A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns

house of God.” Bethel would be more than a geographic point of reference in the life of Jacob.
Bethel was the place where the Lord God became the Lord my God for Jacob (v. 21). It was the
place where Jacob made a sincere commitment of his life to the Lord. That commitment was to
be expressed by his willingness to tithe to the Lord. And it would be the place to which he would
someday return in a more mature faith than that which led to the building of his first altar.
THE YEARS AT HARAN
(Gen. 29:1-30:43)
Jacob’s twenty years at Haran began with his arriving at the city well about the time his
cousin Rachel came to water her father’s sheep. Jacob was immediately attracted to her and
uncovered the well so as to help her water the sheep. Then he kissed her and identified himself as
“her father’s relative” (Gen. 29:12). Technically, they were kissing cousins.
Rachel took the news to her father Laban who came to the well to welcome him to their
home in typical Eastern fashion. Laban agreed to house Jacob and pay him for his work. Jacob
had been sent to find a wife, and already he had made his choice. He agreed to work for Laban
seven years in exchange for the privilege of marrying Rachel. Though he may not have been
accustomed to the kind of work given him, he was faithful in his labors. The seven years
“seemed but a few days to him” because of the love he had for her” (v. 20). After seven years of
work, it was time for Jacob to claim his bride. There was a marriage.
However, it was not until the morning following their wedding that Jacob realized he had
met his match. The deceiver had been deceived. Laban had substituted brides on the wedding
night and when Jacob woke up the next morning, he was lying next to Leah rather than her sister
Rachel. Immediately he was off to register his complaint with Laban.
Laban saw nothing wrong in his actions and sought to justify himself by appealing to a
local custom that the eldest daughter had to marry first. Laban agreed to give him Rachel also at
the end of the week, probably seven days were spent with Leah as an official “honeymoon.” A
week later Jacob was given Rachel, but it would cost Jacob another seven years labor.
Polygamy is never endorsed in Scripture and without exception, every recorded instance
is an account of domestic trial. Obviously Jacob favored Rachel over her older sister. “Leah’s
eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance” (v. 17). But the Lord
intervened in the reproductive systems of the two wives so that Leah bore children and Rachel
was barren. Before long Leah found herself in a struggle with her sister for the love of her
husband. Like many women since then, Leah thought she could resolve their domestic problems
if only she could bear a son for her husband. Six sons later, she was still longing for the love of
her husband (29:31-35; 30:15-20).
The success of Leah in bearing children prompted Rachel to insist on having children
also. Because she was barren, Rachel offered Jacob her maid Bilhah. As Bilhah began bearing
the sons of Jacob, Leah reentered the competition offering her husband her maid Zilpah. During
the years in Haran, twelve children were fathered by Jacob, borne to these four women in his life.