Genesis Part 2 - Week 10

Day 1 

READ 

Genesis 29:9-10 

⁹ Jacob was still talking with them when Rachel arrived with her father’s flock, for she was a shepherd. ¹⁰ And because Rachel was his cousin—the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother—and because the sheep and goats belonged to his uncle Laban, Jacob went over to the well and moved the stone from its mouth and watered his uncle’s flock. 

This reveals that Rachel was a shepherd when she met Jacob. Although a stranger, Jacob took it upon himself to remove the stone. His kindness was expressed in watering his uncle’s flock. Would this impress Rachel? 

REFLECT 

Have you thought before about Rachel being a shepherd? She knew what it was like to work with livestock. 

RESPOND 

With your friend read Genesis 29:9-14. This section tells how pleased Rachel was to meet her cousin and how pleased Laban was to meet his nephew.  

Day 2 

READ 

Genesis 29:15-18 

¹⁵ Laban said to him, “You shouldn’t work for me without pay just because we are relatives. Tell me how much your wages should be.” ¹⁶ Now Laban had two daughters. The older daughter was named Leah, and the younger one was Rachel. ¹⁷ There was no sparkle in Leah’s eyes, but Rachel had a beautiful figure and a lovely face. ¹⁸ Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he told her father, “I’ll work for you for seven years if you’ll give me Rachel, your younger daughter, as my wife.” 

Laban allowed Jacob to set what he wanted for wages. He wanted Laban’s daughter, Rachel. Jacob promised to work for Laban for seven years if he could be given Rachel. Jacob realized Rachel was younger than her sister Leah when he made this request.  

REFLECT 

Have you ever made a promise to work a long time for something you desperately wanted? Did you finally get what you desired? 

RESPOND 

With your friend read Genesis 29:15-30. Jacob, who had been known for tricking others, was now seriously tricked himself. Jacob may have been reminded that he had also tricked his father into thinking he was older than Esau. After the week of celebration for Leah, Jacob was given Rachel and worked another seven years for her. His love for her motivated him to work 14 years in order to have her as his bride. 

Day 3 

READ 

Genesis 29:31-32 

³¹ When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to have children, but Rachel could not conceive. ³² So Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “The Lord has noticed my misery, and now my husband will love me.” 

Leah was not the only woman who thought her husband would love her more if she bore a son of his. Reuben was the first-born of those who would be eventually be known as the heads of the 12 tribes of Israel. After Jacob’s name was changed to “Israel” that word is often used in place of “Jacob.”  

REFLECT 

Have you known of some who tried to make their marriage stronger by having a child? Did it work? 

RESPOND 

With your friend read Genesis 29:31-35. In addition to bearing the first-born son, Leah had the privilege of bearing Levi and Judah. The descendants of these two would figure significantly into Israel’s history and the line of Christ, according to the flesh. 

Day 4 

READ 

Genesis 30:1-3 

¹ When Rachel saw that she wasn’t having any children for Jacob, she became jealous of her sister. She pleaded with Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!” ² Then Jacob became furious with Rachel. “Am I God?” he asked. “He’s the one who has kept you from having children!” ³ Then Rachel told him, “Take my maid, Bilhah, and sleep with her. She will bear children for me, and through her I can have a family, too.” 

Does this seem like you’ve read this before? This is the same thing Sarah did with her maid in giving her to Abraham so he could bring a child into the world (see Genesis 16:1-3). Jacob was not a very considerate husband. He wanted to blame God for Rachel not being able to bear children. That may have been true, but his words were surely of no comfort to her.  

REFLECT 

Have you been guilty sometimes of saying things that hurt another person and you were sorry later? Thankfully, wrongs can be made right, and God forgives when believers confess. 

RESPOND 

With your friend read Genesis 30:1-13. This tells of other children fathered by Jacob with Bilhah, Rachel’s maid, and Zilpah, Leah’s maid, when they could not bear children.  

Day 5 

READ 

Genesis 30:14-15 

¹⁴ One day during the wheat harvest, Reuben found some mandrakes growing in a field and brought them to his mother, Leah. Rachel begged Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” ¹⁵ But Leah angrily replied, “Wasn’t it enough that you stole my husband? Now will you steal my son’s mandrakes, too?” Rachel answered, “I will let Jacob sleep with you tonight if you give me some of the mandrakes.” 

Apparently it was thought that mandrakes could make one fertile. This also shows the strife when there is more than one wife and the bargaining between the wives. Much grief could be avoided if man followed God’s pattern of one husband for one wife.  

REFLECT 

If there is conflict in your home, search the Scriptures to see what God’s plan is for the difficulty you face.  

RESPOND 

With your friend read Genesis 30:14-24. The end of this passage brings the reader to the birth of Joseph that chapters 37-50 in Genesis tell about. God is working out His sovereign plan.