The jerusalem targum tells us, that her eyes were tender with. When rachel failed to have children, rachel gave bilhah to jacob as a concubine to bear him children. She lectures internationally on issues relating to women, relationships, meaning, selfesteem and the jewish soul. And he said, i will serve you seven years for your younger daughter rachel. The midrash includes rachel among the seven barren women who were eventually blessed with offspring. So too the name that she gives her younger son, benoni meaning son of. Rachel, with whom jacob fell in love, was labans younger daughter. The story of rachel and jacob is the most famous love story in the bible. Her name is found more than forty times in the old testament. This book is about rachel and leah as young, petty children. Name given to benjamin by rachel as she was dying during the birth process genesis 35. Rachel was the wife of jacob grandson of abraham and the mother of two sonsjoseph and benjamin. When the lord saw that leah was hated, he opened her womb, but rachel was barren gen.
Rachel and leah genesis 29 commentary then jacob went on his journey peacefully, knowing god was with him and came to the land of the people of the east. Finally, jacob marries rachel and eventually jacob reaches the limit of his tolerance for labans shenanigans. Youll also learn a truth, grounded in the word of god, that will help you keep comparison from compromising who god created you to be. He sets the childless woman among her household as a happy mother of children pesikta derav kahana ed. The lord make the woman that is come into thine house like rachel and like leah, which two did build the house of israel. Leah and rachels story in the bible what they can teach us. Complicating things further, rachel seems unable to bear children, but god grants leah fruitfulness as compensation for being unloved by jacob v. Rachel and leah answered having heard his views, they expressed their entire approval. Genesis chapters 29 35 introduction rachel and leah were two sisters who married the same man jacob. Unsurprisingly rachel s name means ewe a female sheep.
After laban asks jacob what his wages should be, it. Genesis 29 commentary matthew henry commentary on the. If leah was deep and tender of eye, rachel is beautiful and sexy. Lightfoot makes leah and rachel to be figures of the two churches, the jews. Starting with eve, we saw the big picture of the plan of how god would raise up the seed of the woman to conquer the. Through their family, god blessed the entire world, as jesus christ was born from the tribe of judah and offers salvation to all john. Holy scripture tells us very little about these two sisters. He notices labans younger daughter rachel and falls in love with her. There is no doubt that jacob was taken with rachel. Jacob made an agreement to serve laban seven years for the opportunity to marry rachel. The story of leah, rachel, and jacob is quite a dramatic love triangle. Rachel gave those secret signs over to leah so that yaakov would think leah was rachel, and leah would not be embarrassed. Both rachel and leah are considered among the great women of the bible. Rachel herself became a byword for womanly beauty, loyalty and steadfast love.
But an enigmatic verse at the climax of the book of ruth suggests we take a deeper look. Jacob packs up his wives and belongings and heads back home to the land of canaan. So far weve been able to trace gods plan of redemption here in genesis and to see how he involved several key women. In the bible study rachel and leah, author nicki koziarz uncovers the truths you need to arm yourself with when combating comparison by studying the biblical account of rachel and leah. In the book of ruth in the bible what is the significance. As we read the history of our forefathers in the faith, we cannot help but feel sorry for leah, jacobs first wife gen. Serves fourteen years for leah and rachel genesis 29. There are many lessons we can learn from this bible story, but to me, its the emotional undercurrent that i am most. He asks the shepherds gathered there if they know laban. What two sisters teach us about combating comparison at. Rachel and leah two powerful but contrasting personalities, each representing a world of her own. A thousand or so years after her death, rachel is symbolically portrayed by the prophet jeremiah.
Dantes vision of rachel and leah 1855 dante gabriel rossetti. When young reuben brought some mandrakes to his mother, leah, one day, rachel asked leah to give her the mandrakes genesis 30. Learn to define success through a biblical perspective. The lord executeth judgment for the oppressed, and he gave leah a son, whom she named reubensee a sonfor she said. And leah conceived and bore a son and named him reuben, for she said, because the lord has seen my affliction. S arah, r ebekah, rachel, leah, manoahs wife, hannah and z ion in a metaphorical sense, of whom ps. In giving birth to benjamin she died, and was buried near bethlehem genesis 35. Rachel and leah two sisters, the two wives of jacob, and two of the matriarchs of our people. We know that leah had beautiful eyes, but that rachel was lovely in every way. Now, a froward look and squint eyes, saith the historian, b are the certain notes of a nature to be suspected.
