Week 3 Day 3 Tricky, Tricky

Genesis 28:10-30:43

Well, I am a day behind. So sorry. I am caught up on my reading, not sure I will get caught up on the posting. Not that anyone is reading...this is really for my accountability. Which I need.

So when we last saw our main character Jacob, he was going back "home" to seek a wife. And escape the wrath of Esau. That whole tricking thing.

Jacob happens to run into Rachel at the well. Those women at the well. Isn't that where we found Rebekah?

He is so overwhelmed to find someone he knows though I am guessing they had never actually met before that he kisses her. I guess it is just a family kind of kiss, but I wonder if sparks flew?

Jacob meets Laban and starts to work for him. He then asks for payment to marry Laban's daughter Rachel. Laban agrees...after 7 years.

I love how this is worded.

"So Jacob worked for Laban seven years so he could marry Rachel. But they seemed like just a few days to him because he loved Rachel very much."

All together now..."Awwww..."

Finally seven years is up. The long awaited marriage. I love that Jacob reminds Laban that the seven years is up. Surely Laban remembered such a date.

The day after the big "feast", Jacob realizes..."Oops, that is NOT Rachel. That is her big sister, the one with the weak eyes, Leah."

And he feels a bit...tricked.

Hmmm, what goes around, comes around?

Jacob talks to Laban and even asks, "Why did you trick me?"

I wonder if he felt ANY irony in uttering those words?

Laban answers that of course, the oldest daughter has to marry first. Why he didn't bring that up, say, seven years ago, is beyond me.

Jacob is told he can still marry Rachel after this wedding's ceremony has died down (about a week) in exchange for SEVEN more years of labor at the farm.

14 years of work for one woman. Wow.

He must have really loved her.

The last part of this passage involves the children. I am trying to keep this all very G rated, but we all know that the Bible is actually a soap opera of sorts. Just not made up stories.

I will just say that Jacob had a lot of children by FOUR different women.

It really makes me tired thinking about it, all of those children I mean.

I guess he is taking that whole "your seed will be multiplied on the earth" very seriously.

But it still makes me tired. I have trouble keeping up with four.

Today's passage (which I will likely blog about tomorrow): Genesis 31-33

Reba