Jacob Gets Married

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Introduction: Jacob is still the deceiver. However, God is still blessing him and is certainly teaching him. In this lesson, he learns what it is to be deceived himself. We should consider our actions in like manner. Would we be willing to receive from others what we give to them?

I.           JACOB ARRIVES IN HARAN (29:1-10) 

A.   Jacob’s Arrival at a Well (v.1-3) 

1. In the land of the people of the east (v.1; Judges 6:3,33; 7:12; 8:10)

2. Where three flocks of sheep waited at the well (v.2-3)

a.    With a stone over the well (v.2)

b.    Waiting for the rest of the flocks (v.3) 

B.   Jacob Inquires of the Shepherds (v.4-8) 

1. About his location (v.4) –in Haran

2. About Laban (v.5-6)

a.    He is well

b.    His daughter Rachel comes

3. About watering the sheep (v.7-8)

a.    He questions (v.7)

(1)   It is too early to bring the sheep in for the evening

(2)   Why not water the sheep and take them back to pasture?

b.    They answer (v.8)

(1)   We must wait until all the flocks arrive

(2)   We must wait until “they roll the stone”

4. NOTE: Several explanations are given for the answer of the shepherds.

a.    They were physically unable to move the stone. This would make Jacob, a plain man and dweller in tents, stronger than the shepherds. This does not seem possible unless the shepherds were very young lads.

b.    They were under special agreement not to move the stone. Perhaps the sheep were not to go to pasture until the cattle had had their fill.

c.    They were lazy and unimaginative. They could not see their way clear in doing anything that was different than how they had always done it. Although the first two ways are possible, this seems the most likely especially since Jacob could not make any sense of their waiting and he certainly understood the ways of shepherds. The first two choices would have made sense to him if they had been the real reason and he would not have questioned them. 

C.   Jacob Waters the Flocks of Laban (v.9-10) 

1. Rachel arrives with the sheep of Laban (v.9)

2. Jacob moves the stone and waters the sheep (v.10) 

II.          JACOB SERVES LABAN FOR RACHEL (29:11-20) 

A.   Jacob Meets Rachel (v.11-12) 

1. Jacob kisses Rachel (v.11) –the kiss of a close relative (see v.13)

2. Jacob Weeps (v.11)

3. Jacob reveals himself to Rachel (v.12) 

B.   Jacob Meets Laban (v.13-14) 

1. Laban runs to meet Jacob (v.13)

2. Laban receives Jacob into his house (v.13-14) –“my bone and my flesh” refers to their family connection. (cp. Ephesians 5:30)

3. Jacob stays for a month (v.14) 

C.   Jacob Agrees to Work for Rachel’s Hand in Marriage (v.15-20) 

1. Laban asks what Jacob wants for his labor (v.15)

2. Laban’s two daughters are introduced (v.16-17)

a.    Leah

(1)   The elder

(2)   Tender-eyed (tender means soft or delicate; most likely, Leah had beautiful eyes but was plain in other ways; her eyes showed compassion and shamefacedness; compare to tender-hearted)

b.    Rachel

(1)   The younger

(2)   Beautiful –refers to overall beauty (Deuteronomy 21:11; 1Samuel 16:12; Ezekiel 16:13)

(3)   Well-favored

3. Jacob offers to serve seven years for Rachel (v.18-20)

a.  Laban accepts the agreement (v.19)

b.  The time seems short because of love (v.20) NOTE: True love can wait for fulfillment. It is a fake love that cannot wait for its fulfillment. Teenagers and young adults need to be taught this.

III.         LABAN DECEIVES JACOB BY GIVING LEAH (29:21-26)

A.   Jacob Gets Married (v.21-24) 

1. Jacob has to request his wife (v.21)

2. Laban makes a wedding feast (v.22)

3. Laban brings Leah to Jacob in the cover of darkness (v.23-24) -there was no actual wedding ceremony as we have today. 

B.   Jacob Discovers the Deceit (v.25-26) 

1. In the morning he sees he has married Leah (v.25)

2. Laban excuses his action on account of the firstborn (v.26)

3. NOTE: Jacob had deceived his father for the purpose of taking the blessing from Esau, the firstborn. Now, he is deceived by Rachel’s father who claims to be upholding the rights of the firstborn. He reaps what he has sown. 

IV.        JACOB SERVES ANOTHER SEVEN YEARS FOR RACHEL (29:27-31) 

A.   Laban’s Deal With Jacob (v.27-29) 

1. Fulfill Leah’s week (v.27) –this refers to the week-long wedding feast (Jdg.14:10-12)

2. Serve another seven years (v.27) –Notice the connection of “week” with seven years. This provides a clue for the Biblical understanding of the weeks in Daniel (9:25).

3. Receive Rachel immediately as wife (v.28-29) 

B.   Jacob’s “Happy” Family (v.30-31) 

1. Rachel

a.    Loved more (v.30)

b.    But barren (v.31)

2. Leah

a.    Hated (v.31) –in context, means to be loved less by comparison (see Malachi 1:2-3; Luke 14:26)

b.    God opened her womb (v.31) 

V.         JACOB’S WIVES, HANDMAIDS AND CHILDREN (29:32-30:24) 

A.   Leah’s First Four Children (29:32-35) 

B.   Bilhah’s Two Children (30:1-8) 

C.   Zilpah’s Two Children (30:9-13) 

D.   Leah’s Remaining Children (30:14-21) 

E.   Rachel’s First Son – Joseph (30:22-24) 

MEMORY VERSES:

1. Ephesians 5:30
2. Luke 14:26
3. Genesis 29:20