[303] Genesis 29: Jacob's marriage to Leah and Rachel

INCORRECT INTERPRETATION...

GENESIS CHAPTER 29
1 After that Jacob set his feet in motion and traveled on to the land of the Orientals.
2 Now he looked, and here there was a well in the field and here 3 droves of sheep were lying down there by it, because from that well they were accustomed to water the droves; and there was a great stone over the mouth of the well.
3 When all the droves had been gathered there, they rolled away the stone from off the mouth of the well, and they watered the flocks, after which they returned the stone over the mouth of the well to its place.
4 So Jacob said to them: My brothers, from what place are you? to which they said: We are from Haran.
5 Then he said to them: Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor? to which they said: We know him.
6 At this he said to them: Is it all right with him? In turn they said: It is all right. And here is Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep!
7 And he went on to say: Why, it is yet full day. It is not the time for gathering the herds. Water the sheep, then go feed them.
8 To this they said: We are not allowed to do so until all the droves are gathered and they actually roll away the stone from off the mouth of the well. Then we must water the sheep.
9 While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with the sheep that belonged to her father, for she was a shepherdess.
10 And it came about that when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, Jacob immediately approached and rolled away the stone from off the mouth of the well and watered the sheep of Laban his mother's brother.
11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and raised his voice and burst into tears.
12 And Jacob began to tell Rachel that he was the brother of her father and that he was the son of Rebekah. And she went running and telling her father.
13 Now it came about that as soon as Laban heard the report about Jacob the son of his sister, he went running to meet him. Then he embraced him and kissed him and brought him on into his house. And he began to relate to Laban all these things.
14 After that Laban said to him: You are indeed my bone and my flesh. So he dwelt with him a full month.
15 After that Laban said to Jacob: Are you my brother, and must you serve me for nothing? Tell me, What are your wages to be?
16 As it was, Laban had 2 daughters. The name of the older was Leah and the name of the younger Rachel.
17 But the eyes of Leah had no luster, whereas Rachel had become beautiful in form and beautiful of countenance.
18 And Jacob was in love with Rachel. So he said: I am willing to serve you 7 years for Rachel your younger daughter.
19 To this Laban said: It is better for me to give her to you than for me to give her to another man. Keep dwelling with me.
20 And Jacob proceeded to serve 7 years for Rachel, but in his eyes they proved to be like some few days because of his love for her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban: Give over my wife, because my days are up, and let me have relations with her.
22 With that Laban gathered all the men of the place and made a feast.
23 But it turned out that during the evening he resorted to taking Leah his daughter and bringing her to him that he might have relations with her.
24 Moreover, Laban gave to her Zilpah his maidservant, even to Leah his daughter, as a maidservant.
25 So it followed in the morning that here it was Leah! Consequently he said to Laban: What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served with you? So why have you tricked me?
26 To this Laban said: It is not customary to do this way in our place, to give the younger woman before the firstborn.
27 Celebrate to the full the week of this woman. After that there shall be given to you also this other woman for the service that you can serve with me for 7 years more.
28 Accordingly Jacob did so and celebrated fully the week of this woman, after which he gave him Rachel his daughter as his wife.
29 Besides, Laban gave Bilhah his maidservant to Rachel his daughter as her maidservant.
30 Then he had relations also with Rachel and also expressed more love for Rachel than for Leah, and he went serving with him for yet 7 years more (Genesis 29).