Laban's Final Deceit and Jacob's Flight From Haran

In my chronological Bible study, it is now time to get back to Jacob.

(1 Chronicles 2:1) These are the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun,

The last study recapped the life and descendants of Esau, and now I am going back to Esau's brother, Jacob, who will later be known as Israel.

(2) Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

All twelve sons of Jacob are listed in this passage in 1 Chronicles 2, although not all of them have been born yet in my study in Genesis.

(3) The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, and Shelah; these three were born to him by the daughter of Shua, the Canaanitess. And Er, the firstborn of Judah, was evil in the sight of the LORD; and He slew him.

All I'm going to say about this passage is to question what it is doing here in this place in a chronological study!  As I have already begun a chronologically ordered study by Skip Andrews, I won't try to change course now, but I am pretty sure I will get back to the sons of Judah in Genesis, so I will not bother to study this now.  Now back to Genesis:

(Genesis 30:25) And it came to pass, when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, "Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my country."

In the study before the last one that was the recap of the life and descendants of Esau, Rachel had just borne a son, Joseph.  Apparently, Jacob's second seven years' servitude for Rachel (Gen. 29) had now expired.  Jacob asked Rachel and Leah's father, Laban, to let him go now to his own place in his own country.

(26) "Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go; for you know my service which I have done for you."

Jacob continued asking Laban to release him from service and to let him take his wives and children and go away from him, for Laban knew that he had fulfilled his service well.

(27) And Laban said to him, "Please, if I have found favor in your eyes, stay, for I have learned by experience that the LORD has blessed me for your sake." (28) And he said, "Name me your wages, and I will give it."

Laban was not so eager to see Jacob go.  He could see that the Lord blessed Jacob, and he was therefore blessed because of Jacob.  He pleaded with Jacob to stay and offered to pay him whatever he wanted.

(29) And he said to him, "You know how I have served you and how your cattle was with me. (30) For it was little what you had before I came, and it is now increased to a great amount, and the LORD has blessed you since my coming; and now, when shall I provide for my own house also?"

Jacob expounded on the fact that the Lord had indeed blessed Laban since Jacob's coming, pointing out that he had little before Jacob came and he now had a great deal, but Jacob felt it was high time that he provide for his own family now.

(31) And he said, "What shall I give you?" And Jacob said, "You shall not give me anything; if you will do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep your flocks: (32) I will pass through all your flock today, removing from there all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown ones among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and these shall be my wages. (33) So my righteousness will answer for me in time to come, when the subject of my wages comes before you: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, will be considered stolen, if it is with me."

Laban persisted in wanting Jacob to name his fee for staying on with him.  Jacob devised a plan.  He would agree to take care of Laban's flocks, if he would allow Jacob to take the speckled and spotted ones (and brown sheep) and let him keep and take care of those for himself.  In this way, he could begin to increase and provide for his own family, as he cared for Laban's flocks.  It would be evident by the coloring which were of Laban's flocks and which were of Jacob's.

(34) And Laban said, "Oh, that it were according to your word!"

Laban thought that sounded like an excellent idea and agreed to it.

(35) And he removed that day the male goats that were streaked and spotted, all the female 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 between himself and Jacob, and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.

Laban SAID that he agreed to it, but then he removed all the streaked, speckled, and spotted (and brown sheep), and gave them to his own sons, and I am assuming set three days' journey between these and the rest of his flocks that Jacob would feed.  I don't see how he could set three days' journey between his flocks and Jacob's flocks if Jacob was to tend to them all himself, so I believe the meaning is that the ones he took out of his flocks he set three days' journey away from the rest so that Jacob would not find them.

(37) And Jacob took for himself rods of green poplar and of the hazel and chestnut trees, and peeled white strips in them, and exposed the white which was in the rods. (38) And he set the rods which he had peeled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, so that they should conceive when they came to drink. (39) And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle streaked, speckled, and spotted.

By stripping away parts of the barks of the rods, Jacob made striped rods that he set before the flocks in the troughs and supposedly that made them conceive striped and streaked and speckled young.  It sounds odd and even seems like witchery until I get to the next chapter when Jacob tells his wives of Laban's deceit and God's plan to prosper Jacob in spite of it.  I have to believe that God probably told Jacob in a dream or vision to do this.

(40) And Jacob separated the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the streaked and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves and did not put them with Laban's flock.

As the flocks began to conceive streaked and speckled young, Jacob separated the flocks and positioned the solid colored of Laban's flocks facing toward the streaked and spotted, and in the same way looking at the striped rods would bring forth streaked young, so would looking at the streaked flocks.  Jacob kept his growing flocks separated from Laban's flocks.

(41) And it came to pass, whenever the stronger cattle conceived, 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 did not put them in, so the feebler were Laban's and the stronger Jacob's. (43) And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.

Jacob began to pick and choose the livestock he wanted to reproduce as streaked so that his flocks became stronger and thus were Laban's made weaker.  In this way, Jacob prospered exceedingly, and of course, it had to be by God's blessing, as there was no real magic in striped sticks.

(Genesis 31:1) And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, "Jacob has taken away all that was our father's, and of that which was our father's he has gotten all this glory." (2) And Jacob saw the countenance of Laban, and indeed it was not favorable toward him as before. (3) And the LORD said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you."

Jacob began to hear the grumblings of Laban's sons that he had taken away all that was their father's to become great, and Laban began to treat him differently, as well.  It was then that the Lord told Jacob to return to the land of his fathers and that He would be with him.

(4) And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flock, (5) And said to them, "I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father has been with me."

Jacob called his wives out to the field of his flocks to tell them of the situation with their father.

(6) "And you know that with all my power I have served your father. (7) And your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not allow him to hurt me."

Jacob told his wives that he had served their father well, as they would well know, but that their father had deceived him and changed his wages more than once.  I don't think "ten" was meant literally, but it seemed to Jacob Laban was constantly changing what he had told him he would pay him.  Laban had deceived Jacob into 14 years' service instead of the seven Jacob had first agreed to for Rachel.  When Laban told Jacob he could have all the spotted and speckled of the flock, he then took those from the flocks and hid them three days' journey from Jacob.  As Jacob continued telling his wives of Laban's deceit and fraud, it sounds like there may have been more agreements than the reader of these accounts may have known, so maybe "ten" was a literal number after all.  As Jacob related these events to his wives, he told them that regardless of what Laban had tried to do to hurt him, God did not allow it.

(8) "If he said thus, 'The speckled shall be your wages', then all the cattle bore speckled; and if he said thus, 'The streaked shall be your wages', then all the cattle bore streaked. (9) Thus God has taken away the cattle of your father and given them to me."

Here it does seem like there may have been more agreements and changes to their agreements than we knew, but whatever Laban tried to do, Jacob recognized that it was God working in Jacob's favor against Laban's deceit, and it was in that way that Jacob had taken the flocks from Laban, from honest agreements on his part, not from any theft.

