Jacob was about to enter into a world of inner transformation. In order to be transformed, Jacob needed to look into a mirror at himself—seeing a deceiver and schemer. The name of Jacob’s mirror was Laban, and into the heart of that mirror, Jacob would look for 20 years, until he became another man.

Jacob Meets Rachel (1-14)

Jacob arrived at a well just outside of Haran, where three flocks of sheep were lying down, waiting to be given water. The sheep waited until all flocks had arrived before being watered so the stone over the wall could be removed just once and the shepherds could help each other with the watering of their flocks (1-3). Jacob asked the men where they were from, and they told him Haran. Jacob immediately inquired if they knew Laban and if he was in good health. The herdsmen knew Laban, knew of his health, and mentioned it was his daughter they were waiting on so they could water their sheep (4-6).

Noticing the shepherds were all too happy to wait and linger for tardy Rachel, Jacob encouraged them to consider it was past time for them to be watering their flocks and advised them to get to it so they could then begin to feed their flocks. Jacob was obviously trying to get rid of the herdsmen so he could spend time alone with Rachel, separated from flirting shepherds (7). The herdsmen refused and stayed with their custom and agreement to wait for Rachel to arrive (8).

While Jacob was still seeking to convince the shepherds to start their watering, Rachel arrived (9). As soon as Jacob saw her, he jumped in, removed the rock over the well himself, and began to water Laban's sheep Rachel was caring for (10). Unable to control himself, Jacob kissed his cousin and wept for all to see (11). Jacob revealed to Rachel that he was her aunt’s son, and Rachel took off running to tell her father (12). Laban came to greet Jacob, interrogating him to make sure he was indeed the son of his sister, and then received him as family, treating him as a guest on vacation for an entire month (13-14).

Jacob's Contract for a Wife (15-20)

After a month of staying, it was time for Jacob to involve himself in actual fruitful labor if he was to stay with Laban. Jacob had nothing but his hands for a dowry to marry a woman, so he would need to work to meet the necessary obligations for a marriage settlement. Laban asked Jacob what he wanted for a wage for menial labor. Jacob wanted Rachel, his daughter. Laban had two daughters—an older whose eyes and form were not as appealing to Jacob as Rachel’s, so he chose the younger and more attractive of Laban’s daughters (15-18). The price of the dowry was an issue of honor—a man willing to pay a high price for a woman was telling all who watched how attractive, valuable, and important his wife was. Laban and Jacob agreed on a seven-year contract, and Jacob fulfilled those years as though it were a few days—another way of saying the long years were worth every second (19-20).

Jacob Gets Rachel, Kind-of (21-30)

At the completion of Jacob’s contract, Jacob wanted his wife (21). Laban threw a feast, and in the evening had his older daughter Leah brought to Jacob’s tent instead of Rachel. The heavy veil and dim lights made it impossible for Jacob to know it was not Rachel he was sleeping with, just as it had been hard for Isaac to see it was not Esau. His mother’s brother had convinced Leah to deceive Jacob, as Jacob’s mother had convinced him to deceive Isaac. Jacob was looking at himself in the mirror without knowing it, as he embraced Leah and made her his wife. In the morning, Jacob awoke and discovered Leah in his bed and her servant Zilpah in his tent.

Jacob flashed to Laban, indignant over the injustice and deception he had just played on him on his wedding night (22-25). Laban dismissed and excused his lapse of honesty and outright guile as a cultural necessity, needing the older to be married off before the younger. In other words, “You surely had to know, Jacob, that if you wanted the younger sister of an unmarried older sister, you had to take them both.” Jacob never imagined Laban would apply this custom to his situation without telling him first (26). 

Laban, not wanting to be completely unfair, struck up another contract with Jacob. After the week of marriage celebration was completed, Laban would give Rachel to Jacob if he committed to serve another seven years (27). Jacob could not legally or morally return Leah to Laban after he was sexually intimate with her, so he agreed to the terms (28). At the end of the week of celebrating his marriage to Leah, Laban gave Rachel to Jacob, along with her servant. The marriage with Rachel was consummated with the footnote that Rachel was loved more than Leah, and Jacob did fulfill his contract with deceitful Laban (29-30).

Leah Bears Jacob Four Sons (31-35)

Leah, unlike Sarah and Rebekah, started producing children posthaste. It was recorded as Yahweh’s doing for the lack of love she had to bear from her husband (31).

• First, she gave birth to Reuben, “He has seen my affliction,” hoping her husband would love her (32).

• Second, Simeon, “He has heard,” in honor of Yahweh’s having heard that she was not only unloved but even treated by her husband as hated (33).

• Third, Levi, “Attached,” hoping her husband would attach to her at some emotional level (34).

• Fourth, Judah, “I will praise Yahweh,” having given up on her husband’s love for her, finding joy in Yahweh’s kindness and love (35).