Interestingly, right after Jacob has a direct encounter with Yahweh in which the promises of blessing to and through his generations to the rest of the world, he runs smack dub into his comeuppance. The deceit from his own hands to both his father and his brother will be revisited upon him by his shifty uncle Laban (perhaps not coincidentally, the focused male inhabitant of the “…land of the people of the east.”)
The basic details of Jacob’s arrival are pretty straightforward, he shows up and sees a well with a big stone on it. Once all the shepherds and sheep have arrived, the stone is removed, everyone is watered, and then they split. Jacob makes small talk, finds that these fellas know Laban and that all is well with him and that his daughter Rachel is heading up to water her sheep.
Oddly, Jacob seems to think that these fellas (and I suppose Rachel included) are not doing their own daily routine correctly and should have watered their sheep and moved on already. The fellas protest saying they wait for everyone and then water the sheep. This is an odd interchange. I’m bent to think Jacob should have kept his fool mouth shut, this is not his business and has no right to start bossing dudes around on how they water their sheep. Matthew Henry, generally a decent commentary, casts it as everyone being neighborly and Jacob just trying to help, being a shepherd himself and all. Matt’s optimism has gotten the better of him here, Jacob is pretentious, he’s lucky they didn’t beat him and throw him in the well (they’re honorable folk and wouldn’t do that.)
Rachel shows up and Jacob moves the stone and waters Laban’s sheep. This is an interesting turn as it was Rebekah, Laban’s sister who watered Isaac’s sheep and secured the relationship with the servant, while here Jacob waters Laban’s daughter’s sheep and gets a very similar outcome. Although, I’ll note that it appears he kisses her and weeps (it’s unclear why he’s crying except perhaps joy) before introducing himself. Rachel runs home and tells her dad and Laban receives Jacob joyfully. The line about “…surely you are my bone and my flesh” means more than what Laban intends. They also share a willingness to deceive family for their own gain.
Jacob works for Laban and they begin to haggle on what he should get paid. Jacob agrees to work 7 years in exchange for marrying Rachel. I won’t post them here but there are quite a variety of translation differences in the description of the eldest daughter Leah. One has her blind, one has her having pretty eyes, one describes her as lovely. Either way, Jacob prefers Rachel, the younger, and Laban agrees.
When the time comes, Laban throws a feast for the wedding and then sends in ol’ cataracts, likely in the veil in the night, to Jacob who, it seems, goes into her (side bar: who talks like that to the dad? (v.21). In the morning, he wakes to find he has done the deed with the older sister (I mean, that’s a shocker. That’s a heckuva deceit.) He complains to Laban who says that it isn’t custom to have the younger sister marry first (a detail that seems like it would have been relevant 7 years ago!) To fix the situation, Laban also offers Rachel if Jacob will finish out the marriage party week with Leah and then work another 7 years. Jacob agrees, also goes into Rachel and it’s clear he loves her more.
Here, Jacob’s chickens have come home to roost and see some similarities (and clear irony) when comparing what is happening between Jacob and Laban and things Jacob has done in the past (we see similar descriptions and motifs). When Jacob steals Esau’s blessing, we see Isaac eating a meal but due to darkness (his failing eyesight) he thinks he is blessing his older son but instead he blesses the younger. Now Jacob eats of the feast given by Laban, and because of darkness (and maybe a veil on Leah’s head) he thinks he is getting close and comfy with the younger daughter but instead is marrying the elder daughter.
Similarly, where Jacob subverted local custom in stealing Esau’s birthright and tricking his father into blessing him, Laban asserts local custom in tricking Jacob into marrying Leah first. As we’ve seen in other instances of polygamy in the OT, although not directly condemned, it will cause problems with this family, especially in the quest for children.
In fact, in v.31 we are told that the Lord sees that Leah was hated (this may be as strong as it would imply or it could be just mean “did not prefer”. Given the deceit that lead to their marriage, I’d say either are in play. In either case, God steps in to bless those who are cast aside. In fact, in the same sentence, we learn that Rachel is barren. (We should start to draw connections here to Abraham and Sarah, and they will continue.)
Leah’s descriptions of her children’s name are sad. Reuben’s name reflects a depressing hope that his birth will convince Jacob to love her. When Simeon is born, things haven’t changed, Leah still describes herself as hated. Levi’s birth, same thing. Finally, when Judah is born, the tenor changes, Leah’s relationship with Jacob is not references, and instead the reference of the name is a praise to the Lord.
Just for technical reference, don’t think of these descriptions as actual meanings of the names, they are her commentaries on her situation when the names were given. Often times these types of references come from similar sounding words (think of Jacob and deceiver) not necessarily an accurate lineage or lexicon.
end of chapter 29 (bad chapter division between 29 and 30, by the way)