Leah And Rachel

Genesis 29:1-30

Looking Back (Recap)

Abraham Offers Isaac Genesis 22:1-18

A Bride for Isaac Genesis 24:1-67

Jacob & Esau Genesis 25:19-34; 27:1-46; 33

Isaac Blesses Jacob Genesis 27:1-46

Jacob’s Dream Genesis 28:10-22

MEMORY VERSE

PROVERBS 11:18 “The wicked man does deceptive work, but to him who sows righteousness will be a sure reward.”

ATTENTION GRABBER!

Explain to your class that God has a plan and design for each of our lives.

God has made promises to His children that He intends to keep in His time and in His way.

When we try to take matters into our own hands and force those promises to come true, it will not work.

We need to trust the Lord.

Jacob tried to make something happen in his life by using deceit; it came back on him.

LESSON TIME

Leah And Rachel - Genesis 29:1-30

Jacob’s name means deceiver, and it describes him well.

He had tricked his brother in order to gain his birthright,

and he deceived his father to gain his blessing.

His mother sent him off to find a wife and to protect him from Esau, his brother, who was angry with Jacob.

Today, we will learn about a time when Jacob was deceived. Deceit will come back on those who do it.

GENESIS 29:1-10

1 Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples. 2 There he saw a well in the open country, with three flocks of sheep lying near it because the flocks were watered from that well. The stone over the mouth of the well was large. 3 When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone away from the well’s mouth and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well. 4 Jacob asked the shepherds, “My brothers, where are you from?” “We’re from Harran,” they replied.

5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s grandson?” “Yes, we know him,” they answered. 6 Then Jacob asked them, “Is he well?” “Yes, he is,” they said, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.” 7 “Look,” he said, “the sun is still high; it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.” 8 “We can’t,” they replied, “until all the flocks are gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep.” 9 While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherd. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel, daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban’s sheep, he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep.

Jacob traveled a long distance to Haran, the place where his ancestors dwelt.

He reached a well where sheep were given water and inquired of some shepherds about his uncle.

They said he was well and that his daughter Rachel was approaching.

Jacob removed the stone on the well’s mouth and served Rachel by giving water to her sheep.

Genesis 29:11-14

11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud. 12 He had told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and a son of Rebekah. So, she ran and told her father.

13 As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, and there Jacob told him all these things. 14 Then Laban said to him, “You are my own flesh and blood.” After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month,

Jacob was glad to see Rachel and his relatives.

Jacob visited with his uncle, Laban, and remained with him for one month.

Genesis 29:15-20

15 Laban said to him, “Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.” 16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. 18 Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”

19 Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.

As a result of Jacob deceiving Esau (taking his birthright and blessing), Jacob became a servant to Laban.

Jacob decided to work for Laban for seven years in exchange for Rachel, Laban's younger daughter.

But the time went by fast because he loved Rachel very much.

Has there ever been something that you wanted so much that the work you had to do to get it did not seem like very much? Maybe you were promised a big bowl of ice cream if you weeded a flowerbed at home.

Once the work was done and you got your ice cream, the work did not seem so bad. That is how Jacob felt about working seven years in order to marry Rachel.

GENESIS 29:21-26

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.” 22 So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. 23 But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. 24 And Laban gave his servant Zilpah to his daughter as her attendant. 25 When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?” 26 Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one.

Jacob worked his seven years waiting patiently for Rachel.

The wedding was prepared but Laban switched his daughters and brought Leah, his older daughter, to Jacob.

When Jacob found out it was Leah, it was too late. The marriage was official.

He had been deceived and was stuck.

Remember, Jacob received the blessing and it was too late for Esau. Jacob, now, tasted the consequences of deceit.

He experienced what Esau must have felt to be the victim of deceit.

After seven more years of hard work, Jacob received Rachel as his wife.

He was forced to wait for his heart’s desire.

In all, Jacob would spend a total of 20 years away from his home, something, he probably never planned on when he deceived his father and Esau.

GENESIS 29:27-30

27 Finish this daughter’s bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.” 28 And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 Laban gave his servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her attendant. 30 Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. And he worked for Laban for another seven years.

So, Jacob fulfilled his service, and Laban permitted Rachel to be Jacob’s wife.

Remember, Jacob means “heel catcher or deceiver”; and later God changed Jacob’s name to mean Israel or “ruled by God.”

Seven Minutes of Silence

Instruct your class to try to imagine what seven years are like. For Jacob to wait seven years for Rachel, only to discover he must work another seven years to keep her.

Set a timer for seven minutes, heads down, silence if they want a treat, then make them wait seven more minutes for 14 total.

Jacob’s sin came back upon him; he who had once deceived his brother Esau, experiences the consequences of deceit himself many years later.

When God wants to do work in our lives and teach us something, we cannot avoid it.

MEMORY VERSE

PROVERBS 11:18 “The wicked man does deceptive work, but to him who sows righteousness will be a sure reward.”

PRAYER