Leah … Laban was a farmer. John Trapp Complete Commentary. Answer: 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. But this was not all, she said to Jacob, give me children or else I die - A child would not content her; but because Leah has more than one, she must have more too; Give me children: her heart is set upon it. Remember that someone else’s gain is not your loss. Jacob, the son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham, fled to his mother’s brother Laban. Genesis 31:34 says. She is also mentioned in Ruth 4:11. 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. When Leah balked, Rachel traded a night with Jacob for the mandrakes (verse 15). Rebekah and Isaac have sent their son Jacob to his mother’s brother Laban, with instructions to marry one of his daughters, (the as yet unnamed Leah and … Continue reading "Commentary on Genesis 29:15-28" 29 Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. Discover what the Bible says about God, Rachel, Leah, and Jacob, and how He used flawed people for His kingdom. The story of two sisters, Rachel and Leah–married to the same man and trapped in the continuation of a sibling rivalry that had likely started well before their wedding days–shows us some amazing truths about physical beauty. In Genesis 31, Jacob calls his wives Rachel and Leah out to the field and confidentially expresses his desire to return to Canaan. Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah. ), reveal how much has changed since biblical times.1 Yet, aspects of this family tale with its strong emotions, sibling rivalry, deception, and loyalty continue to resonate, challenging us to think more deeply … Continue reading "Commentary on Genesis 29:15-28" "the written Torah." The Bible’s original love triangle: Jacob, Leah, and Rachel Tricked by his father-in-law into marrying his true love’s sister, Jacob waited 14 years before he could be with Rachel. Their father, Laban, was Jacob's uncle. They are on Laban's turf. Show more. Laban substituted Leah, his older daughter, and in the darkness, Jacob thought Leah was Rachel. If Jacob is to escape with his family and new-found wealth, he needs the active, willing cooperation of his wives. Laban's excuse was that it was not their custom to marry off the younger daughter before the older one. Learn to define success through a biblical perspective. Rachel envied her sister — Envy is grieving at the good of another, than which no sin is more injurious both to God, our neighbour, and ourselves. When young Reuben brought some mandrakes to his mother, Leah, one day, Rachel asked Leah to give her the mandrakes (Genesis 30:14), in the belief that eating mandrake roots would help her have children. Evaluate the impact of comparison in your life. Leah's story in the Bible is told in Genesis chapters 29-31, 33-35, 46, and 49. 17. Though it played out thousands of years ago, we can readily apply their experience to our body image battles today. 29:17 Leah had weak eyes; Rachel was shapely and beautiful. For Leah, wifeliness means mainly motherhood, not self-satisfied eros: a view God Himself appears to support. In the morning, Jacob discovered he had been tricked. The midrash includes Rachel among the seven barren women who were eventually blessed with offspring: S arah, R ebekah, Rachel, Leah, Manoah’s Wife, Hannah and Z ion [in a metaphorical sense], of whom Ps. Sheep can be docile animals. Unsurprisingly Rachel's name means 'ewe' - a female sheep. You’re going to be blown away by how much just three chapters in the Bible will teach us. (Gen 29:32.) Evaluate the impact of comparison in your life. (A Study of Love, Sex, Marriage, and Children) Introduction One of my seminary professors, Dr. Bruce Waltke, used to compare Isaac with Jacob by likening Isaac to a slow leak, while Jacob was a blow-out. Rachel and Leah: Printable Bible Study Worksheet. Genesis 29:15-28 is small slice of a much larger story. Genesis 29:17 Leah [was] tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.. Ver. Question: "What is the story of Jacob, Leah, and Rachel?" “Rachel’s day of happiness dissolved the moment Laban instructed her older sister, Leah, to disguise herself in Rachel’s wedding garments.” {Women of the Bible} One can imagine that Leah was apprehensive about the plan. I wanted to give my students a better understanding of Rachel and Leah and so I put together this simple Bible study for them to learn a little more about these two sisters. St. Jacob bishop of Serug (5 th century) wrote a long memra entitled, “The Lord and Jacob – the Church and Rachel – Leah and the Jewish synagogue”. Discover what the Bible says about God, Rachel, Leah, and Jacob, and how He used flawed people for His kingdom. 