(10) "And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were streaked, speckled, and spotted. (11) And the angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, 'Jacob.' And I said, 'Here am I.' (12) And He said, 'Lift up your eyes now and see, all the rams which leap on the cattle are streaked, speckled, and spotted; for I have seen all that Laban does to you. (13) I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me; now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family.'"

Indeed, Jacob had seen in a dream or vision that God had made the flocks streaked, speckled, and spotted, because He saw Laban's deceitful acts and plans.  He declared He was the same God who had appeared to Jacob at the place he called Bethel where he had had the dream of the ladder and where he had erected the stone and made the vow to God.  God now told Jacob to leave this land and return to the land of his family, and this Jacob relayed to his wives.

(14) And Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, "Is there still any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house? (15) Are we not counted by him as strangers? For he has sold us, and has quite devoured also our money. (16) For all the riches which God has taken from our father, that is ours and our children's; now then, whatever God has said to you, do it."

Rachel and Leah could see that they had been treated as things by their father, and that he had never intended to give them any inheritance.  Anything he made from his deals with Jacob, he had apparently kept and spent on himself.  The wives of Jacob felt that anything God had allowed their husband to take from their father they should have had coming as an inheritance anyway, so they were in full agreement that whatever God had told Jacob, they should do.

(17) Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels; (18) And he carried away all his cattle and all his goods which he had gotten, his acquired cattle which he had gotten in Padan Aram, to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.

Jacob took his family and all his acquired possessions and headed back to Canaan, the land of his father Isaac.

(19) And Laban went to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's.

Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and this would have been an ideal time to steal away unbeknownst to him, but Rachel had taken some things that were her father's.  What they were exactly is pretty much a mystery, and any one of many Biblical scholars' guesses.  The original word for "images" here is "teraphim" which seems to mean, gathered from its mentions in other parts of the Bible, some sort of image or idol used in a household shrine or for worship.  There are three uses of "teraphim" in Judges and one in Hosea where the words "teraphim" and "image" are both used in the same sentence, so merely "image" doesn't appear to be its full meaning, so that sort of puts the quietus on the suggestion by some that these were just family images, like portraits of sorts, of family members that Rachel wanted for her own.  Indeed, the other uses of the word in scripture make it sound like it was a sort of superstitious talisman, perhaps used in sorcery.  Some suggest that Rachel stole them so that her father would not be able to consult them to know where they had gone, but I wouldn't think that after so many years with Jacob, Rachel would give any credence to such false idols.  She certainly doesn't treat them with respect as will be pointed out in a later scripture.  Based on what Rachel and Leah had said in verses 14-16 above, I think it is more likely that even if Laban considered them idols of worship with perhaps some power, Rachel may have stolen them simply because they may have had some value and she felt she was entitled to some inheritance.  That doesn't make it right to take something of her father's, but it does explain why she might want these idols.

(20) And Jacob stole away, unknown to Laban the Syrian, in that he did not tell him that he fled. (21) So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up and crossed the river, and headed toward the mount Gilead.

It does seem that for the time being, Jacob had stolen away with all his family and his possessions, unbeknownst to Laban, and had gotten a good distance away.

(22) And Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled. (23) And he took his brethren with him and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.

Since it was three days before Laban knew Jacob was gone, it would seem he was tending his flocks that he originally separated and kept three days' journey from Jacob.  Otherwise, I would think he would have discovered Jacob was no longer tending his flocks as he may have felt they still had an agreement for Jacob to do.  When Laban found out Jacob and his family were gone, he pursued him with his brethren, which may have been his actual brothers, or may have been other relations or maybe just friends and/or neighbors.  Because Jacob had a three day head start, it took Laban seven days to catch up, but he eventually did.

(24) And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, "Take heed that you not speak to Jacob either good or bad."

Probaby this vision of God came to Laban right before he actually overtook Jacob.  God warned Laban not to speak good or bad, probably meaning to keep the speech generic with no promises of good if he were to stay or no accusations of bad because of the stolen images, for examples.

(25) Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount; and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.

It does appear that it was after the dream that Laban actually reached Jacob.  Jacob and his family were already in tents on the mount, and now Laban and his brethren pitched tents there, too.

(26) And Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done, that you have stolen away unknown to me, and carried away my daughters like captives taken with the sword? (27) Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me, and not tell me, that I might have sent you away with joy and with songs, with timbrel and with harp?"

Up to this point, Laban had been careful to say neither good nor bad, but simply asked Jacob why he felt the need to steal away secretly like a thief in the night.  Based on previous experiences, I don't believe Laban would have readily let them go and with celebration to boot, but he at least pretended that might have been his intention if Jacob had not stolen away secretly.

(28) "And have not allowed me to kiss my sons and my daughters. You have now done foolishly in so doing. (29) It is in the power of my hand to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, 'Take heed that you not speak to Jacob either good or bad.' (30) And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father's house, yet why have you stolen my gods?"

Laban got a little close to speaking bad when he told Jacob he had acted foolishly and that it was within his right to do harm to Jacob, but he told Jacob of his dream of God telling him not to speak either good or bad to Jacob, so he returned to a generic comment and another question--why did he steal his gods?  Rather than "teraphim", the stolen items were called "elohiym" or "gods" by Laban, indicating he probably did use them for some sort of worship.

(31) And Jacob answered and said to Laban, "Because I was afraid, for I said perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force. (32) With whomever you find your gods, do not let him live; before our brethren, discern what is yours with me and take it with you." For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

Jacob answered the first questions about why he had stolen away secretly.  He was afraid that Laban would not let them go and might take his daughters from him by force, perhaps changing his wages yet again.  As far as the stolen gods, Jacob had no idea that Rachel had taken them and was so confident that Laban would not find them with him or his company, that he told Laban to kill whoever had taken his gods and to take whatever he considered his.

(33) And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maids' tents, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah's tent and entered into Rachel's tent. (34) Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat on them. And Laban searched all the tent but did not find them.

Laban looked diligently for his gods or images in the tents of Jacob, Leah, the maids, and now searched Rachel's tent.  Rachel was in her tent and had hidden the images in what sounds like the camel's saddle and sat upon the saddle.  Rachel's act of sitting upon "gods" would seem to be one of disrepect if she had any reverence for these false gods; that is why I don't think she revered them as idols of worship, but probably just for their monetary value, or maybe she just felt it was within her right to take something her father valued because he had taken away any inheritance from her, and maybe she didn't really value them at all.

(35) And she said to her father, "Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before you, for the custom of women is upon me." And he searched but did not find the images.

I always thought this was rather amusing.  Just in case Laban would decide to look under Rachel, she told her father she was having her period!  Laban searched everywhere else, and of course, did not find the images.

(36) And Jacob was angry and argued with Laban, and Jacob answered and said to Laban: "What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have so hotly pursued after me? (37) Although you have searched all my stuff, what have you found of all your household stuff? Set it here before my brethren and your brethren, that they may judge between us both."

By now, Jacob was angry with Laban's intrusion and his apparent (to Jacob) false accusations.  He challenged Laban to put before them all his personal property he had found among Jacob's group and let their brethren judge between them.

