Genesis 34:1 Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. 
2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her and lay with her, and violated her. 
3 His soul was strongly attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young woman and spoke kindly to the young woman.4 So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this young woman as a wife.”

5 And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter. Now his sons were with his livestock in the field; so Jacob held his peace until they came. 
6 Then Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. 
7 And the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved and very angry, because he had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, a thing which ought not to be done.8 But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him as a wife.9 And make marriages with us; give your daughters to us, and take our daughters to yourselves. 
10 So you shall dwell with us, and the land shall be before you. Dwell and trade in it, and acquire possessions for yourselves in it.”

11 Then Shechem said to her father and her brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give. 
12 Ask me ever so much dowry and gift, and I will give according to what you say to me; but give me the young woman as a wife.”

13 But the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father, and spoke deceitfully, because he had defiled Dinah their sister. 
14 And they said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a reproach to us. 
15 But on this condition we will consent to you: If you will become as we are, if every male of you is circumcised, 
16 then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to us; and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people. 
17 But if you will not heed us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and be gone.”

18 And their words pleased Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son. 
19 So the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob’s daughter. He was more honorable than all the household of his father.

20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came to the gate of their city, and spoke with the men of their city, saying: 
21 “These men are at peace with us. Therefore let them dwell in the land and trade in it. For indeed the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters to us as wives, and let us give them our daughters. 
22 Only on this condition will the men consent to dwell with us, to be one people: if every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised. 
23 Willnot their livestock, their property, and every animal of theirs be ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will dwell with us.”24 And all who went out of the gate of his city heeded Hamor and Shechem his son; every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.

25 Now it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword and came boldly upon the city and killed all the males. 
26 And they killed Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and went out. 
27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered the city, because their sister had been defiled.28 They took their sheep, their oxen, and their donkeys, what was in the city and what was in the field, 
29 and all their wealth. All their little ones and their wives they took captive; and they plundered even all that was in the houses.

30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have troubled me by making me obnoxious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and since I am few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and kill me. I shall be destroyed, my household and I.”

31 But they said, “Should he treat our sister like a harlot?”


What Reuben and Simeon did were evil. Nevertheless, Moses wrote this incident to explain two things:
First, it was written to show how immoral the Canaanites were and thus the need to separate from them. Shechem, Hamor and the rest were Canaanites. The sexual immorality done to Dinah shows the characteristic depravity of the Canaanites.

Second, it was written to explain as to why the tribes of Reuben and Simeon were bypassed in the giving of special blessings. 

Ge 33:18 Then Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan Aram; and he pitched his tent before the city.

19 And he bought the parcel of land, where he had pitched his tent, from the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for one hundred pieces of money.

20 Then he erected an altar there and called it El Elohe Israel.

Again, Moses is further encouraging his original Israelite readers here that they must go and possess the land and live in it permanently. They are to live in the land and worship there. They are to possess the land in which Jacob, their forefather, had a rightful claim. He bought a parcel of land and worshiped there.

Ge 33:1 Now Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and there, Esau was coming, and with him were four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants.

2 And he put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children behind, and Rachel and Joseph last.

3 Then he crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

4 But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.

5 And he lifted his eyes and saw the women and children, and said, "Who are these with you?" So he said, "The children whom God has graciously given your servant."

6 Then the maidservants came near, they and their children, and bowed down.

7 And Leah also came near with her children, and they bowed down. Afterward Joseph and Rachel came near, and they bowed down.

8 Then Esau said, "What do you mean by all this company which I met?" And he said, "These are to find favor in the sight of my lord."

9 But Esau said, "I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself."

10 And Jacob said, "No, please, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present from my hand, inasmuch as I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me.

11 "Please, take my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough." So he urged him, and he took it.

12 Then Esau said, "Let us take our journey; let us go, and I will go before you."

13 But Jacob said to him, "My lord knows that the children are weak, and the flocks and herds which are nursing are with me. And if the men should drive them hard one day, all the flock will die.

14 "Please let my lord go on ahead before his servant. I will lead on slowly at a pace which the livestock that go before me, and the children, are able to endure, until I come to my lord in Seir."

15 And Esau said, "Now let me leave with you some of the people who are with me." But he said, "What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord."

16 So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir.

17 And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, built himself a house, and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.

Moses is showing his original Israelite readers here how God was with Jacob with regards to his relationship with his brother Esau.

Pr 16:7 When a man's ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Moses is saying that God could do the same with the enemies of the nation Israel.

Ge 32:22 And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of Jabbok.

23 He took them, sent them over the brook, and sent over what he had.

24 Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day.

25 Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him.

