Bible read.

[Openly Curious]

Speckles,

Sure looks like it.

chatty,

ME TOO!

One more thing about this chapter...

7. And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padanaram;

Looks like momma had a say in the matter too.

Women were NOT the silent slaves that some say they were back then.

Amen G

women of God in the bible were no whooses they had courage and backbone and true grit. They were pioneers of the faith that we have to day because of it.

OC

[Giaour]

Genesis 29

1. Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.

2. And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth.

3. And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place.

4. And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.

5. And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.

6. And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.

7. And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them.

8. And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep.

9. And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep; for she kept them.

10. And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.

11. And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.

12. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father.

13. And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.

14. And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.

15. And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?

16. And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

17. Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.

18. And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.

19. And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.

20. And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.

21. And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.

22. And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.

23. And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.

24. And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.

25. And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?

26. And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.

27. Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.

28. And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.

29. And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.

30. And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

31. And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.

32. And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.

33. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the Lord hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.

34. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.

35. And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the Lord: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.

[Giaour]

God felt sorry for Leah because Jacob loved Rachel and not her.

I like it that God saw Leahs sadness and longing to be loved by Jacob that he gave her son after son and witheld children from Rachel.

[Giaour]

Oh, and Laban?

DIRTY trick !!!!!!!!!!!!

[Openly Curious]

Genesis 29

13. And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.

14. And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.

15. And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?

16. And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

17. Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.

18. And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.

19. And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.

##Well Jacob stayed in Laban's house for a whole month it seems working for Laban vs 14 & 15 and Laban had asked Jacob what did he want for serving him for his wages cause it didn't seem right that one of his own relatives should serve and work for him for nothing. So Jacob had a genuine love for Rachel in his heart and wanted her to be his wife so he asks for Rachel and said that he would serve him for a period of seven years for his daughter Rachel. And Laban agreed to this as it pleased him to give her to him than that a stranger would take her to be their wife.

20. And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.

## I like what it says here as those seven years seemed like only a few days to Jacob as he was so in love with Rachel. That is the way it is when we are blindly in love our labor up under the sun is only but a light thing to us. Love is Great.

21. And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.

22. And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.

23. And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.

24. And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.

25. And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?

26. And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.

27. Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.

## alright here Jacob had labored faithfully for seven years and pay day had come to recieve his wages from his toils. and low and behold Jacob is ignorant about the customs that they have there in that country concerning the firstborn daughter getting married before the younger one can be taken in marriage. Now Laban I think deliberately kept this custom from Jacob in order to get another seven years work out of him cause all the works of his hands was blessed and Laban was no doubt prospering from his labor. Also I think it was done purposefully because the way they kind of snuck Leah in and never told him then it was to late and Jacob was tricked by it and became one with someone he never intended to be one with.

But Jacob learned his lesson that day how Laban was and later on he deals with Laban in a wiser way and comes out to the good for it. But what a great love that Jacob did have for Rachel to yet labor another seven years to be with her. And to do the right thing by Leah as he fulfilled her week and kept her for his wife in order to get Rachel for his wife also.

28. And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.

29. And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.

30. And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

31. And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.

32. And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.

33. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the Lord hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.

34. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.

35. And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the Lord: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.

##Now the Lord is most defiantly looking after the needs of Leah here as she was being neglected by Jacob as far as companionship goes as he was in love with Rachel and spending all his time with the love of his life it seems and God saw to the needs of Leah as a result of Jacobs neglect and caused her to start having children as Rachel remained barren.

##Now it is obvious that God had a plan in all of this that befell Jacob and is going to work out everything to the good as God start to create a nation from these two wifes of Jacob. Now all these sons of Leah that she is giving birth to here are the heads of the tribes of Israel they are the partriach that make up most of the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel. There was Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah here within this chapter so far the others are mentioned in the following chapters. Now Levi did not have a portion because God had set them aside for himself and his use and God was their portion or inheritance so the tribe of Levi was not counted. that will be important later on.

##Rachel only had two sons being Benjamin and Joseph of her own body and Joseph two sons Ephraim and Mannesah became two of the tribes in Israel instead of him as he was given a double portion. Rachel also had children by her maid Bilhah which were more of the heads of the tribes making up Israel.

##So all the sons of Leah born of her own body are again not all mentioned here became heads of the various tribes or patriach's of Israel except for Levi for God was their portion and they recieved no inheritance in the land of Canaan. Also Zilpah who was Leah's maid had some of the heads or partriach as well. Rachel's son Benjamin of her own body was a patriarch but Joseph's two sons Ephraim and Mannesah was the last of the patriachs that made up the twelve tribes of Israel and those children she had by her handmaiden Bilhah. Sorry to be so long winded but thought it was important to really see how God is bringing about the nation of Israel that would not exist without God himself for Israel is proof in my opinion God does in fact exist. As this chosen nation is the nation in which our Lord Jesus Christ was destined and chosen by God to come into this world through the tribe of Judah. Hopefully it will all become clearer up ahead.

OC

[Openly Curious]

This is a good study Giaour

I am being blessed and encouraged at the very hand of God moving and bringing about his divine plan it is a true blessing to see as you read through the Word. You have begun a great work in doing this.

oc

[chattymae]

I could not imagine how both sisters felt that night when Leah was brought to him, and not Rachel. Leah going, knowing that she was not the one whom he wanted, and Rachel had to sit back while her sister was with the man she was to be with, wow, talk about reasons for sister rivalry!!!

[speckles]

I could not imagine how both sisters felt that night when Leah was brought to him, and not Rachel. Leah going, knowing that she was not the one whom he wanted, and Rachel had to sit back while her sister was with the man she was to be with, wow, talk about reasons for sister rivalry!!!

I imagine the only one happy about the situation was their father.

[Openly Curious]

I could not imagine how both sisters felt that night when Leah was brought to him, and not Rachel. Leah going, knowing that she was not the one whom he wanted, and Rachel had to sit back while her sister was with the man she was to be with, wow, talk about reasons for sister rivalry!!!

I know chattymae,

I couldn't even imagine such a thing. I'd be so mad it wouldn't even be funny but I guess I am looking at it in light of our present day. But the disappointment of it all for all involved three broken hearts in one night because of a custom they had in giving the older before the younger in marriage. Then Jacob is tricked in the night he thought he was getting his wages for all those seven years of hard work then to wake up in the morning to find out it wasn't Rachel. Man if I was Jacob I believe I would have been looking for Laban the next morning to ring his neck for what he done.

Then Leah having to be a wife of a man that is madly in love with her sister and will not be desired by him. Then Rachel having to share Jacob with her sister Leah for the rest of their lives. And Laban so self-centered that he didn't even tell Jacob of the marriage custom that they had in the land. Laban was a crooked man all the way around no doubt.

Like G said "Dirty trickster"

[Giaour]

Genesis 30

1. And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.

2. And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?

3. And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.

4. And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her.

5. And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son.

6. And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan.

7. And Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son.

8. And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.

9. When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.

10. And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son.

11. And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.

12. And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son.

13. And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher.

14. And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's mandrakes.

15. And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son's mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son's mandrakes.

16. And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night.

17. And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son.

18. And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar.

19. And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son.

20. And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun.

21. And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah.

22. And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.

23. And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach:

24. And she called his name Joseph; and said, The Lord shall add to me another son.

25. And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.

26. Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee.

27. And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake.

28. And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.

29. And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me.

30. For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the Lord hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?

31. And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock.

32. I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.

33. So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me.

34. And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.

35. And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.

36. And he set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.

37. And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.

38. And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.

39. And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted.

40. And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban's cattle.

41. And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.

42. But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's.

43. And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.