(38) "These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and I have not eaten the rams of your flock. (39) That which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you, I bore the loss of it; you required it from my hand, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. (40) There I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes. (41) Thus I have been in your house twenty years; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your cattle, and you have changed my wages ten times."

Jacob did not hold back and told Laban how he had served him for 20 years.  He told him how he had treated him more than fairly, absorbing any losses himself.  Day in and day out, no matter what the weather, and for as long as it took, even if he lost sleep, Jacob had served Laban well.  He pointed out that Laban had not treated Jacob as fairly, but had changed his wages ten times, whether that is literal or figurative, I don't really know.

(42) "Had not the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, been with me, surely you would have sent me away now empty. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night."

Jacob continued his tirade to Laban.  He finished by saying if it hadn't been for God and the reverence and fear for Him that he undountedly learned from his father Isaac, that he knew Laban would have sent him away empty-handed.  It was God who had seen how Laban treated him as he described to Laban above, and it was God who rebuked Laban in the dream because of it.

(43) And Laban answered and said to Jacob, "These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that you see is mine; and what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their children whom they have borne?"

Laban didn't deny anything Jacob said, but he pointed out that these were his daughters and grandchildren, and his flocks, or at least young that came from his very flocks.  He saw all these as his own and would not do anything to hurt any of them.

(44) "Now therefore, come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be for a witness between you and me." (45) And Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. (46) And Jacob said to his brethren, "Gather stones"; and they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there on the heap. (47) And Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.

Laban asked that they come to a peaceful agreement, and Jacob set up a stone as a pillar to serve as a sign of their agreement.  They heaped stones around or beside it and then ate there at the heap.  Laban called the place Jegar Sahadutha, which literally meant "heap of the testimony" or "witness heap" in his Syrian language.  Jacob called the place Galeed, which literally meant the same, but was in his Hebrew language.

(48) And Laban said, "This heap is a witness between you and me this day." Therefore its name was called Galeed, (49) And Mizpah, for he said, "The LORD watch between you and me when we are absent one from another.

Laban proclaimed that the heap would serve as a witness to their covenant.  It was called Galeed by Jacob, as already cited, but it was also called Mizpah, which literally meant "watchtower", because the Lord would watch over them when they were absent from one another and see to it that they adhered to their covenant.

(50) If you afflict my daughters, or if you take other wives besides my daughters; no man is with us, see, God is witness between you and me."

As a "for instance", Laban declared that if Jacob ever did anything to harm his daughters or if he took new wives, although no man might be there to see, God would see and would be a witness.  Laban appears to show a kindness and affection for his daughters, although up to this point, he had treated them more like property.

(51) And Laban said to Jacob, "Here is this heap and here is this pillar, which I have placed between you and me. (52) This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and that you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. (53) The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us." And Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac.

Actually, Jacob was the one who placed the pillar, but I suppose Laban was in agreement that it be set, and he and his brethren helped to pile the heap.  The heap wasn't really meant to be a boundary between them, but the meaning was that they would do no harm to one another.  It appears that Laban may have sworn by more than one god, the true God of Abraham, and the false gods of Terah.  I guess he thought he was covering all his bases, unless he realized the God of Abraham was the God of all, but regardless, Jacob swore by the one true God feared and revered by his father, Isaac.

(54) Then Jacob offered sacrifice on the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread; and they ate bread and stayed all night on the mount. (55) And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters and blessed them; and Laban departed and returned to his place.

Jacob offered a sacrifice and it appears that Laban and his company stayed with Jacob's on the mount all night, and then Laban departed the next morning, after kissing and blessing his daughters and his granchildren.  The same Laban who had tracked them down, and by his own admission in so many words, probably had the intention of doing them harm, now kissed and blessed them and departed from them in peace, after his dream from God.

God's Grace in the Origin of Israel and Christianity

Continuing my chronological Bible study:

(Genesis 29:1) Then Jacob went on his journey and came into the land of the people of the east. (2) And he looked and beheld a well in the field; and lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it, for out of that well they watered the flocks, and a large stone was on the well's mouth. (3) And there were all the flocks gathered; and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again in its place on the well's mouth.

Jacob continued on his way to Laban, his mother Rebekah's brother, as she and Isaac had directed him, to marry a woman from among his mother's people, and to flee from his brother Esau who wanted to kill him.  He came to the land east of Canaan and saw a well in the field where flocks of sheep lay.  He observed that there was a large stone at the well's mouth that the shepherds rolled away to water their flocks, and then rolled it back in place after watering.

(4) And Jacob said to them, "My brethren, where are you from?"; and they said, "We are from Haran." (5) And he said to them, "Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?"; and they said, "We know him." (6) And he said to them, "Is he well?"; And they said, "He is well; and look, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep".

Jacob spoke to the shepherds to ask where they were from.  They were from Haran which is where he was headed, so he asked if they knew Laban, his mother's brother.  They said they knew him and that he was well, and just look who happened to be coming to water her sheep, but Rachel, Laban's daughter.  Divine providence had brought Jacob to the very field and well where he would meet Laban's daughter; God was indeed with him as He had said He would be. 

(7) And he said, "Look, it is still high day; it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them".

Is Jacob trying to get rid of the shepherds so that he may meet Rachel alone?  Here he is a stranger telling the local shepherds to go ahead and water the sheep and go feed them.

(8) And they said, "We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep".

Apparently, Jacob did not actually observe the shepherds rolling the stone from the well's mouth as described in verse 3.  That was just an explanation of the large stone in front of the well and why it was there.  The shepherds told Jacob they could not yet leave until all the flocks had come, at which time they would roll the stone one time and all the sheep would be watered.

(9) And while he yet spoke with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she kept them.

While Jacob was still talking to the shepherds, Rachel came to the well with her father's sheep, as she took care of them.  Interestingly, the name Rachel literally means "ewe", a female sheep.

(10) And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.

Maybe Jacob's intention all along was to get the stone moved so that Rachel might water her sheep as soon as she got there.  The shepherds waited and were too slow, so Jacob apparently moved the stone himself, and watered Rachel's flock.  It may have been a chivalrous act directed toward Rachel, but the way the scripture keeps repeating "Laban his mother's brother", I'm sure it was out of respect to his mother's family, as well.

(11) And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept.

My first impulse was, wow, Jacob moves fast!  But then I remembered that in Biblical times, people often kissed on the cheek as a way of greeting a friend.  Jacob must be overcome by emotion at the realization that God has brought him directly to his mother's brother's daughter.

(12) And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's relative and that he was Rebekah's son, and she ran and told her father.

Jacob explained to Rachel who he was, probably in explanation of his demonstration of love and emotion, and she ran to tell her father.

(13) And it came to pass, when Laban heard the report of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.

Laban happily met and greeted his sister's son and brought him to his house.  Jacob told Laban all the things leading to his being there, probably about Esau and his vision that God would be with him, which surely brought him right to Rachel.