26 And He said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." But he said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me!"

27 So He said to him, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob."

28 And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed."

29 Then Jacob asked, saying, "Tell me Your name, I pray." And He said, "Why is it that you ask about My name?" And He blessed him there.

30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: "For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved."

31 Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip.

32 Therefore to this day the children of Israel do not eat the muscle that shrank, which is on the hip socket, because He touched the socket of Jacob's hip in the muscle that shrank.

Again, Moses' point is that the nation Israel must learn from what happened to Jacob here. Jacob did not obtain the blessing by struggling, wrestling and contending with God in stubbornness. He obtained it when he clung to God out of weakness and helplessness.

God came and subdued him. But he resisted. Jacob was stubborn in nature like the nation Israel. God crippled him and Jacob wrestled no more. He no longer wrestles but clings to Him for blessing. He no longer tried to earn the blessing but now sought His grace. Hosea 12:3-4: "...in his strength he struggled with God. Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed; He wept, and sought favor from Him..."

And he got it! God is prevailed upon not by our own stubbornness and strength. No, He is prevailed upon by our weakness; when we cling to Him in humility. "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble" (Jas 4:6). And, Jacob, in prevailing with God, he had power with men.

He was blessed with a new name. His new name was a prophecy of sorts as to what he will become. From Jacob, meaning supplanter and underminer, to Israel meaning Prince with God or Prince of God.

The word "Israel" can be translated in three different ways: 1) God rules 2) One who strives with God 3) Prince of God or Prince with God. Since the word Israel was meant to be a blessing or a benefit to Jacob, the third translation seems to fit well.

In the future, the nation Israel will be God's prince over all the earth. He will be the top and leading nation.

From this point on, Jacob will now limp his way through life. He will now have a staff as his daily companion, "...Jacob...leaning on the top of his staff..." Heb. 11:21.  Every step is a reminder to him that he must cling to God every step of the way. Every Israelite should be reminded of this and learn from it whenever they abstain from eating the muscle in the hip socket of an animal.

Moses wants his original Israelite readers here to learn that blessing cannot be obtained by scheming, manipulating and being stubborn against God's ways but by clinging to God in submission as in the case of their forefather Jacob.

Ge 32:3 Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

4 And he commanded them, saying, "Speak thus to my lord Esau, 'Thus your servant Jacob says: "I have dwelt with Laban and stayed there until now.

5 "I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight."'"

6 Then the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, "We came to your brother Esau, and he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him."

7 So Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies.

8 And he said, "If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the other company which is left will escape."

9 Then Jacob said, "O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the LORD who said to me, 'Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you':

10 "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two companies.

11 "Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children.

12 "For You said, 'I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.'"

13 So he lodged there that same night, and took what came to his hand as a present for Esau his brother:

14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,

15 thirty milk camels with their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten foals.

16 Then he delivered them to the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, "Pass over before me, and put some distance between successive droves."

17 And he commanded the first one, saying, "When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, saying, 'To whom do you belong, and where are you going? Whose are these in front of you?'

18 "then you shall say, 'They are your servant Jacob's. It is a present sent to my lord Esau; and behold, he also is behind us.'"

19 So he commanded the second, the third, and all who followed the droves, saying, "In this manner you shall speak to Esau when you find him;

20 "and also say, 'Behold, your servant Jacob is behind us.'" For he said, "I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me."

21 So the present went on over before him, but he himself lodged that night in the camp.

Moses is trying to show to his original Israelite readers Jacob's example with regards his dealings with his brother Esau, who later became the nation of Edom. Israel was not to be hostile against Edom.
De 2:4 Command you the people, saying, You are to pass through the border of your brothers the children of Esau, who dwell in Seir; and they will be afraid of you: take good heed to yourselves therefore;
5 don't contend with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as for the sole of the foot to tread on; because I have given Mount Seir to Esau for a possession.

Moses is also showing his original Israelite readers the importance of restituting a brother whom they have offended. 

Ex 22:3 "If the sun has risen on him, there shall be guilt for his bloodshed. He should make full restitution; if he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.
4 "If the theft is certainly found alive in his hand, whether it is an ox or donkey or sheep, he shall restore double.

Lastly, Moses is showing them that whatever blessings, privileges and protection they have received and will receive from God, it was all because of God's grace. Just as Jacob was not deserving of all the mercies he received from God so Israel was not deserving of all the blessings, privileges and protection they enjoyed. 

Ge 32:1 So Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

2 When Jacob saw them, he said, "This is God's camp." And he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

Mahanaim was part of the Promise Land. It's in the territory of Israel. Moses is again encouraging his original Israelite readers that the place they are going to is where God's angels met their forefather Jacob. It is a place called "God's camp." It's a further encouragement to go and occupy the land and not turn back to Egypt.

