The Deceiver Gets Deceived
Notes
Transcript
Text: Genesis 29:1-30
1 Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.
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. The stone on the well’s mouth was large,
3 and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well.
4 Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where do you come from?” They said, “We are from Haran.”
5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”
6 He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!”
7 He said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep and go, pasture them.”
8 But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”
9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
10 Now as soon as Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob came near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.
11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.
12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman, and that he was Rebekah’s son, and she ran and told her father.
13 As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things,
14 and Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month.
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?”
16 Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17 Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.
18 Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.”
20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.”
22 So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast.
23 But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her.
24 (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.)
25 And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?”
26 Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.”
28 Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.
29 (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.)
30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years.
PRAY
Introduction
Galatians 6:7 “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.”
Allen Ross in his commentary on Genesis 29 opens this way:
Creation and Blessing: A Guide to the Study and Exposition of Genesis Chapter 44: Jacob’s Marriages and Laban’s Deception (Gen. 29:1–30)
The Bible demonstrates repeatedly the principle that people reap what they sow. This truth has been called poetic justice, or irony. It is, furthermore, a form of divine retribution, a talionic justice in which there is a measure-for-measure turn of affairs, where the punishment fits the crime. Believers do not view such turns of affairs as mere coincidences; rather, believers recognize that God orders the affairs of human beings in order to remind them of their sins and to set things right.
In this story, Jacob the deceiver gets deceived. He reaps what he has sown.
He gets a taste of what it’s like to be on the receiving end of the lies and treachery, and he doesn’t like it.
But God, in His providence, is helping Jacob to see his sin, so that he can seek the Savior.
Review: Genesis 12-28
God promised Abraham land, seed, and blessing.
God passed down the promise to Isaac.
God told Isaac and Rebekah that their older son would serve the younger — that Jacob was the son of promise, yet Isaac rebelled.
Rebekah came up with a plan and led Jacob to steal the blessing from Esau by lying to his father Isaac.
Isaac and Rebekah send Jacob east to Haran to prevent Esau from killing him and so that Jacob will not marry a Canaanite woman.
Jacob’s words and actions demonstrate that he has not yet embraced Yahweh as his God.
“The LORD your God”
“If” the LORD protects me, provides for me, and returns me to this land, “then the LORD will be my God”
So now Jacob is running east, away from Esau and from God, and he is looking for a wife.
This story should also call to mind for us another previous story in Genesis, where someone travels to the east to find a wife. In Genesis 24, Abraham sends his servant to this same place to find a wife for Isaac.
There are clear similarities and also clear contrasts being drawn between these two accounts.
Jacob Arrives in Haran (v. 1-3)
Jacob Arrives in Haran (v. 1-3)
1 Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.
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. The stone on the well’s mouth was large,
Unlike Abraham’s servant, Jacob comes alone, with nothing to offer as a bride price.
Jacob arrives at a well, likely the very same well that Abraham’s servant had met Rebekah at many years earlier.
Significance of wells in the Bible storyline
3 and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well.
Verses 2-3 tell us of the custom of the shepherds in that area — their practice was to wait until all the flocks (of all the different people in the area) were gathered together, and then remove the stone and water their animals once all of them arrived.
This is their regular practice (for whatever reason).
Throughout the rest of the passage, I’d like to draw your attention to a clear contrast between Jacob and Abraham’s servant:
When Abraham’s servant arrived, the very first thing he did was pray and ask for God’s help to have success. Throughout Genesis 24, we find him praying and praising and thanking and worshiping the LORD. God is mentioned at least 27 times in chapter 24.
Jacob, on the other hand, has zero recorded interactions with the LORD here. Not only does Jacob not pray or praise or worship the LORD, God isn’t even mentioned at all in this section. In these 30 verses that cover 14 years, there is no mention of “the LORD” or “God.” It seems that both Jacob and Laban are living their lives as they wish without giving a thought to God and His plan and purpose. God is absent from their thinking and their actions.
Jacob Interacts with the Shepherds (v. 4-8)
Jacob Interacts with the Shepherds (v. 4-8)
4 Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where do you come from?” They said, “We are from Haran.”
With this response, Jacob knows he has arrived in the right place.
“Brothers” — interesting that Jacob calls them brothers, after the way that he has treated his brother.
5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”
6 He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!”
7 He said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep and go, pasture them.”
8 But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”
After learning from these shepherds that Laban and his family are still in Haran, he proceeds to tell them how to do their job.
How many of you like it when people tell you how to do your job? Especially someone with no experience in your field? And someone you literally just met?