(14) And Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh." And he stayed with him for a month. (15) And Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?"

Laban happily let his relative, his sister's son, live with him.  Apparently, after a month, and evidently, all the while with Jacob helping him out about his house and land, he told Jacob that he should be paid for all he did to help him.  He asked Jacob what he would like for his wages to be.

(16) And Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. (17) Leah was tender eyed, but Rachel was beautiful and well favored. (18) And Jacob loved Rachel, and said, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter."

Laban had two daughters, the younger of whom Jacob loved, so he told Laban he would work seven years for him in exchange for the hand of his daughter, Rachel.  Much has been speculated about the meaning of Leah's tender eyes that made her less desirable than Rachel.  The original word is "rak" meaning "tender, soft, delicate, weak".  The NIV translators and other of the newer Bible version translators translated the word as "weak", but it is most often used in scripture to mean "tender" and paired with "young" and "delicate".  At this point, I don't see any reason to believe her eyesight was weak, and besides it appears to be a more visual thing that is being compared here.  I think Leah's eyes may have been light-colored or small and delicate looking, while Rachel had more strong and striking features.

(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) And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. (21) And Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her."

I believe Jacob's desire was honorable.  He had wanted no other pay from Laban but that he have Rachel as his wife.  Perhaps he had offered to work so long for her because he had no other money to give as a dowry, as was customary in those times.  He offered servitude for seven years which would have been worth a fair amount.  Perhaps Laban did just mean it was better that Rachel become his relative Jacob's wife rather than any other man's wife, but his words that he "give her" may indicate more.  Whatever his meaning, he appears to have agreed to have Jacob stay with him and work seven years for the hand of Rachel.  Because he loved Rachel so, those seven years seemed only a few days to Jacob.  Wow, I think of how impatient we are in this day and age; we require instant gratification.  Anyway, the end of seven years came, and Jacob asked for his wife.

(22) And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast. (23) And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to Jacob; and he went in unto her.

So Laban made a feast, it would seem a celebratory marriage feast because Jacob was about to marry his daughter, Rachel.  In the evening, Laban brought Leah to Jacob, instead of Rachel, and it appears that Jacob did not realize that.  The custom was to keep the bride veiled up until and including the time she was brought into her husband's bed chamber as a sign of her purity.  It would have been dark when her veil was lifted and as Jacob had never been intimate with Rachel, it is conceivable that he could have been deceived in this manner.

(24) And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid.

Slaves or maid servants were customarily given to daughters upon their marriages, and were to be their personal property and not subject to their husbands.  Zilpah is Laban's marriage gift to his daughter, Leah.

(25) And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah; and he said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve you for Rachel? 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 yet another seven years."

Obviously Jacob was upset when he discovered it was Leah he had gone to bed with rather than his Rachel.  He asked Laban why he had done such a thing.  Laban's true character is revealed when he told Jacob that it wasn't right that a younger daughter should be married before the firstborn.  If he had had good and sincere intentions, he could have told Jacob that upfront, but as it is, he held Rachel as a prize just out of reach, and told Jacob he could have her if he worked another seven years.  This treatment of his daughters as property that can be bought and sold and given at his will was not proper and is later described in scripture in his daughters' complaint against him, in Genesis 31:15.  Fulfilling her week referred to the week of Leah's marriage feast.  After the first night, when Jacob discovered he had been deceived, he might have refused to keep Leah as his wife, but Laban encouraged him to go ahead with the marriage, by enticing him with the real desire of his heart, Rachel.  Ironically, Jacob the deceiver, the one who deceived his brother to get what he wanted, was now deceived by Laban who would now get 14 years of service to marry off both his daughters.

(28) And Jacob did so and fulfilled her week; and he gave him Rachel his daughter as wife also. (29) And Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maid. (30) And he went in also unto Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah; and he served with Laban yet another seven years.

Jacob did fulfill the marriage feast week for Leah, and Laban gave him Rachel as his wife, also.  Laban also gave Rachel her own maid, Bilhah.  Jacob consummated his marriage to Rachel, and loved his Rachel more than Leah.  After all, he only wanted Rachel, but was tricked into taking Leah as his wife, as well.  Jacob served Laban another seven years as he had said he would.

(31) And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.

It always bothered me a little that Leah was hated.  It is true, she was less loved than Rachel, and that is no one's fault.  Jacob loved Rachel; she was the one he wanted all along, so to have Leah forced upon him, as well, didn't make him instantly love her.  John Wesley pointed out something in scripture that explains this choice of words.  "Hate" was used in Luke 14:26, when Jesus said if any man came to Him and did not hate his mother, father, etc., he could not be a disciple of Jesus.  Obviously, I know that Jesus never taught us to hate anyone.  By studying another scripture where Jesus taught the same lesson, Matthew 10:37, we read about Jesus talking about one who loves his parents or his children more than Him, and was not worthy of Him.  It is the same case with Rachel and Leah; in the verse directly before this one, it simply stated that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah, and in the next verse God saw Leah was hated.  I believe Jesus summed it up well in Matthew 6:24 when He talked about how no one could serve two masters, as he would naturally love one and hate the other.  Although "hate" seems like a strong word to the reader, I believe it was meant to show a comparison to the love shown.  In all these cases, there is a comparison made between the one loved and the one "hated".  Adam Clarke's notes on Luke 14:26 added more examples of love and hate being used in other scriptures, with Deuteronomy 21:15-17 offering a unique example not yet touched upon in these study notes.  His conclusion was that it was no arbitrary interpretation of the word "hate" to determine that it simply meant to not love or like as much, and it didn't mean there was any burning hatred. 

Back to verse 31, even though I am sure there was no open hatred of Leah, it was obvious she was not preferred by Jacob, and even her father had to devise a trick to get her married, so she had every reason to feel unloved.  Therefore, the Lord loved and blessed her and opened her womb. 

(32) And Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, "Surely the LORD has looked on my affliction; now therefore, my husband will love me."

Leah conceived and bore a son, and called him Reuben, which literally meant "behold a son".  As the mother of his firstborn son, Leah felt that now her husband would love her.  She obviously felt terribly unloved, calling it an affliction, and felt that surely the Lord had blessed her by giving her this son.

(33) And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Because the LORD has heard that I was hated, He has therefore given me this son also." And she called his name Simeon.

Leah bore Jacob a second son and called his name Simeon, which literally meant "heard".  Proving once again that she considered her affliction being the fact she was unloved, Leah declared that the Lord had heard that she was hated and gave her another son.

(34) And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons." Therefore his name was called Levi.

Leah called her third son Levi, which literally meant "joined to" or "attached".  She supposed her husband would form a strong loving bond with her now that she was the mother of his three sons.

(35) And she conceived again and bore a son, and she said, "Now I will praise the LORD." Therefore she called his name Judah, and stopped bearing.

