of our coverage of the. Now as for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died, to my sorrow, in the land of Canaan on the journey, when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath; and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem) (Gen. 48:7). In fact, they are about the loveliest words ever penned of a mans feeling for a woman. God told Jacob that it was time to leave Uncle Laban and go back home to Canaan. So we have the first of the God-fearing patriarchs entering into a bigamous relationship. By this time, these women had borne him 11 sons and a daughter. This isn't such a straightforward task, though, since the chronology of Genesis is confusing. What are the teraphim (household gods) Rachel stole from Laban? When Jacob confronted Laban, Laban was resolutein their culture, the younger daughter never marries before the older daughter. Glenn ::Yes, it is an awful lot of money, he was in love. 13:5). THEN, after all that time, Jacob wakes up to find that he had married the wrong woman! Likewise, in spite of our own sin that has the potential to forever separate us from God, God loves us deeply and so passionately that He chases us down in love to win us back to Him and all the good He has in store for us. He moved a stone that normally took several people to move, and watered all of Rachels sheep. They whine and scold because the men dont pay enough attention to them, dont spend enough time with the children, wont do little jobs around the house, stay out too late, or think more of their jobs, their cars, their hobbies, television, or sports than they think of them. Is it safe to publish research papers in cooperation with Russian academics? We also know that by the time Joseph was 17 years old (Gen 37:2) his mother had been dead for some unknown time before. Jacob and Joseph Timeline - Bible Study Now Jacob had two wives, Leah and Rachel, both sisters, Jacob did not have to wait seven more years for Rachel, only one week. At one point a decade passes between 2 verses (Genesis 33:17-18), then the narration continues forward without mentioning Joseph being sold by his brothers. 23 That night Laban took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob. Genesis 29:15-30. He is the one who satisfies the thirsty soul and fills the hungry soul with good things (Ps. Some husbands are discontented with their wives. [That is Joseph was about 11 years old when Rachel died??] Jacob stayed married to Leah, but a week later he also took Rachel as his wifeworking an additional seven years for her ( Genesis 29:2728 ). There were some shepherds sitting around the well, so Jacob started a conversation with them: My brothers, where are you from? They answered, We are from Haran. Jacob probably heaved a sigh of relief.