Genesis 29:15-35 - Bait and Switch

Genesis 29:15-35

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah’s eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance.

18 Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.”

19 And Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.” 22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast. 23 Now it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. 24 And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. 25 So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?”

26 And Laban said, “It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years.”

28 Then Jacob did so and fulfilled her week. So he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also. 29 And Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as a maid. 30 Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban still another seven years.

The Children of Jacob

31 When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. 32 So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, “The LORD has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.” 33 Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon. 34 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi. 35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I will praise the LORD.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she stopped bearing.

Laban’s bait and switch trick with his daughters Leah and Rachel the younger ensured that the older would be married off first no matter the agreement with Jacob to marry Rachel whom he loved.  Laban had asked Jacob as a relative to still offer something in return for Rachel and he loved her so much more because of her better looks than the older with nicer eyes, that Jacob blurted out that he would work for his uncle for seven years just to have her as his wife.  Even though Laban agreed, he pulled a bait and switch after the seven years were up for Leah by getting Jacob so drunk that he ended up consummating the marriage to the wrong woman.  He woke up the next morning and immediately realized the deception and asked why he had served Laban for so long and not receive the bride he was promised.  He only received the answer that tradition demanded the oldest had to marry before the younger.  He had to promise another seven years of labor and received the woman he really loved after a week of consummation with Leah.  He loved Rachel more than Leah as he served on into the years there, which made Leah unhappy and Rachel very much pleased.  The inevitable conflict of having more than one wife would continue as long as they all lived, however.  We see then that hasty agreements on terms offered up can lead to long term problems if the one you deal with is dishonest, even if they are family as Laban was on both counts.  God still used Jacob to eventually become the prosperous nation of Israel after a name change (), but the sinfulness of man made the process more difficult.  They went on to have children by Leah the unloved by God’s grace and mercy, while the the one who was loved could not have any children of her own.  The nation was being built with issues from the beginning.  Leah kept having children, four to be exact, to be loved and wanted by her husband until she had Judah (“praise to God” Genesis 49:8) and stopped bearing them.  The story and promise would continue just as God promised from Abraham by faith through Isaac and now Jacob until the Christ (Romans 4:13, 16-17) would come (Matthew 1:2, 16-17, 21, 22-23 Acts 3:13) and the spiritual inheritance was given to the nations (Romans 4:20-22, Hebrews 11:8, 10, 12, 16) in Him as his true descendants who are chosen, accepted, and loved by the Beloved as His children.  There is no bait and switch with God; Jesus came to call us as His bride and no sin of ours or deception of others can keep us from (1 Peter 1:4-5) or remove us from the promised inheritance (Acts 26:18, Ephesians 1:11, 13-14) of the guaranteed heavenly country (Romans 8:28, 29-30, Hebrews 11:16, Revelation 21:2) to come.  For this example shows us how God used the events of the Bait and Switch of Laban with Jacob to work His plan despite the deception of man to yet bring His kingdom to come and we hold to the promise by faith to likewise use us and keep us to the end and into the heavenly kingdom to come.