Originally posted 5/14/24
My sister is 8 ½ years older than me. She got married when I was 14. We were never in competition for anything. We were loved equally by our parents and neither one of us overshadowed the other. But then again, I am the youngest child and you know what they say about the youngest child. I’m sure I see it differently than my siblings.
Leah was the overlooked sister. She was the older sister, but her younger sister outshone her. Her sister, Rachel, was beautiful and yet the only description of Leah was her beautiful eyes. Is that similar to saying she had a good personality?
As women, we all battle with different levels of self-image issues. We always judge ourselves by other women. Is our hair the correct style? Am I thin enough? Are these the right shoes for this outfit.? Is she prettier than me? Why can’t I lose weight? Heaven help us when menopause descends.
Women of this time were typically married in the order in which they were born. Leah would have been expected to be married before her younger sister, Rachel. Jacob comes along and he wants to marry Rachel. If Laban wanted Leah married first, why wasn’t he honest?
Jacob comes to town, sees Rachel, and wants to marry her. (For more information on Rachel refer to the article on Rachel. (hyperlink) Leah knows she is not as beautiful as her sister. She probably feels she will not ever marry.
In Gen 29:16-18 says, “Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
Jacob worked his seven years and it was time for him to marry Rachel. However Laban made a late substitution. He gave Leah instead. How on earth could Jacob not recognize the fact that he was marrying the wrong girl? Let’s consider the time in history and the customs of the people. The wedding was held in the evening and it would have been very dark. Also at this time brides wore veils hiding her face. I still am not quite sure how he spent time with her in private and didn’t realize it.
Can you imagine how Leah felt during the deception? She would trick her sister. Was their jealousy and rivalry before the wedding? What must it have been like the next morning when Jacob realized he had been tricked. Was it a conversation heard around the neighborhood? Leah had to know she was unwanted. Can you picture Jacob storming out of the room to find Laban?
Jacob confronted Laban about the deception. Some might see it as ironic that Jacob cheated his brother out of his birthright and this was just payback. Laban knew it was tradition that the oldest daughter got married first. He tells Jacob that in Genesis 29:26, “Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.” Jacob had to finish the week of the wedding feast with Leah. It must have been such a long week for Leah knowing Jacob was not happy. He was then able to work another seven years to marry the love of his life.
It doesn’t take a very smart person to realize that there is going to be trouble for Jacob. Two wives and one husband, what could possibly go wrong? Rachel was the one whom Jacob loved. He did not love Leah. The LORD knew that Leah was not loved and he allowed her to have a child. Genesis 29:31-33 tells us, “When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because the LORD has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” 33 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon.”
Leah must have thought that Jacob would surely love her after she had his child, but that was not the case. However, the LORD continued to bless them with children. Genesis 29:34-35 says, “Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi. And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing.” She had given Jacob three sons yet Rachel was the one who he loved. How difficult was it for Leah to continue to live in a loveless marriage?
Genesis 30:1-8 says, ”When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!” Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” Then she said, “Here is my servant Bilhah; go in to her, so that she may give birth on my behalf, that even I may have children through her.” So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her. And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. Then Rachel said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan. Rachel’s servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. Then Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed.” So she called his name Naphtali.”
The two ladies were in competition and used their servants to gain more children. The interactions between these two women seem so childish. However, nothing good happens with two women and one man. We have to remember that there was status in having children. As the story continues in Genesis 30. Leah and Rachel seem to be bargaining with each other over Jacob. Leah’s motives are revealed in verse 20, “Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” Poor Leah, she gave her husband six sons but still was unloved. She expressed her deepest desire–to be loved. No matter what she did, Jacob did not love her.
Leah would have known that once Rachel conceived Jacob would never love her. Even though God’s promise was going to be fulfilled through Jacob and Rachel, God still was faithful to Leah. Her son, Levi, became the priestly tribe.
After the birth of Rachel’s second son, she died and buried on the journey back to Canaan. We know that Rachel died first because Leah is buried with the family. Genesis 49:30-31 says, “in the cave that is in the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah.”
Was Leah loved after Rachel died? I cannot imagine what it must have been like for Leah to live a life being the unloved one. God had a purpose for her even if it wasn’t the life she had always dreamed of. God has a purpose for each one of us. Sometimes we take a while to figure out what that purpose is. We can be sure that God is working things together for our good.
#faith, #Bible, #Scriptures, #Christian Women, #Discipleship, #womenintheBible, #Leah