Lord, Bless me with a Child

In Gen 29: 14-35, there was a man named Laban who had two daughters namely Leah and Rachael.  Leah had weak eyes (not sure what this means) and Rachael was lovely in form and beautiful.  Laban had a nephew by the name Jacob, who was the son of his sister.

Jacob was one sly guy. I strongly think that in the current day and time, Jacob would still beat the polygraph and emerge out ‘clean’. Twice he deceived his brother Esau. First time he took his birthright in exchange of some red stew (really wonder what that stew was made off) and then took his blessings from Isaac his father in cohorts with his mother. Esau did not take this lightly and sought after him, in order to kill him (Sibling rivalry has been with us from the days of Adam, it seems.)

Jacob started working for Laban as a shepherd and he was asked to name his wages. His answer was simple and concise “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachael”. Now I wonder how many men would work for 7 straight years for a wife. If I was in the same position as Jacob, I would have negotiated for a much shorter period – a max of 1 year. Anyway a deal was hammered.

After seven years, Jacob went to his uncle and told him what a man having paid dowry should tell the father of the girl he wants to marry, “Give me my wife. My time is completed and I want to lie with her”.  So he was given a girl and he lay with her. When morning came, he realized that he had been duped and instead of Rachael he had been given Leah (It was his turn to be duped). After complaining to Laban about the swap, he was later given Rachael but he had to work for another 7 years to complete the deal. Jacob loved Rachael more than Leah.