We continue the saga of Jacob's courtship in Genesis 29.Jacob has given seven years of service to Laban for the hand of Rachel, his daughter. So comes Jacob to his prospective father-in-law and says to him, Pay up! Thus Laban prepares the wedding feast and the community celebrates the coming nuptials. Laban brings forth his daughter and gives her to Jacob to wife. They repair to the conjugal bed, one gathers, to consummate the marriage. But let us keep the blinds pulled.
At any rate, when Jacob awakens in the light of day, he discovers that he has spent the night in the arms of Leah, not the Rachel he desired. He flies forth to find Laban and accuses him of treachery, deceit, and what-not
No, no, My Son, he says, it is not the custom in our country to wed the younger daughter before the marriage of her older sister. But fair is fair. So for another seven years of your fine and faithful labor in my behalf, I will give you the girl of your dreams. And. And! if you are a good sport and agree to this, the wedding shall be held in seven days.
What could the poor lad do, besotted with love of Rachel? He had already devoted seven years of his life to win the hand of his beloved. So, yes, he agreed.
But not, we suspect, without allowing his mind to begin to hatch and ferment some plan of retaliation against his dear uncle. And let us not forget that before he came to Haran Jacob had already proved his skill at deception, fraud and deceit in gaming his brother Esau out of his birthright.
Part 2 in a series
3 comments:
Poor Jacob. Karma? Payback? You get what's comin' to ya. Turn about is fair play, it'l come back to bite ya,
Concerning Rachel and Leah, love is blind. There is a reality show called Dating in the Dark. It is Bachelor type show where they date in darkness. In the light of day, the chosen date is revealed. Except in the show, the blind lover gets a chance to bail.
Ilene, rather than karma, I believe that, while Laban had a plan for Jacob's life, God had a better plan.
Oh yes, those patriarchs had their moments.
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