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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Genesis 29:21 - 29:30
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Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel
v. 21. And Jacob said unto Laban, at the end of the seven years, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. Note that he calls Rachel his wife, although only engaged to her, for a rightful betrothal is as binding as marriage in the sight of God.
v. 22. And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. He arranged the customary marriage-festival, making it as splendid as his wealth allowed.
v. 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. This deception on Laban's part could be carried out all the more easily, since custom required that the bride be heavily veiled when led to the bridegroom and to the bridal chamber.
v. 24. And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah, his maid, for an handmaid. This fact is here expressly mentioned on account of later developments.
v. 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? While the fraud which was practiced upon Jacob may, in a sense, be regarded as a just punishment, his reproof of Laban was nevertheless fully justified, and he might well, according to the contract, have dismissed Leah.
v. 26. And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger-afore the first-born. Granted that this was an established custom in the place, or district, where Laban was living, his excuse was still a flimsy pretext, for his business would have been to acquaint Jacob with that custom at the time the contract was made His selfish motives, especially his avarice, here came to the surface, even as it was in evidence more and more in the succeeding years.
v. 27. Fulfill her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. The nuptial feast lasting seven days, Jacob was to confirm marriage with Leah by accepting her as his wife during this time. In the second week he was then given Rachel as his wife, with the understanding that he would serve another seven years for her, thus really paying a greater price than he owed.
v. 28. And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week; and he gave him Rachel, his daughter, to wife also. On either aide, sinful weaknesses had played a role and therefore Jacob's married life in more than one instance became a school of afflictions.
v. 29. And Laban gave to Rachel, his daughter, Bilhah, his handmaid, to be her maid. This fact is also expressly stated on account of later developments.
v. 30. And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. That bigamy, polygamy, is a perversion of God's original order, since marriage is to be a monogamy, the union of one man and one woman, appears even here, for it was impossible for Jacob to distribute his affections with impartiality. In spite of the fact, therefore, that the blessing of God upon Abraham made use also of these means to make of the descendants of Abraham a great nation, it is clear, nevertheless, that much of the subsequent trouble was due to this unnatural arrangement.