50. Rivalry and Jealousy in Jacob’s family (Gen 29:31-30:24)

The deception of Laban gave two wives to Jacob. The rivalry between wives made Jacob have two more wives. Division and jealousy between brothers would follow.

Please Read Gen 29:31-30:24

Why did the Lord make Leah pregnant? (31-32)

 

Fill names of Jacob’s wives and children below.

Leah: (               ), Simeon, Levi, (                )

Bilhah: (              ), Naphtali

Zilpah: Gad, Asher

(             ): Issachar, (               ), Dinnah

Rachel: (                 )

 Answers & Meditation

Because she was unloved

God cares about the oppressed. Leah explicitly announced that the Lord took pity on her. When you are unloved by man, God might show His love for you. Loving by man is not always good.

When Rebekah was without a child, Isaac prayed for her. But here, there is no record that Jacob prayed. Instead, he got angry at her.

Jacob’s favoritism -> Leah was bullied -> God showed her favor -> Barren Rachel complained -> Jacob was frustrated.

Reuben, Judah, Dan, Leah, Zebulun, Joseph

In this passage, repeated many expressions of ‘love,’ ‘jealousy,’ and ‘I win.’ Through human jealousy and competition, God gave Jacob twelve sons. However, their rivalry is not commendable before God.

Jacob was blessed with many children, but it was not what God’s covenantal blessing meant. Jacob’s obsession and favoritism caused it. We will see how God would restore it in the following chapters.

Later, the Lord gave Rachel a child in His mercy. (v.22) Both Leah and Rachel have children by the grace of God. This resembles God's providence, which is that both Jews and Gentiles are saved by grace. When Jacob's chosen Rachel despises Leah, God's mercy appears to Leah, and when Rachel suffers from it, God's mercy appears to Rachel after some time.

Without God's merciful intervention for both Leah and Rachel, Jacob's family would have been very difficult. We can live today because of God's compassion toward us in life's trouble of sin.

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