Ge 31:43 And Laban answered and said to Jacob, "These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and this flock is my flock; all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their children whom they have borne?

44 "Now therefore, come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me."

45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.

46 Then Jacob said to his brethren, "Gather stones." And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there on the heap.

47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed.

48 And Laban said, "This heap is a witness between you and me this day." Therefore its name was called Galeed,

49 also Mizpah, because he said, "May the LORD watch between you and me when we are absent one from another.

50 "If you afflict my daughters, or if you take other wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us-see, God is witness between you and me!"

51 Then Laban said to Jacob, "Here is this heap and here is this pillar, which I have placed between you and me.

52 "This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not pass beyond this heap to you, and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me, for harm.

53 "The God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, and the God of their father judge between us." And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.

54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his brethren to eat bread. And they ate bread and stayed all night on the mountain.

55 And early in the morning Laban arose, and kissed his sons and daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place.

Here Moses is showing his original Israelite readers Jacob's break with Laban and the people of the East in principle. Israel should learn from this the idea of separation from their idolatrous neighbors.

Moses is also showing here how God made Jacob's enemy to be practically at peace with him. In the same way, God is able to make Israel's enemies to be at peace with them. Israel should learn that their enemies are entirely in God's power. That they never have to compromise their ways with the nations round about them to have peace. God who is with them is able to do it.

Pr 16:7 When a man's ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

1Ch 22:9 'Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies all around. His name shall be Solomon, for I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days.

Ge 31:22 And Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled.

23 Then he took his brethren with him and pursued him for seven days' journey, and he overtook him in the mountains of Gilead.
24 But God had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, "Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad."

25 So Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountains, and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mountains of Gilead.

26 And Laban said to Jacob: "What have you done, that you have stolen away unknown to me, and carried away my daughters like captives taken with the sword?

27 "Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me, and not tell me; for I might have sent you away with joy and songs, with timbrel and harp?

28 "And you did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters. Now you have done foolishly in so doing.

29 "It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, 'Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.'

30 "And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father's house, but why did you steal my gods?"

31 Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, "Because I was afraid, for I said, 'Perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force.'

32 "With whomever you find your gods, do not let him live. In the presence of our brethren, identify what I have of yours and take it with you." For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

33 And Laban went into Jacob's tent, into Leah's tent, and into the two maids' tents, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah's tent and entered Rachel's tent.

34 Now Rachel had taken the household idols, put them in the camel's saddle, and sat on them. And Laban searched all about the tent but did not find them.

35 And she said to her father, "Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise before you, for the manner of women is with me." And he searched but did not find the household idols.

36 Then Jacob was angry and rebuked Laban, and Jacob answered and said to Laban: "What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have so hotly pursued me?

37 "Although you have searched all my things, what part of your household things have you found? Set it here before my brethren and your brethren, that they may judge between us both!

38 "These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and I have not eaten the rams of your flock.

39 "That which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it. You required it from my hand, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.

40 "There I was! In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes.

41 "Thus I have been in your house twenty years; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.

42 "Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night."

Moses is showing his original Israelite readers here the similarity between Israel's escape from Egypt and Jacob's escape from Laban.

The point of all these verses is stated in verse 42: "Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night."

In the same way that God was with Jacob in his experience with Laban, protecting and blessing him, God was also with Israel, protecting and blessing Israel; He did not allow Egypt to harm Israel, and, in fact, He did not send Israel away empty-handed for all his labors in Egypt. Moses' point --- the source of all Israel's blessings was God.

To emphasize that idols are nothing and could do nothing for Israel, Moses included an incident about Rachel's sitting on idols. For a woman to sit upon idols during her menstrual period was a practical mockery against the very idols.

Genesis 31: 34 Now Rachel had taken the household idols, put them in the camel's saddle, and sat on them. And Laban searched all about the tent but did not find them.

Genesis 31: 35 And she said to her father, "Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise before you, for the manner of women is with me." And he searched but did not find the household idols.

Ge 31:1 Now Jacob heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, "Jacob has taken away all that was our father's, and from what was our father's he has acquired all this wealth."

2 And Jacob saw the countenance of Laban, and indeed it was not favorable toward him as before.

3 Then the LORD said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you."

4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field, to his flock,

5 and said to them, "I see your father's countenance, that it is not favorable toward me as before; but the God of my father has been with me.

6 "And you know that with all my might I have served your father.

7 "Yet your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not allow him to hurt me.