Leah bore a fourth son and called his name "Judah", which meant "praised" or "celebrated".  Leah had surely thanked and praised the Lord when she was given sons before this, when she felt the Lord had seen she was unloved and had blessed her with sons.  But with four sons, she must have praised Him more than ever now.  Little did Leah know that from the line of this celebrated son would come the Messiah.  After bearing four sons, Leah stopped bearing children, at least for the time being.

Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament offers a beautiful insight into the story of Leah's first sons.  God blessed Leah with the first four sons while Rachel, the object of Jacob's love and desire, remained barren, at least for a time.  "By this it was made apparent once more, that the origin of Israel was to be a work not of nature, but of grace."  We have already seen that it was not a work of nature with regard to it being brought through the firstborn.  When I think about Leah, I can see a humble woman, lowly in spirit, but obviously a loving wife.  It seems that her husband's love was very important to her.  It doesn't appear that she was angry or resentful and nagged her husband about it.  She just did what she was called to do as a wife, and God blessed her.  Jesus later taught that the poor in spirit and those that mourn would be blessed and comforted.  The Apostle Paul wrote this in 1 Corinthians 12:24-25:

"For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another."

Rachel was the beautiful one who had the love of her husband and for that time had no other need, but God gave honor to Leah who lacked her husband's love.  What a beautiful demonstration of God's love and tender mercy for His children! 

John Nelson Darby took this a step further and likened it to Israel and the Gentiles.  Rachel was the one first loved, as Israel was God's chosen people, but Leah was given grace as are the Gentiles who actively seek after God.  I love this analogy!  I love seeing God's plan for our salvation in Jesus from the very beginning!

Do We Really Fear God Today?

Continuing my chronological Bible study:

(Genesis 28:1) And Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and said to him, "You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan."

At the end of the last chapter, Rebekah had thought of a way to send Jacob away so that Esau would not kill him because of Jacob's deceit and trickery in stealing his blessing.  She told Isaac she just could not bear it if Jacob married a Canaanite woman.  Isaac therefore called Jacob and it appears that he willingly confirmed his blessing upon him, and told him that he was not to take a wife from among the Canaanite women.

(2) "Arise, go to Padan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother's father; and take you a wife from there of the daughters of Laban your mother's brother. (3) And God Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may be a multitude of people; (4) And give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your descendants with you, that you may inherit the land in which you are a stranger, which God gave to Abraham." (5) And Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Padan Aram to Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.

Isaac told Jacob to go to Padan Aram to Laban in the house of Bethuel, Rebekah's father, and marry one of the daughters of Rebekah's brother, Laban.  Isaac blessed his son Jacob with the Abrahamic promise that had been passed from Abraham to Isaac and now to Jacob, that he would be fruitful and his descendants would be many, and that they would ultimately inherit the land of Canaan, the land in which they were only sojourners then.  Then Isaac did indeed send Jacob away to Padan Aram.

(6) When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Padan Aram to take himself a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, "You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan," (7) And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother and had gone to Padan Aram, (8) And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan did not please his father Isaac, (9) Then Esau went to Ishmael and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife in addition to the wives he had.

Esau saw that his father had blessed Jacob and that he had sent him away to find a wife in order that he not take a wife from among the Canaanite women.  With that he realized that his father was not pleased with the Canaanite women as wives for his sons, as Esau had previously taken, so he took another wife.  This time he married the daughter of his father's brother, Ishmael.  Ishmael was now dead, so when Esau "went to Ishmael", it was as Jacob going to the house of Bethuel.  Esau went to the house of Ishmael, probably directly to Nebajoth, who was Ishamel's oldest son, and took Mahalath, Nebajoth's sister, to be his wife.  Esau may have been trying to please his father, but daughters of Ishmael would not have been the most favorable as Ishmael had been separated from the house of Abraham and was not included in the Abrahamic promise, another indication that Esau just didn't understand the spiritual importance of his birthright and the blessing of the firstborn in the line of Abraham.

(10) And Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran. (11) And he lighted upon a certain place and tarried there all night because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put it for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.

Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran.  He apparently couldn't make it in one day, and happened upon a certain place casually, and not necessarily intentionally, and decided to stay there for the night as the sun was setting.  He took a stone for a pillow as he evidently didn't have other provisions.

(12) And he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. (13) And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, "I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. (14) And your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth, and you will spread abroad to the west and to the east, and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth will be blessed. (15) And, behold, I am with you and will keep you in all places wherever you go, and will bring you again to this land, for I will not leave you until I have done that of which I have spoken to you."

Jacob dreamed of a ladder that was set up on earth and reached to heaven with angels going up and down it.  The Lord stood above it and spoke to Jacob.  He confirmed His promise to Abraham now to Jacob.  The land on which Jacob lay that may have been accidental for him, was providential in that the Lord told him this very land would be given to him and his descendants.  As God had told Abraham, Jacob's descendants would be as the dust of the earth, too numerous to count, and they would spread in all directions.  As He had told Abraham, God told Jacob that through him and his descendants would all the families of the earth be blessed, which is a reference to the Messiah who would come from this line and in Whom all may be saved.  The Lord told Jacob He was with him and would be with him wherever he went, and that He would bring him back to this land.  The line of angels going up and down the ladder in Jacob's dream was a picture of the constant ministering spirits and line of communication that would always be between God and Jacob.  More than that, it is a picture of Jesus Christ Who would become the direct line from us to God.

(16) And Jacob awoke out of his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it." (17) And he was afraid and said, "How dreadful is this place!  This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."

Once again what was a casual nondescript place in Jacob's mind was a place where the Lord showed Himself to Jacob unexpectedly.  He realized that the Lord was certainly in that place and that apparently surprised him.  I left the original KJV words "afraid" and "dreadful" in my study.  Although I usually don't think of them as "fright" and "awful" as we have come to interpret those words, sometimes I think our modern translations diminish the intended meaning of the original words.  Jacob was afraid; he had fear.  Yes, I agree with the common idea that it was a reverential fear, but it was more than that.  I don't think we today quite understand that awestruck fear of knowing that you have just come in contact with the One who literally holds your life in His Hands.  How could we when we so flippantly disregard all the things He told us in His Word?  We keep Him only in church and bring Him out only when we really need something; we pretend that He shouldn't be a part of our daily public lives and decisions.  How preposterous!  Just think of how far our country has gone in rejecting God.  We've come to accept the idea that He doesn't belong in schools or in the public square because someone might be offended.  Would we care if we really feared God and saw Him as the Master of the Universe?  We actually kill millions of babies and call it a RIGHT!  Does anyone really think that God would approve of killing the most innocent because it is not convenient to let that child be born right now?  Does anyone think that God is going to bless a country that promotes and celebrates same-sex "marriage" as equality and a RIGHT even though He called it an abomination?  Do we think a country can survive without God's blessing?  Do we think God understands that the times have changed and we are such a wiser people now?  Suppose you had to confront God and ask Him face to face if it was okay to kill your baby and "marry" your lesbian lover.  Does that strike fear in your heart?  If it doesn't, it should!  I have to wonder if some of the people out there cheering on these horrible Godless acts ever really think about what God would say, or do they just try to ignore that.  Or have they really reached a point where they don't care?  Oh, they would care if God presented Himself as the awesome terror that He is!  He IS Someone to be dreaded!  He does hold your life in His hand; He holds our country in His hand; He holds the entire planet in His hand!  And God will not be mocked!  Oh, He is patient, oh-so patient that people forget that the things of God matter, but they do!  And there will come a time when EVERYONE will know that!

