January 13 - Genesis 29-30:43

If it's not already obvious, I tend to take up the cause of the rejected.  I don't know why.  Hey, and we all come to the Bible with a point of view.  Maybe I take up the cause of the rejected because it's way too easy to dismiss the people and not consider their story.  Hope that doesn't seem overly rebellious on my part.  There's just so much in the Bible that in my mind underscores the inherent unfairness of life on this Earth.  Of course, we really don't want fairness.  We want mercy.

What about Leah?

The Bible's only real description of her is just surface stuff and, even worse, in comparison to her younger sister -- "Leah had weak (or delicate) eyes, but Rachel was lovely in form, and beautiful."  Genesis 29:17.  Try saying that to Leah's face.  

Leah, not Jacob, seems like the real victim of unfairness here.  Her father, Laban, tricks Jacob into taking her as his wife.  True, she must have gone along with it and take part in it.  But still.  How did Laban expect Jacob to treat her after this?  After the week of their marriage, he immediately marries Rachel.

Another sad, sad verse in the Bible:

"When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved...."  Genesis 29:31.  Makes your heart hurt just thinking about it.  And what about when Leah saw that she was not loved?

It's so sad for her to know that she's not loved and for her father to put her in a position where it was unlikely she'd find love.  But God hears her.

As sad as this situation is...the ensuing birthing battle between the two sisters is almost comic.  Almost.  You can almost see Jacob running from tent to tent to tent...Leah, I'll be right there...Just a minute, Rachel...I'm busy at the moment, Bilhah...or is it Zilpah's night?

Also what's up with this naming of the kids in a way that just sort of throws gas on their already fiery domestic disputes.   Rueben for "he has seen my misery."  Simeon for "one who hears" or as his mother explains it -- "because the Lord heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too."  Levi for "Now, at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons."  Dan for "God has vindicated me; he has listened to my plea and given me a son."  Might as well have named them Whine, Nag and Quarrel.  I how Jacob felt being surrounded by kids whose names were constant reminders of his wives' constant bickering.  What would my kids names be?  "Could you turn off the TV?"  "All you want to do is play"  And, "why don't we ever talk?"

And what's up with the women naming all of the children?  Maybe Jacob just washed his hands of the whole thing and spent all of the time piddling out in the garage.  Or maybe he was just to exhausted to come up with names.

There's also some poetic justice to the fact that the man who bought his birthright is being sold by one wife to the other for a mandrake.  "Swaping for food" should have been Jacob's name.