Jacob then gets up, places his wives and sons on camels. The bible study will be more interactive, asking you to dig into scripture and answer questions. The complicated story of jacob, leah, and rachel comprises one of the larger sections of genesis and includes much information relevant to the history of the jewish people. Because we know the story we know that rachel also eventually married yaakov, but when rachel shared those secret signs. The nation israel, which first read this book from the pen of moses. Rachel said to leah, please give me some of your sons mandrakes. Discover what the bible says about god, rachel, leah, and jacob, and how he used flawed people for his kingdom. Moreover leah becomes pregnant again, with another and then another son.
According to an ancient tradition, rachel and leah were twins. They display not only conjugal affection, but piety in following the course described whatsoever god hath said unto thee, do genesis 31. There are many lessons we can learn from this bible story, but to me. The story of rachel and leah a man named jacob begins working for laban.
Laban pursues jacob 33 so laban went into jacobs tent, then leahs tent, and then the tents of the two maidservants, but he found nothing. As such, it would seem to offer rare ancient commentary on the. Some hard bargaining follows, and rachel gets the mandrake root. They do, and while they are talking, the shepherds point out that labans daughter, rachel, is. We know quite a lot about her, but intriguingly there is much that must be imagined. Now the lord saw that leah was unloved, and he opened her womb, but rachel was barren. What two sisters teach us about combating comparison koziarz, nicki on. The story of jacob, leah, and rachel is filled with much difficulty, yet god used these people greatly to impact history.
He worked for his uncle seven years in return for rachels hand in marriage, yet when the wedding night came, jacob was so blinded by love he didnt notice the bride sharing his bed wasnt rachel. Card has a very engaging style that brings you right into the lives of the characters the four women in the house of laban. When jacob arrives in the land, he stops at a well. Stories from genesis to revelation, published by national geographic books. Each week, youll study a part of rachel and leahs story in a fresh and powerful way and focus on a verse to help you combat comparison. Jacob then gets up, places his wives and sons on camels, carries off his cattle and other property, and departs.
The stone on the wells mouth was large, 3 and when all the flocks were gathered. When leah balked, rachel traded a night with jacob for the mandrakes verse 15. I believe that leah wrongly interpreted the meaning of gods gift of that fifth son. As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep lying beside it, the lord is my shepherd, i shall not want, he makes me lie down in green pastures psalm 23. Orson scott card makes the bible women come alive in this tale of jacob working seven years for rachel only to be tricked into marrying leah, the eldest daughter, first. If you are interested in jacobs life, i cant believe how much i disliked this book compared to the first two in this series. I especially loved rebekah, but this book felt like a middle grade book, focused on childrenand very annoying children too.
However, perhaps this is why we now find, that during this time of emotional hardship for leah the sacred record revealing, that rachel was now found to be barren, for she couldnt have any kids of. Rachel sees the gift and begs leah to give it to her. God hearkened to leah the bible stresses the true source of leah s blessing. Although their handmaidens later became concubines and bore some of the sons that became the 12 tribes to the credit of rachel and leah, rachel and leah were the two wives of jacob who was also called israel. Nicki koziarz is a proverbs 31 ministries speaker and author of books and bible studies, including a woman who doesnt quit. So they have similar themes and may share a few stories, but they are different. Bible study online leah was still blessed in spite of jacobs treatment. Leah is first introduced in the book of genesis, or the first book of the torah, in genesis 29. What happened to her on the wedding night, when jacob made love to her sister leah. So, today, a career will not bring a woman or a man fulfillment either.
Laban agreed, but after seven years, he deceived jacob. A man shall leave father and mother and cleave to his wife, not his wives. Study the bible online using commentary on genesis 29 and more. Commentary critical and explanatory on the whole bible. Their twelve sons were the leaders of the twelve tribes that became the nation of israel. Rachel and leahs rivalry did not end here, however. Rachel and leah respond in one voiceas indicated by the singular verb formexpressing a shared anger against their father and a willingness to leave haran. And laban searched everything in the tent but found nothing. Rachel and leah were both in error by making a good gift from god children the ultimate touchstone of fulfillment and happiness. She is on staff with proverbs 31 ministries, where she leads thousands of women through their online bible studies.
David fohrmans analysis of the latter verse in tisha bav and the story of rachels tears shows how it too is an inner biblical allusion that illuminates the story of rachel and leah. And rachel and leah answered and said to him, is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our fathers house. Unfortunately, leahs future husband, jacob, had eyes only for rachel. What two sisters teach us about combating comparison. Jacob, leah, and rachel tricked by his fatherinlaw into marrying his true loves sister, jacob waited 14 years before he. In that passage, she is said to be the daughter of laban and the older sister of rachel. The barrenness of rachel at least drove jacob to the tent of leah to. Lightfoot makes leah and rachel to be figures of the two churches, the jews under the law and the gentiles under the gospel. And god listened we continue today our sermon series on key women in the bible.