As far as we know, Jacob has no shepherding experience.
He literally just met these people a few seconds ago.
He has no business telling them how to do their job, but that’s what he does.
This shows us a little bit of Jacob’s character: he’s assertive, impetuous, and impulsive.
These shepherds have their own way of doing things, and Jacob is trying to take over and make them do things differently.
So what Jacob does here reveals his character.
Then Rachel arrives.
Jacob Meets Rachel and Laban (v. 9-14)
Jacob Meets Rachel and Laban (v. 9-14)
9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
10 Now as soon as Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob came near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.
Until recently, I had viewed what Jacob does here as a relatively positive thing. He’s taking initiative to make sure the flocks get watered. Maybe he’s flexing his muscles and showing off a little for Rachel too.
But consider, he’s coming in as an outsider, asserting himself and his own ideas of how things should be done, taking charge and assuming authority that he does not have over these shepherds. He is violating their customs, their routine, because he thinks his way is better.
Jacob is acting selfishly and arrogantly.
11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.
He continues his impulsive streak by going right up to Rachel and kissing her. They haven’t even had their first date yet.
And notice the phrase “wept aloud.” The Hebrew says, “he lifted up his voice and wept.” It’s the exact same phrase used of Esau in Genesis 27, when he realized that Jacob had stolen his blessing and that there was no blessing left for him. Esau “lifted up his voice and wept”, and now Jacob “lifted up his voice and wept”.
By reusing this same phrase, Moses signals to us that Jacob is about to receive the same treatment that he gave to his brother.
At this point in the story of Genesis 24, Abraham’s servant stops to give praise to the LORD for His providential leading and provision of a wife for Isaac:
26 The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord
27 and said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the Lord has led me in the way to the house of my master’s kinsmen.”
He breaks out into a prayer of praise for God’s kindness and faithfulness.
Now, in Genesis 29, God has led Jacob to the right place, and He has led Jacob straight to Rachel, a beautiful woman who could become Jacob’s wife and become part of the fulfillment of God’s promise to multiply Jacob’s offspring.
How does Jacob respond to the LORD’s kindness and providence?
He doesn’t.
No acknowledgment.
No prayer.
No praise.
Not even a mention of God.
Despite God’s clear kindness and faithfulness to him, Jacob continues to ignore God.
12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman, and that he was Rebekah’s son, and she ran and told her father.
Rachel’s response to Jacob’s news is the same as Rebekah’s response to Abraham’s servant. She runs to tell her family.
13 As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things,
14 and Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month.
Interestingly, both in Genesis 24 and here, it’s Laban who runs out from the house.
We don’t know for sure how old Laban is, but he’s not a young guy. It’s been 97 years since he ran to meet Abraham’s servant, so even if he was pretty young then, he’s probably at least 110 or 120, but apparently still running.
Jacob Serves Laban for Rachel (v. 15-21)
Jacob Serves Laban for Rachel (v. 15-21)
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?”
This seems to imply that Jacob has been working for this month in exchange for food and a place to stay.
Now Laban is offering him more compensation.
16 Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
Just as Isaac and Rebekah have 2 sons, Laban has 2 daughters.
We already met Rachel, now the older daughter Leah is introduced.
17 Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.
Scholars don’t know for sure what that first phrase means. Leah’s eyes were weak.
It seems to be a contrast with Rachel, who is noted for being very beautiful.
I wonder if it’s an expression that means something like, “It makes your eyes hurt to look at Leah, but Rachel makes your eyes feel good.”
It’s not clear, but there’s some contrast being drawn between them. As far as Jacob is concerned, Rachel is beautiful, and Leah is not.
The mention of Rachel’s beauty connects her back to Rebekah and to Sarah before her, who were both called beautiful. Interestingly, Rachel, also like Rebekah and Sarah, will be barren and unable to bear children for many years.
Immediately after telling us of Rachel’s physical beauty, it tells us,
18 Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
Jacob’s love here appears to be nothing more than physical lust for Rachel because of her physical beauty.
And I think his lust leads him to offer something crazy in exchange for having Rachel.
“I will serve you for seven years.”
I admit there’s a lot I don’t know about the Ancient Near East and their cultural practices, but I find it hard to believe that 7 years of intense labor were necessary to pay the bride price to marry Laban’s daughter.
I would guess that 1 or 2 years would have been more than sufficient, but Jacob is not in his right mind right now, so he offers 7 years, and Laban’s happy to take advantage of him.