29:18 Jacob loved Rachel… The word love (א-ה-ב) here has a large semantic field, extending from romantic love, to infatuation, to lust. Gen 29:16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older one was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. It is a romantic tale of two sisters and the one man they love. He worked for his uncle seven years in return for Rachel's hand in marriage, yet when the wedding night came, Jacob was so blinded by love he didn't notice the bride sharing his bed wasn't Rachel. Purblind or squint, as one (a) interprets it. March 12, 2013 by Felicia Mollohan. "When morning came, there was Leah… Unfortunately, Leah's future husband, Jacob, had eyes only for Rachel. As Elyse Goldstein points out in Re-Visions: Seeing Torah Through A Feminist Lens, there are other sisters in the Torah besides Rachel and Leah, but these are either sisters to men (such as Miriam to Moses), or groups of sisters who are treated as a unit, rather than as individuals. [1] There are two other references to Rachel: I Samuel 10:2 and Jeremiah 31:15.R. Rachel later leaned to trust God instead of this plant v22, ps12703. she was plain, and Rachel … Leah is depicted in the Torah she-bi-khetav: Lit. That’s not bad, and neither is it far from the truth. Leah to go through with the festivities and wedding night without revealing herself and Rachel to stay out of the way. 2 Leah Heard the Call of God and Was Given God’s Promises. It begins in Genesis 29 with Jacob fleeing the wrath of his brother, having deceptively stolen his brother's inheritance. Specifications Table Age Min: 18: Binding: Paperback: Other siblings are either locked in rivalry (Cain and Abel) or work together cooperatively (Moses, Aaron, and Miriam). Leah believes, and repeatedly says, that her husband should dwell with her, because she is the fertile source of his children. After Leah completes her childbearing with Dinah, God at last remembers Rachel and opens her womb. 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. Jacob calls his wives Rachel and Leah away from the encampment into the fields so he can talk to them privately and make his case for leaving. Jacob then married Rachel and worked for Laban another seven years for her. Rachel & Leah - Women of the Bible. The story of Rachel and Leah is unique because it is the only example in the Torah of two sisters in relationship. The Bible; the Pentateuch; Tanakh (the Pentateuch, Prophets and Hagiographia)Torah as the woman who was married to Jacob against his will, and as the sister of the beloved and beautiful Rachel. Commentary. She would be given the honor of giving birth to … This Bible study gives a few facts about each of them as well as all of their children. Her sister, Rachel, supposedly to be more loved, more beautiful and had a higher possibility to succeed in life, brought along the gods of her father. But for Leah, the Lord had given her the ability to bear children. The Jerusalem Targum tells us, that her eyes were tender with weeping and praying. Leah's name is variously said to mean "wild cow," "gazelle," "wearied," and "weary" in Hebrew. Rachel and Leah’s rivalry did not end here, however. Genesis 29:1-30 English Standard Version (ESV) Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel. Learn to define success through a biblical perspective. The relationship between Leah and Rachel is one of the most complex sibling relationships in the Torah. The Lord executeth judgment for the oppressed , and He gave Leah a son, whom she named Reuben-"See a son"-for she said: "Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me." Remember that someone else’s gain is not your loss. 113:9 states: “He sets the childless woman among her household as a happy mother of children” (Pesikta de-Rav Kahana [ed. The majority of our study of Rachel and Leah will take place in Genesis 29–31. David Fohrman’s analysis of the latter verse in “Tisha B’Av and the Story of Rachel’s Tears” shows how it too is an inner biblical allusion that illuminates the story of Rachel and Leah. The Torah: A Women’s Commentary, edited by Tamara Cohn Eskenazi and Andrea L. Weiss (New York: URJ Press and Women of Reform Judaism, 2008). Leah and Rachel, one of the few sister pairs, present a … The Rabbis compare Leah and Rachel: both were equivalent in beauty and in their erect stature. Leah was tender-eyed.] The Scriptures points out, that during this time of emotional hardship for Leah, Rachel was found to be barren and could not have kids of her own at this time. Leah was born in the town of Paddan-Aram, the oldest daughter of Laban, sister of Rachel, and niece of Rebekah. 3 Minute Read I know a lot of times we end our studies in prayer, and Poor despised Leah! Genesis Chapters 29 - 35 Introduction Rachel and Leah were two sisters who married the same man - Jacob. Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. This is the story of the Mothers and Fathers of Israel and their descendents, the people of Israel. Now, a froward look and squint eyes, saith the historian, (b) are the certain notes of a nature to be suspected. Love stories in the Bible, such as this First Lesson where Jacob marries his beloved Rachel (and unexpectedly her sister Leah as well! Each day you’ll begin study with prayer. Peacemaking is an admirable quality, and the story of Rachel and Leah underlines its necessity. (Genesis 29:16) Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz (the Shelah HaKadosh)[1] famously says that the Torah speaks to the upper words and hints to the lower words. The story of Jacob’s marriage and family life leaves a great deal to be desired. 2 As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep lying beside it, for out of that well the flocks were watered. 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