JACOB RACHEL AND BILHAH
30 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.
vs 1 Envy is the prevailing emotion that Rachel feels, and this leads to blame. God has shown us the prevailing emotion should be patience, and that envy can lead to unintended consequences. Rachel blames Jacob for her bareness, when it is God who is in control. Perhaps Rachels threat "lest I die" is prophetic. Stealing Labans household gods does give us a glimpse into the spiritual life of Laban and Rachels house.
vs 2 Jacob knows of Rachels frustration. She is the love of his life, and wants her to be the mother of his children. However he has not found a way to manipulate God to accomplish this for him, nor will he. He realizes that God is the one in control.
vs 3 Jacob may not have found a way for Rachel to bear him children, but Rachel will make a way. Jacob does not resist the plan.
vs 4 Jacob must have been very reluctant to fulfill this task. The next four children will be from concubines. Two from Bilhah (Rachel's concubine), and two from Zilpah (Leah's concubine).
vs 5-6 Rachel's surrogate Bilhah conceives. She names him Dan, he is Jacobs fifth son. His name means "judge and heard my voice". The tribe of Dan will become wicked, never take possession of the land promised them, and will not be mentioned as a tribe in the book of Revelation.
vs 7 Rachel is not done with having children through Bilhah. Jacob must once again fulfill his duty, and Bilhah proves to produce another boy. Rachel's envy of her sister is greater than her desire to limit the number of her husbands lovers.
vs 8 Rachel's envy comes through as a competition, in which she is going to prevail. Naphtali means "wrestling, my struggle".
vs 2 Jacob knows of Rachels frustration. She is the love of his life, and wants her to be the mother of his children. However he has not found a way to manipulate God to accomplish this for him, nor will he. He realizes that God is the one in control.
vs 3 Jacob may not have found a way for Rachel to bear him children, but Rachel will make a way. Jacob does not resist the plan.
vs 4 Jacob must have been very reluctant to fulfill this task. The next four children will be from concubines. Two from Bilhah (Rachel's concubine), and two from Zilpah (Leah's concubine).
vs 5-6 Rachel's surrogate Bilhah conceives. She names him Dan, he is Jacobs fifth son. His name means "judge and heard my voice". The tribe of Dan will become wicked, never take possession of the land promised them, and will not be mentioned as a tribe in the book of Revelation.
vs 7 Rachel is not done with having children through Bilhah. Jacob must once again fulfill his duty, and Bilhah proves to produce another boy. Rachel's envy of her sister is greater than her desire to limit the number of her husbands lovers.
vs 8 Rachel's envy comes through as a competition, in which she is going to prevail. Naphtali means "wrestling, my struggle".
JACOB LEAH AND ZIPAH
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.
vs 9 Leah was not going to concede victory to Rachel. The statement that Leah had "stopped bearing", could have several different meanings. She could have stopped relations with Jacob, or she could have had several different times with Jacob and not become pregnant. Since she was the older of two sisters, perhaps she thought her child bearing years were behind her.
vs 10 Leah will compete with Rachel in reciprocal fashion. Leah's handmaid will give birth to two more children in Leah's stead. Notice that Jacob must be a participant in these schemes.
vs 11 I think the enmity in the house must have been barely tolerable. When we examine how Rachel named her two children, I think we can better understand the names given to the next two. Leah is telling Rachel, I have not been loved like you, but God has blessed me with so many children that I will name this son "A troop cometh".
vs 12-13 With the birth of the second son to Zilpah, Leah puts an explanation point on how much she has been blessed. Asher means "laughter".
vs 10 Leah will compete with Rachel in reciprocal fashion. Leah's handmaid will give birth to two more children in Leah's stead. Notice that Jacob must be a participant in these schemes.
vs 11 I think the enmity in the house must have been barely tolerable. When we examine how Rachel named her two children, I think we can better understand the names given to the next two. Leah is telling Rachel, I have not been loved like you, but God has blessed me with so many children that I will name this son "A troop cometh".
vs 12-13 With the birth of the second son to Zilpah, Leah puts an explanation point on how much she has been blessed. Asher means "laughter".
