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"He who instructs the nations, shall He not correct, He who teaches man knowledge? The Lord knows the thoughts of man, That they are futile." Psalm 94:10-11

Text: Genesis 29:1-35

THE REQUEST FOR RACHEL’S HAND IN MARRIAGE

Seven long years had come and gone. Jacob went up to his uncle Laban and asked him to keep his part of the bargain. He must give Rachel to him as his bride.

“Then Jacob said to Laban, ‘Give me my wife,
for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.'”

GENESIS 29:21

Jacob had made an appropriate request. He was well within his right to ask for Rachel to be given to him as his bride. He had fulfilled the contracted seven years of hard work for Laban.

THE WEDDING CELEBRATION

Laban seemed pleased to comply. He planned a wedding celebration for his new son-in-law.

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

GENESIS 29:22

From the earliest times, occasions like marriage were celebrated with feasting. Often the whole community would be invited to join in the festivities! A wedding was one such special occasion. There had not been a wedding in Laban’s household the last seven years. This was an especially happy occasion to celebrate. In those celebrations, wine flowed freely. Hence the men celebrated the occasion separately from the women folk. The chances of people becoming drunk were quite high!

THE ERSTWHILE DECEIVER EXPERIENCED DECEPTION

The nuptials had been observed. Jacob and his bride were married. Little did he know that he was going to be deceived by his uncle… now his father-in-law.

“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.
And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid.
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?'”

GENESIS 29:23-25

How could Jacob have been deceived? It is quite possible that Jacob could have been deceived for two reasons. Firstly, the bride would have been heavily veiled. He could not have recognized that Leah was not his beloved Rachel.

Secondly, it is likely that he, the prospective bridegroom had been plied with drinks. Thus the bridal night passed without Jacob recognizing the bride he slept with was Leah and not Rachel! For the first time, Jacob understood what it felt to be deceived! The shock, the disappointment and the dismay caused him to confront Laban immediately!