8 "If he said thus: 'The speckled shall be your wages,' then all the flocks bore speckled. And if he said thus: 'The streaked shall be your wages,' then all the flocks bore streaked.

9 "So God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me.

10 "And it happened, at the time when the flocks conceived, that I lifted my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the rams which leaped upon the flocks were streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted.

11 "Then the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, 'Jacob.' And I said, 'Here I am.'

12 "And He said, 'Lift your eyes now and see, all the rams which leap on the flocks are streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted; for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you.

13 'I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family.'"

14 Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, "Is there still any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?

15 "Are we not considered strangers by him? For he has sold us, and also completely consumed our money.

16 "For all these riches which God has taken from our father are really ours and our children's; now then, whatever God has said to you, do it."

17 Then Jacob rose and set his sons and his wives on camels.

18 And he carried away all his livestock and all his possessions which he had gained, his acquired livestock which he had gained in Padan Aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.

19 Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen the household idols that were her father's.

20 And Jacob stole away, unknown to Laban the Syrian, in that he did not tell him that he intended to flee.

21 So he fled with all that he had. He arose and crossed the river, and headed toward the mountains of Gilead.

Jacob worked for Laban practically as his slave. But God was with him and blessed him; he made him prosperous. Now, it's time to go back to the land of promise. God commanded him to do so.

What Moses is trying to do here is to encourage his original Israelite readers to follow Jacob's example. He is further encouraging them to go to the land which God promised to them and their forefathers. The Israelites had a tendency to go back.

Moses is showing them the parallel experience of Jacob with that of Israel. Just as Jacob became Laban's slave so Israel became a slave in Egypt. Just as Jacob became wealthy with all the animals he gained from Laban's flock so Israel became wealthy; they had "flocks and herds-a great deal of livestock" when they came out of Egypt. Just as Laban and his sons became unfavorable towards Jacob so Pharaoh and company became unfavorable towards Israel. Just as God called Jacob back to the land of his fathers so Israel was commanded by God to go back to the land of their fathers.

Ge 30:25 And it came to pass, when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, "Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my country.

26 "Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go; for you know my service which I have done for you."

27 And Laban said to him, "Please stay, if I have found favor in your eyes, for I have learned by experience that the LORD has blessed me for your sake."

28 Then he said, "Name me your wages, and I will give it."

29 So Jacob said to him, "You know how I have served you and how your livestock has been with me.

30 "For what you had before I came was little, and it has increased to a great amount; the LORD has blessed you since my coming. And now, when shall I also provide for my own house?"

31 So he said, "What shall I give you?" And Jacob said, "You shall not give me anything. If you will do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep your flocks:

32 "Let me pass through all your flock today, removing from there all the speckled and spotted sheep, and all the brown ones among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and these shall be my wages.

The speckled and spotted sheep, the brown lambs and the spotted and speckled goats were rare animals. In this arrangement, Jacob would have less while the remaining greater part would be Laban's.

33 "So my righteousness will answer for me in time to come, when the subject of my wages comes before you: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the lambs, will be considered stolen, if it is with me."34 And Laban said, "Oh, that it were according to your word!"

Laban was quick to agree seeing that the arrangement was favorable to him.

35 So he removed that day the male goats that were speckled and spotted, all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had some white in it, and all the brown ones among the lambs, and gave them into the hand of his sons.Ge 30:36 Then he put three days' journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.

Laban was very crafty against Jacob. The considerable distance would ensure that the marked animals of Jacob would not breed with Laban's flock. This would also mean that Jacob would have a lesser flock to tend and obtain his own wages from.

37 Now Jacob took for himself rods of green poplar and of the almond and chestnut trees, peeled white strips in them, and exposed the white which was in the rods.

38 And the rods which he had peeled, he set before the flocks in the gutters, in the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink, so that they should conceive when they came to drink.

39 So the flocks conceived before the rods, and the flocks brought forth streaked, speckled, and spotted.

40 Then Jacob separated the lambs, and made the flocks face toward the streaked and all the brown in the flock of Laban; but he put his own flocks by themselves and did not put them with Laban's flock.

41 And it came to pass, whenever the stronger livestock conceived, that Jacob placed the rods before the eyes of the livestock in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.

Whether this has scientific basis or not I could not be sure. It could have been a superstitious belief on the part of Jacob. In Bisaya, we call it "Lihi." Personally, I believe that it was the result of God's blessing. It was a miracle. God blessed Jacob despite his superstitious belief.

42 But when the flocks were feeble, he did not put them in; so the feebler were Laban's and the stronger Jacob's.

43 Thus the man became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks, female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.