For it is written, "As I live, says the LORD, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God." So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. - Romans 14:11-12

And that is a reference to Isaiah 45:23 which says:

"I have sworn by Myself, the word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear."

Can you imagine that?  Just by the sheer force of His majesty, everyone will be on his knees before the Lord.  EVERYONE, not just believers, not just Christians, EVERYONE!  And everyone will give an account of just why they did what they did.  That ought to strike fear in us to our very cores.  But surely God will understand a changing culture.  Surely God will understand taking a baby's life until a time when it is more convenient.  After all you don't have time to properly love that child now.  Surely God will understand that there had to be separation of church and state and that is why we fought to keep prayer out of schools and references to Him out of the public square!  Surely God understands that it is because you are so loving and tolerant that you believe you should fight for same-sex marriage even though He called it an abomination.  I'm not suggesting that any of these things can't be forgiven by God, and He did give us Jesus as our Mediator so that our sinful selves can come into His presence.  But He is still the same God and we have to realize when we are sinning against Him and repent, which means change!  Yes, Jesus gives us grace so that we don't have to fear God, but only when we see our sin, see our need for Him to cover our sin, and REPENT!  A repentant heart is one that is truly sorry and seeks to change.  We know what is right.  Isaiah 45:24 goes on to say that after we all bow before the Lord, "and all that are incensed against Him shall be ashamed".  We will know He is God; we will bow before Him; and we will be ashamed.  I'm just imagining how we would act in this country if we had to be on our knees in the presence of God before every decision we made.  Or maybe just every night to explain why we did what we did.  Do you think we'd act a lot differently?  God gives us free will; it's true.  But that doesn't change what is right and true.  And if we truly had the fear of God as we should, we wouldn't dare do what we do in this day and age. 

(18) And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil on the top of it. (19) And he called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of that city was called Luz at first.

Jacob took the stone he had used for a pillow and turned it into an upright erect position as a monument to God or as a reminder to him of the greatness of God and of his vision.  He called the place Bethel, which literally meant "house of God".  It had previously been called Luz, which was the word for a kind of nut, an almond or a hazel nut, which probably grew there. 

(20) And Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I am going, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, (21) So that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God. (22) And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God's house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You."

The wording of Jacob's vow sounds like he is making it a condition that IF God will be with him, then he Jacob will do...  I don't think that was Jacob's intention.  He has just heard from God and God has promised to be with him and keep him and bring him to this place again, so that was Jacob's way of saying that because the Lord was going to be with him, etc., so that he would come again, that the Lord was his God.  The little word translated as "if" by the KJV translators actually does also mean "when", "lo", or "verily", words all meaning Jacob was sure that God would do what He said in his vision.  This was more of a demonstrative statement rather than a conditional one.  The stone Jacob had set up would be God's house.  He may have meant that in the future he would make it God's house as later in scripture, it is said that he went to Bethel and made an altar to God (Gen. 35:3), but he may have meant that it would forever be a place where God had appeared to him and therefore was God's house, because everywhere that God is, is His house. 

Jacob did vow to give a tithe of 10% of all that the Lord gave him.  All blessings come from the Lord.  Ten represents the whole and 1/10 is given in acknowledgment of the Lord and His sovereign right to it all.  It is given in gratitude to Him and is used for the support of worship to Him, as in building an altar or church, or in providing a sacrifice, or in giving to the poor or needy, or for any need or service in which God may be glorified.  I personally believe the tithe is still relevant today, although the Apostle Paul said in the New Testament that it should be given according to how God has prospered, and as one feels led in his heart, so that he does not give begrudgingly, but cheerfully.  There is a lot of discussion today about whether or not the tithe is still required or if it is an Old Testament law that is not necessary today.  Today the law is written on our hearts, and I believe that is what Paul was saying in 1 Corinthians 16:2 and 2 Corinthians 9:7.  Since the tithe is only given as the Lord has given us, and not as a regular bill that is due whether or not we get paid, it is easy to give back.  It is all God's anyway, and by giving 1/10 back in acknowledgment and thanksgiving, I believe we are saying that we trust God with all of it.  I can say from personal experience that God can do amazing things with very little when I trust Him!  Can you imagine the good that would be done in the world today if everyone tithed only 10% to God instead of giving 20-30% to a corrupt government that forces people to give for ungodly things like abortions for the poor?

A Beautiful Example of How God Can Find the Perfect Wife

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Genesis 24:1) And Abraham was old, well stricken in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.

Abraham was 140 years old at this time, so three years have passed since the death of Sarah.  We know this because we were told previously that he was ten years older than Sarah, and because of a scripture still to come that will tell us Isaac is 40 about this time--Genesis 25:20.

(2) And Abraham said to his oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, "Please, put your hand under my thigh, (3) And I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; (4) But you will go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac."

Putting one's hand under another's thigh appears to have been a method of swearing an oath; it was a way of binding by oath the two parties.  The person binding himself put his hand under the thigh of the person to whom he was to be bound.  The reason the thigh area was chosen likely may have been because that is the part of the body that bore the mark of circumcision, the sign of God’s covenant.  The person, in essence, is swearing by God, or in the presence of God, much like one today might put his hand on the Bible. Abraham told his servant what he planned to have him swear, that he would not take a wife for his son Isaac from the Canaanites, his neighbors.  The original word for "take" doesn't always mean to actively take, but also means "receive" or "accept".  At 40 years of age by this time, Isaac would have been well able to choose his own wife, so whether it was a custom for it to be prearranged or because Isaac would have had great respect for the opinion of the oldest servant of his father's house, either way, Abraham wanted his servant to be pro-active in steering Isaac away from the idolatrous and wicked Canaanites and finding him a wife from his own people.

(5) And the servant said to him, "Suppose the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land; must I take your son back to the land from which you came?"

It certainly appears that the servant is taking this oath seriously as he seems to be carefully considering all angles before he swears.  Suppose he finds the right woman, but she will not leave her homeland.  Should the servant bring Isaac to her?

(6) And Abraham said to him, "Beware that you do not take my son back there. (7) The LORD God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, 'To your descendants will I give this land,' He will send His angel before you, and you will take a wife for my son from there. (8) And if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be clear from this oath; only do not take my son back there."

Abraham made it clear that the servant was not to take Isaac away from this land.  God took Abraham from his homeland to this land, and told him He would give this new land to his descendants.  Abraham is very certain that this is where Isaac must stay.  He is so certain that he has faith that God Himself will guide the servant in finding the wife.  However, for the servant's benefit, so that he may feel comfortable in swearing this oath, he told the servant that if he could not convince the woman to come back to this land, then the servant would be released from the oath.

