Leah And Rachael Compete for Jacob’s Love

Genesis 30:1–43
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Rachel was envious of her sister Leah, because Leah had given Jacob four sons, but she had none (v. 1). Rachel blamed Jacob for her childlessness, but Jacob blamed the Lord (v. 2). In anger, Rachel offered up her servant, Bilhah, as a way for Rachel to have children (v. 3). In accepting this demand, Jacob displayed a lack of self-control, a sinful willingness to compromise, and a failure to lead. Jacob’s third marriage resulted in two more sons: Dan and Naphtali (vv. 4-8). Leah thought two could play that game and offered up her servant, Zilpah, as a fourth wife for Jacob (v. 9). Zilpah had two sons as well: Gad and Asher (vv. 10-12). Now, out of his four wives, Rachel was still Jacob’s favorite, despite her childlessness, and they spent most nights together. One day, Rachel exchanged that privilege for some flowers her sister Leah’s son Reuben had picked (vv. 13-15). Leah slept with Jacob that night (v. 16), and Issachar, her fifth son, was the result (vv. 17-18). Leah went on to have a sixth son, Zebulun, and a daughter, Dinah (vv. 19-21). Finally, after nearly a decade of waiting, the Lord opened Rachel’s womb, and she gave birth to a son, Joseph (vv. 22-24). Jacob’s family is a poor model for us to follow, but God used him anyway. 

After 14 years Jacob wanted to return to Canaan (vv. 25-26). However, God had blessed Laban through Jacob, and Laban wanted him to stay (vv. 27-31). Jacob proposed a reasonable plan. He would receive as wages for his work the black and multicolored goats and the speckled and spotted sheep that would be born to Laban’s flock (vv. 32-33). It was agreed that any future black sheep and spotted and speckled goats from the solid-colored flock would be his (vv. 34-36). Normally very few off colored sheep and goats would be born from a solid-colored flock. If Jacob was to prosper God would have to bless him. Jacob used tricks to cause the flocks to multiply faster knowing that the larger the flock the greater his chance of getting the coloration he wanted (vv. 37-42). When the right colored sheep and goats were born, he separated them, increasing his chance of getting more of the same. This is known as selective breading. Before long the herds began to multiply the kind of sheep and goats in great number that Jacob wanted (v. 43). 

Application

God delights in being given an opportunity to do supernatural things in and through my life for His Glory. There should be no limit to what I am willing to trust Him to do in my life.