19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.”
Notice what Laban does not say here.
With these words, Jacob understood that Laban was agreeing to his terms and would give him Rachel in marriage in exchange for 7 years of labor.
But Laban did not technically promise that, even though he led Jacob to believe that. Laban deceitfully worded his reply here.
He said,
It is better that I should give her to you than to another man.
Stay (and work) for me. (Implying, I’ll give you what you asked for)
He didn’t say,
“I will give you my daughter Rachel”
It seems that Laban carefully crafted his reply to make Jacob believe he would get Rachel, but all along Laban was planning to give him Leah instead.
20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.
His desire for her was so strong that the 7 years seemed to fly by.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.”
After 7 years, Jacob demands to have his wife. He’s ready to consummate the marriage.
Notice he doesn’t specifically ask for Rachel here (though obviously that’s who is implied)
Jacob the Deceiver Gets Deceived (v. 22-30)
Jacob the Deceiver Gets Deceived (v. 22-30)
22 So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast.
23 But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her.
24 (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.)
25 And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?”
Feast — the party probably involved intoxicating beverages, and this may be part of the reason Laban was able to deceive Jacob.
It was also evening, with few options for light sources (no flashlights, light bulbs, etc.), so the darkness also provided a cover for this deception.
In the morning when it was light, Jacob realized what Laban had done.
Jacob’s response to Laban, “What is this you have done to me?” calls to mind…
The LORD to Eve: Genesis 3:13 “13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.””
Pharaoh to Abraham: Genesis 12:18 “18 So Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? … ”
Abimelech to Abraham: Genesis 20:9 “9 Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? … You have done to me things that ought not to be done.””
Abimelech to Isaac: Genesis 26:10 “10 Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us?…”
“Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?”
Jacob still doesn’t see the irony. He doesn’t yet realize that he is being treated exactly the way he treated his brother.
At this moment God is exposing Jacob’s sin, but Jacob still doesn’t have the humility to recognize it and repent.
26 Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
Jacob must be thinking, “You could have said that before I spent 7 years working!”
Laban excused his deception by stating their cultural practices. This is the way we do things here.
27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.”
Now Laban offers Jacob a 2-for-2 deal. Buy one wife, get the second one at regular price.
This is extreme manipulation. 7 years was already excessive, now Jacob has to work another 7 years to get the wife he really wanted.
Another problem with Laban’s offer here is the issue of polygamy.
We’ve already seen from God’s design of marriage in Genesis 2 and Abraham’s sin with Hagar in Genesis 16, that polygamy — marrying multiple wives (at the same time) — is not God’s will for men.
Jacob should know from the stories he’s surely heard from his father and grandfather that polygamy is not good and will not turn out well.
Even though he was tricked into marrying Leah instead of Rachel, Jacob should have trusted God’s providence and trusted that God would provide the offspring He promised through Leah.
But Jacob isn’t thinking about what God wants. He’s only thinking about what he wants. And he wants Rachel.
28 Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.
29 (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.)
30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years.
This was a really bad idea.
Whatever friendship or relationship these sisters had before the marriage, it was destroyed by both being married to the same man.
Later on in the law of Moses, God will forbid this very action in Leviticus 18:18 “18 And you shall not take a woman as a rival wife to her sister, uncovering her nakedness while her sister is still alive.”
This did not turn out well for any of them, and it created many problems for their children as well.
Again, one of the saddest things about this section is that there is no mention of God at all. Jacob is taking charge and living life without giving thought to God.
Application
1. Your actions will have corresponding consequences, either here or in the life to come.
Galatians 6:7 “7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.”
Numbers 32:23 “23 But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out.”
2. Life lived apart from God is miserable. We are meant to live all of life acknowledging God’s presence, plans, purposes, and promises.
When we do not walk closely with God, we will make foolish choices that will hurt us and others around us.
Proverbs 3:6 “6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
3. When God exposes our sin, we must humbly confess and forsake our sin and receive God’s mercy, forgiveness, and grace to become the kind of people He wants us to be.
Proverbs 28:13 “13 Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.”
If Jacob could have recognized and repented of his sin and turned to the LORD, how different these 14 years could have been for him.
Is there sin in your life you need to repent of before it does further harm to you and those around you?
Are you living all of life conscious of God’s presence, purposes, plans, and promises? Or are you just doing whatever you want to do?
The good news
Even when we fail to acknowledge God and live for Him, He continues to be faithful to us, working all things together for our good, because He always keeps His promises.
God is faithful, even when we are not.