(9) And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning that matter.

Once the servant had asked his questions and had a complete understanding of what he was being asked to swear to and do, he put his hand under Abraham's thigh and swore to him concerning the matter of finding a wife for Isaac.

(10) And the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed, for all his master's goods were in his hand; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. (11) And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water at evening time, the time that women go out to draw water.

I believe the sense of verse 10 is that as steward of Abraham's house, the servant had access to all of Abraham's goods, and therefore he was free to take ten camels, and it was his own decision to take them, and he then departed for the city of Nahor, Abraham's brother.  When he reached his destination, he made his camels lie down beside a well outside the city.  Whether at this point it was by design or not, it was in the evening at the time that women came to draw water.

(12) And he said, "O LORD God of my master Abraham, please send me good speed this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham."

The servant prayed to God for favor in his endeavor, and was asking this for his master Abraham's benefit.  The words translated as "good speed" are not translated that way anywhere else in the Bible, so I had difficulty determining their exact meaning, but obviously he asked for success in his mission, or asked that it happen quickly and decisively.  Perhaps "Godspeed" is the better translation; he asked that God prosper or bring him good fortune that day, but again, it was Abraham's good fortune for which he prayed.

(13) "Behold, I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water. (14) And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, 'Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,' and she shall say, 'Drink, and I will give your camels drink also', let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that You have shown kindness to my master."

I have to wonder if this prayer and request for a sign from God was totally the servant's, or if Abraham had had any part of it, recalling that it was Abraham who first assured the servant that God would send His angel before the servant to find a wife for Isaac. Regardless the servant does appear to be a God-fearing man who is looking for assurance from God that he has found the right wife for his master's son.

(15) And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, came out with her pitcher on her shoulder. (16) And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, no man had known her; and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.

How awesome that God began to answer the servant's prayer before he had even completed it!  There is a scripture in Isaiah, specifically, Isaiah 65:24, which says, "And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear."  How wonderful is that?  We are given a brief genealogy of Rebekah to show that she was indeed of Abraham's brother's family, and she was a fair unattached maiden.  Rebekah came to the well and filled her pitcher, and was apparently coming back from the well.

(17) And the servant ran to meet her and said, "Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher." (18) And she said, "Drink, my lord", and she hurried and let down her pitcher to her hand, and gave him a drink. (19) And when she had done giving him a drink, she said, "I will draw water for your camels also, until they have done drinking."

The servant apparently watched Rebekah fill her pitcher and as she was leaving the well, then ran to meet her.  The sign for which he had prayed could not have been fulfilled until she had water in her pitcher.  Rebekah was beautiful to look upon and turned out to be most gracious and considerate, and began to fulfill the requested sign perfectly.

(20) And she hurried and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels. (21) And the man, wondering at her, held his peace so as to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.

Rebekah indeed did what she said, and also drew water for the camels.  My first thought as I read this scripture was that of course, God had made his journey prosperous!  Wouldn't he have known that when the maiden first opened her mouth and said she would water the camels?  However, I believe the sense of this scripture is that the servant is in incredulous wonder that things played out exactly as he had asked.  He watched until the entire incident was over, and marvelled at how God had worked in this gracious young woman.  When you think about it, she could have found it very condescending of this man to ask for water when he was perfectly capable of getting water himself, as he was also at the well.  But to be so generous to offer even more than the man had asked was certainly something at which to marvel!

(22) And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold; (23) And said, "Whose daughter are you? Tell me, please, is there room in your father's house for us to lodge?"

Of course, it makes sense to me now that the servant could still be wondering if this was truly God's sign that this was the wife for Isaac.  He did not yet know if she was of Abraham's family (only we knew that, at this point).  The servant took out the gold jewelry, but the scripture doesn't say that he gave it to Rebekah yet.  With what he has witnessed, he was probably pretty sure this maiden was "the one", but he may have wanted to be certain first before he gave her the jewels.  Then again, the jewels may have been a "thank you" for her gracious generosity thus far, even if she wasn't "the one".

(24) And she said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor." (25) Moreover she said to him, "We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge in."

Rebekah confirmed that she was indeed of Abraham's family, and she answered the servant's question about whether or not there was room in her father's house for the servant and his entourage to lodge.

(26) And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD. (27) And he said, "Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken my master of His mercy and His truth; I, being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren."

The man bowed and prayed and thanked the Lord for His mercy for Abraham and for putting him, the servant, in the right path of the maiden God had chosen for Isaac.

(28) And the damsel ran and told her mother's household these things.

At this point, Rebekah may only be telling her family that she has invited this man to lodge with them.  The fact that she told her mother's household, and not her father's, might be because her father is dead at this time.  While wives often had their own tents, and the fact that Bethuel is mentioned later in scripture, might mean her father is still alive, the fact that her brother appears to be the one making decisions, it may be that the Bethuel mentioned later is another brother, named after his father.

(29) And Rebekah had a brother and his name was Laban, and Laban ran out to the man to the well.

Apparently, Rebekah left the servant at the well while she ran home to prepare her family for their guest, as Rebekah's brother, Laban, went back to the well to meet the servant.

(30) And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, "Thus the man spoke to me," that he came to the man; and there he stood by the camels at the well.

Rebekah had told her family what the man had said to her, and seeing the gold jewels, her brother Laban went out to meet the man at the well.

(31) And he said, "Come in, you blessed of the LORD; why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and room for the camels."

Laban saw the servant as blessed by the Lord.  It could be just because he appeared wealthy because of his gifts to Rebekah, and because of the number of attendants and camels he had, but it may be that Rebekah heard the thankful prayer the servant made to God and she relayed that to her brother and the rest of her family.  Laban asked the question about why he stayed behind outside, probably just as a courteous invitation to delay no further and come on in, for they were prepared for him and his camels to stay.

(32) And the man came into the house; and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and feed for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.

The servant went into the house, but the "he" who gave straw and feed and water to wash the feet of the men must be interpreted to be said of Laban, unless it was "he", the servant, acting on instructions and with provisions given by Laban.

(33) And there was set food before him to eat, but he said, "I will not eat until I have told about my errand." And he said, "Speak on."

Food was set before the servant, but he wanted to first make clear his purpose in being there.  Laban told him to go ahead and tell them.

(34) And he said, "I am Abraham's servant. (35) And the LORD has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great; and He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, and menservants and maidservants, and camels and donkeys. (36) And Sarah my master's wife bore a son to my master when she was old; and to him he has given all that he has."

The servant began by telling who he was, and of the great blessings the Lord had given his master, Abraham, and of the son that was born to Abraham, who now owned all that his father had been given of God.

(37) "And my master made me swear, saying, 'You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell; (38) But you shall go to my father's house and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son.' (39) And I said to my master, 'Perhaps the woman will not follow me.' (40) And he said to me, 'The LORD, before whom I walk, will send His angel with you and prosper your way; and you shall take a wife for my son from my kindred and from my father's house. (41) Then you shall be clear from this oath when you come to my kindred, and if they will not give her to you, you shall be clear from my oath.'"

