Genesis 29:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

NIV: Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

NASB: Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

CSB: Now Laban had two daughters: the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel.

NLT: Now Laban had two daughters. The older daughter was named Leah, and the younger one was Rachel.

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

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

After Jacob had lived with him for a month (Genesis 29:14), Laban approached Jacob to ask what wages his nephew would want to stay on with Laban and continue to work for him. Apparently, he was impressed with the work Jacob was doing or he just liked having him around.

Before telling us Jacob's response, the story backs up to add some characters to the plot. Laban had two daughters. Leah is the older of the two. The text has already introduced Rachel, the younger sister and a shepherdess (Genesis 29:6–9). Since Isaac had sent Jacob to marry one of Laban's daughters (Genesis 28:1–2), Jacob must have been considering these two since arriving at Laban's household.

We're told very little about the women, other than a brief idea of their physical appearance. Unfortunately for Leah, she is not as attractive as her younger sister, nor will she be loved by Jacob (Genesis 29:17–18).

Genesis 29:1–30 describes Jacob's arrival at his uncle's household. Laban is happy to see his nephew, likely for the first time. Jacob falls in love with Laban's more attractive daughter, Rachel, and agrees to work for Laban seven years to marry her. On the wedding night, however, Laban treacherously switches Rachel for her older sister Leah. Jacob agrees to marry Rachel the next week, but now must work another seven years.

Jacob's journey from his home brings him to his uncle's household in Haran. He falls in love with Laban's younger daughter Rachel and agrees to work for Laban for seven years to marry her. When the time comes, Laban switches out Rachel for her older, less attractive sister Leah. Jacob is surprised to find he has consummated the marriage with the wrong sister. Manipulative Laban assures Jacob he can still marry Rachel the next week, as long as he will work another seven years. Jacob loves Rachel more than Leah, but with the Lord's help, unloved Leah bears Jacob his first four sons.

The previous chapter described Jacob fleeing from home to seek his uncle in Mesopotamia. This was both to escape the rage of his brother, Esau, and to look for a suitable wife. Now Jacob arrives and falls in love with his uncle's daughter Rachel. After working seven years to marry her, Jacob is tricked by his uncle into marrying the older daughter, Leah, instead. Laban allows Jacob to marry Rachel, as well, in exchange for another seven years' work. Though she is unloved by Jacob, the Lord notices Leah's heartbreak and allows her to bear four sons. In the next chapter, Rachel's jealousy sets off something of a birth war, as she and Leah compete to obtain children.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.

Accessed 5/6/2024 5:56:58 AM