Moses seeks to show his original Israelite readers here that God was with Jacob. Even Laban recognized this. Despite all the scheming against Jacob by Laban, God still blessed and prospered Jacob exceedingly. God was faithful to His promise to Jacob.

Israel should learn that God will also be with them to bless them and fulfill His word. The scheming of their enemies against them cannot prevent God from blessing them. As He blessed Jacob despite  Laban's schemes so He can bless them despite their enemies' plots against them.

Ge 29:31 When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.

32 So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, "The LORD has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me."

33 Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also." And she called his name Simeon.

34 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons." Therefore his name was called Levi.

35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Now I will praise the LORD." Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she stopped bearing.
Ge 30:1 Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, "Give me children, or else I die!"

2 And Jacob's anger was aroused against Rachel, and he said, "Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?"

3 So she said, "Here is my maid Bilhah; go in to her, and she will bear a child on my knees, that I also may have children by her."

4 Then she gave him Bilhah her maid as wife, and Jacob went in to her.

5 And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son.

6 Then Rachel said, "God has judged my case; and He has also heard my voice and given me a son." Therefore she called his name Dan.

7 And Rachel's maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son.

8 Then Rachel said, "With great wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and indeed I have prevailed." So she called his name Naphtali.

9 When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing, she took Zilpah her maid and gave her to Jacob as wife.

10 And Leah's maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son.

11 Then Leah said, "A troop comes!" So she called his name Gad.

12 And Leah's maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son.

13 Then Leah said, "I am happy, for the daughters will call me blessed." So she called his name Asher.

14 Now Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes."

15 But she said to her, "Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son's mandrakes also?" And Rachel said, "Therefore he will lie with you tonight for your son's mandrakes."

16 When Jacob came out of the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, "You must come in to me, for I have surely hired you with my son's mandrakes." And he lay with her that night.

17 And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son.

18 Leah said, "God has given me my wages, because I have given my maid to my husband." So she called his name Issachar.

19 Then Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son.

20 And Leah said, "God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons." So she called his name Zebulun.

21 Afterward she bore a daughter, and called her name Dinah.

22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.

23 And she conceived and bore a son, and said, "God has taken away my reproach."

24 So she called his name Joseph, and said, "The LORD shall add to me another son."

God in grace overruled the unideal situation Jacob was in. Here, Moses shows his original Israelite readers their origin and the circumstances surrounding it. He also shows that God was faithful to His promise that He would give descendants to Jacob. This also shows how the rivalry among the tribes of Israel began. Israel should also learn from the mistakes of their ancestors here.

Ge 29:16 Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

17 Leah's eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance.

18 Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter."

19 And Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me."

20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her."

22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast.

23 Now it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her.

24 And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid.

25 So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?"

26 And Laban said, "It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.

27 "Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years."

28 Then Jacob did so and fulfilled her week. So he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also.

29 And Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as a maid.

30 Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban still another seven years.


Jacob received poetic justice. God, in His providence, turned the tables on him. He posed as the older brother, Esau, to his father Isaac and now Leah posed as the younger sister to him. His sin found him out.

Here Moses is showing his original Israelite readers that God, in His providence, will make them reap what they have sown. If they sow disobedience, they will reap punishments. If they sow obedience they will reap blessings.

He is also teaching them that whatever they do to their brethren will also be done to them in God's ordering of things and events. A very important principle to remember as they live in the land that God promised them.

GE 29:1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the sons of the east.
GE 29:2 He looked, and saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, for from that well they watered the flocks. Now the stone on the mouth of the well was large. 

GE 29:3 When all the flocks were gathered there, they would then roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the mouth of the well. 

GE 29:4 Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from Haran.” 

GE 29:5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” And they said, “We know him.” 

GE 29:6 And he said to them, “Is it well with him?” And they said, “It is well, and here is Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep.” 

GE 29:7 He said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered. Water the sheep, and go, pasture them.” 

GE 29:8 But they said, “We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.” 

GE 29:9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 

GE 29:10 When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. 

GE 29:11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted his voice and wept. 

GE 29:12 Jacob told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and that he was Rebekah’s son, and she ran and told her father. 

GE 29:13 So when Laban heard the news of Jacob his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Then he related to Laban all these things. 

GE 29:14 Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him a month.

In the previous chapter, God promised Jacob His presence wherever he goes. Here in this chapter Moses shows God's providence in guiding Jacob to his intended destination. Everything was perfectly timed. Places, events, persons converged in a well-timed fashion.

It so happened that he came to the right place. It so happened that he met the right people who knew his relatives. It so happened that Rachel came out to meet him.

It appears that Moses wants to show his original Israelite readers that just as God was providentially guiding Jacob so He is now with Israel.