The servant told Rebekah's family of Abraham's desire for a wife for Isaac from his family, and retold in detail the oath.

(42) "And I came this day to the well and said, 'O LORD God of my master Abraham, if now You do prosper my way in which I go, (43) Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass that when the virgin comes forth to draw water, and I say to her, "Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink," (44) And she says to me, "You both drink, and I will also draw for your camels", let her be the woman whom the LORD has appointed for my master's son.' (45) And before I had done speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder, and she went down to the well and drew water; and I said to her, 'Let me drink, please.' (46) And she made haste and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, 'Drink, and I will give your camels drink also.' So I drank, and she made the camels drink also."

The servant told Rebekah's family about his prayer for the sign that he had found the right woman for Isaac.  Note that he told them that he had said the prayer silently, or in his heart, so it was not possible that Rebekah heard his prayer and decided to play along.  He told them how she indeed did do what he had asked in his prayer.

(47) "And I asked her, and said, 'Whose daughter are you?' And she said, 'The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him', and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands."

The earring that the servant gave Rebekah might not have been the same kind of earring that we think of today.  For one thing, there was only one.  While it might have been only one for one ear, since the servant said he put it on her face, it might have been the type of ornament that hung from a lace tied around the head above the ears and centered down the forehead between the eyes and down the ridge of the nose.  It could have also been a nosering.

(48) "And I bowed my head and worshiped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter for his son. (49) And now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left."

The servant told Rebekah's family how he had thanked the Lord for fulfilling the sign and finding the woman for Isaac, and asked whether or not they would do this kindness for his master (in giving Rebekah in marriage to Isaac) or if he would have to look elsewhere.

(50) Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, "The thing comes from the LORD; we cannot speak to you either bad or good. (51) Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be your master's son's wife, as the LORD has spoken."

Here is the first time we actually hear from Bethuel in this whole episode.  Dr. John Gill points out in his Exposition of the Entire Bible, that the order of the words in the original text is "then answered Laban and Bethuel", and that the word for "answered" is in the singular form, so it may be concluded that Laban gave the answer in the name of Bethuel, who might be an old man who left the management of his family affairs to his son.  I would think he might also be dead by this time, and Laban could still be answering in the name of his father, as he was now head of his father's household.  As mentioned before, this Bethuel might also be a younger brother named after his father.  A few verses later these men seem to be mentioned again as sending "their sister" away, indicating they are her brothers, or if this Bethuel is not a brother and Laban was speaking in his father's name, it does seem that Bethuel the father is gone, and that only sons (brothers to Rebekah) remain in the household. 

Regardless of who the men were, brother and father, or both brothers, they realize this thing was entirely the Lord's doing.  They couldn't comment for or against, because they saw it as entirely the work of God, so they just told the servant Rebekah was before him (as God had planned) and that he should take her to be Isaac's wife.

(52) And it came to pass, that when Abraham's servant heard their words, he worshiped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth. (53) And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother.

When the servant realized that his mission was to be accomplished, he bowed himself to the ground and thanked and worshiped the Lord.  He then gave Rebekah more jewels and clothing, and he also gave precious things, or presents, as the word is also translated, to Rebekah's brother and mother.  Once again, we read no mention of Rebekah's father, so I have to finally conclude that her father is dead, and the gifts are being given to Laban, as head of the household. 

(54) And they did eat and drink, he and the men who were with him, and stayed all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, "Send me away to my master." (55) And her brother and her mother said, "Let the damsel stay with us a few days, at least ten; after that she shall go." (56) And he said to them, "Do not hinder me, since the LORD has prospered my way; send me away so that I may go to my master."

The servant and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night with Rebekah's family.  The next morning the servant was ready to depart with Rebekah and return to Abraham and Isaac.  Rebekah's brother and mother wanted to spend a few more days with Rebekah before she left, but the servant asked to be hindered no longer as they were all in agreement that this was the work of the Lord.

(57) And they said, "We will call the damsel, and ask her." (58) And they called Rebekah, and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" And she said, "I will go."

I'm sure the family would have liked to spend a little more time with Rebekah as this marriage arrangement came about suddenly, but their delay may have been partly to be able to talk to Rebekah and be sure that she also wanted this marriage.  Although marriages were often arranged by the parents in these times, it seems that the parties to be married had a say, as well.  If they couldn't spend time with Rebekah to find out how she felt about all this, then they would ask her directly now.  She said that she would go with the servant to be married to Isaac. 

(59) And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant and his men. (60) And they blessed Rebekah, and said to her, "You are our sister, you be the mother of thousands of millions, and let your descendants possess the gates of those who hate them."

Rebekah's family then sent her on her way with their blessing.  I suppose it is a blessing that any family would want for their own, that they have many children and grandchildren, and that those descendants be successful and powerful and victorious, which was what they were, in essence, saying.  Possessing the gate of those who hate them is to have power over them.  This may have been a common blessing, but it certainly sounds prophetic.  Perhaps they knew of God's promise to Abraham; maybe the servant had told them.  Whether it was their unknowing prophetic wish and blessing for Rebekeh, or whether they knew God's full plan and in agreement sent Rebekah with their blessing, the end result was the same.  Rebekah left her home to go with the servant back to Abraham and Isaac, to be Isaac's wife.

(61) And Rebekah arose, and her maidens, and they rode on the camels and followed the man; and the servant took Rebekah and went his way. (62) And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahai Roi, for he dwelt in the south country. (63) And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening, and he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, the camels were coming.

Lahai Roi is the same place as Beer Lahai Roi, which was where the well was at which the angel met with Hagar when she fled from Sarah.  As the camel caravan bringing Rebekah came back home, Isaac had gone out in a field to meditate or perhaps to pray, and saw the camels coming.

(64) And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she got off the camel; (65) For she had said to the servant, "Who is this man who walks in the field to meet us?" And the servant had said, "It is my master." Therefore she took a veil and covered herself.

Apparently when Isaac saw the camels, he started toward them.  When Rebekah saw Isaac coming toward them, she asked the servant who he was and the servant replied that it was his master, Isaac.  It was after she knew who he was that Rebekah got off her camel, and she covered herself with a veil out of modesty and respect and subjection, as was the custom in those days when a woman met a man. 

(66) And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. (67) And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.

I'm sure the servant told Isaac the entire story explaining how he knew this was the wife for Isaac.  Isaac brought Rebekah to Sarah's tent, which would now be hers, as wives often had separate tents from their husbands.  Rebekah became Isaac's wife, and the scripture points out that he really loved her.  As a single man, he apparently still suffered from the loss of his mother, but Rebekah was a real comfort to him, just as God intended a marriage partner to be.

So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. - Ephesians 5:28

And the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make a help meet for him." - Genesis 2:18

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they shall be one flesh. - Genesis 2:24