RACHEL NEGOTIATES WITH LEAH
14 And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son’s mandrakes. 15 And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son’s mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son’s mandrakes. 16 And 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 son’s mandrakes. And he lay with her that night. 17 And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son. 18 And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar. 19 And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son. 20 And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun. 21 And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah.
JOSEPH IS BORN
22 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. 23 And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach: 24 and she called his name Joseph; and said, The Lord shall add to me another son.
JACOB WANTS TO GO HOME
25 And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country. 26 Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee.
vs 25-26 The birth of Joseph is a turning point in Jacob's life. He now has a child born to the love of his life. God has demonstrated His love of Jacob, and I believe Jacob realizes that it is time to continue on with the promises he received at Bethel. He is learning to trust the God of his father. Jacob has fulfilled his contracts with Laban, although he has worked for more than fourteen years, he has no accumulated wealth. God will change this, and in turn, take from Laban what he has withheld from Jacob.
28:13
13 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;
28:13
13 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;
JACOB AND LABAN NEGOTIATE TERMS TO STAY
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. 28 And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it. 29 And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me. 30 For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the Lord hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also? 31 And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock. 32 I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire. 33 So shall my righteousness answer for me in 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 brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me. 34 And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.
vs 27 Laban appears to be surprised by this request. He realizes that he has nothing to hold over the head of Jacob to keep him. He appeals to Jacobs poverty, that he has created. He acknowledges that through divination he has learned that it was Jacob's God that was doing the blessing.
vs 28 Laban will make the deal to stay seem as though it is to Jacobs benefit.
vs 29-30 Jacob will retort with how it is due to his God that Laban has been so greatly blessed, and Laban has not shared. Jacob is negotiating with an immoral negotiator.
vs 31 Laban phrases the new terms as something that he would give to Jacob, thus Jacob would once again be reliant on Laban. I believe Jacob has had the dream from God on how he will turn the tables on Laban and not be beholden to him for anything. God will provide. Laban has the best worker he has ever seen, and does not want to lose the financial benefits. Jacob had been a smooth man earlier in Beersheba. Now he has worked hard for love and has learned how to raise children and herds.
vs 32 The combination of goats and sheep should favor Laban. However God is the creator, Laban has mistreated Jacob, and Jacob has role in Gods plan. Even though the plan should favor Laban, Jacob will succeed because God has blessed Jacob.
vs 33 Jacob makes sure that Laban sees the obvious advantage, in the simplicity of discerning any deceit. Jacob in contrast to what he has accused Laban of, declares his righteousness will answer for him. Laban will not have to take Jacobs word, he will be able to see proof of Jacobs truthfulness.
vs 34 The deal is too good for Laban to pass up.
vs 28 Laban will make the deal to stay seem as though it is to Jacobs benefit.
vs 29-30 Jacob will retort with how it is due to his God that Laban has been so greatly blessed, and Laban has not shared. Jacob is negotiating with an immoral negotiator.
vs 31 Laban phrases the new terms as something that he would give to Jacob, thus Jacob would once again be reliant on Laban. I believe Jacob has had the dream from God on how he will turn the tables on Laban and not be beholden to him for anything. God will provide. Laban has the best worker he has ever seen, and does not want to lose the financial benefits. Jacob had been a smooth man earlier in Beersheba. Now he has worked hard for love and has learned how to raise children and herds.
vs 32 The combination of goats and sheep should favor Laban. However God is the creator, Laban has mistreated Jacob, and Jacob has role in Gods plan. Even though the plan should favor Laban, Jacob will succeed because God has blessed Jacob.
vs 33 Jacob makes sure that Laban sees the obvious advantage, in the simplicity of discerning any deceit. Jacob in contrast to what he has accused Laban of, declares his righteousness will answer for him. Laban will not have to take Jacobs word, he will be able to see proof of Jacobs truthfulness.
vs 34 The deal is too good for Laban to pass up.
LABAN DEALS DECEITFULLY
34 And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word. 35 And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons. 36 And he set three days’ journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks.
JACOB IMPLEMENTS GODS PLAN
37 And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods. 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. 39 And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted. 40 And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban’s cattle. 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. 42 But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s. 43 And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.