Too
many wives (gen. 29)
1) The next time you think you have experienced a bad family squabble read Gen. 29.
2) Two sisters were married to the same man, and this created some tension.
3) The problems in this family were compounded when it came time to have children.
4) Let’s highlight some of the things that were read from verses 31-35.
5) Leah (who was one of Jacob’s wives) was “hated”.
6) Our definition for hate is not pleasant.
7) When hate exists,
a) The person possessing the hate may engage in murder.
b) Hate is an emotion that prompts people to injure and harm someone else.
c) If we hate someone we do not want to be with him or her.
d) Hate means that we have ill feelings towards someone.
e) Those who are hated are usually an enemy.
8) The Genesis writer reveals that Jacob hated his wife Leah.
9) Did this “hatred” put Leah’s life at risk? That is, did Jacob attempt to murder his wife?
10) Did Jacob’s “hate” cause him to beat up Leah?
11) Did his “hatred” cause him to stay away from Leah? Not exactly.
12) The “hate” that is described must not have been too bad.
13) The wife Jacob “hated” became pregnant by the very one who “hated” her (verse 32).
14) This wife that was “hated” became pregnant again by the man who hated her (verse 33).
15) The wife who was hated became pregnant for a third time (verse 34).
16) Verse 35 says that Jacob and the wife he hated brought a 4th child into the world.
17) If
the word “hate” expresses the meaning we attach to it, Jacob sure spent a lot
of time with a woman he couldn’t stand.
18) Fathering 4 children in rapid succession with someone we hate doesn’t make much sense.
19) The word “hate” in this context expresses the idea of “loving less.”
20) Rachel was the Jacob’s true love. Jacob had not planned on marrying Leah.
21) Because he was tricked, Jacob was married to both women and he loved Leah the least.
22) The lessened love for Leah, as you can imagine, created problems.
23) God was aware of the tensions and He took action (verse 31).
24) Leah was blessed with a son. This son was named Reuben.
25) The name Reuben meant, “Behold a son.”
26) Can we imagine what Rachel felt like when Reuben’s name was called day after day?
27) Rachel couldn’t have children.
a) Her sister Leah could have offspring and her first child was known as, “Behold a Son.”
28) Leah might not have been Jacob’s first choice, but she had given him a boy.
29) Some time passed and Leah became pregnant again (Simeon, verse 33).
30) This name means, “hearing.” This may have meant, “God heard my prayers.”
31) “I asked God for another baby and He has blessed me & Jacob with another son.”
32) Rachel’s unhappiness was growing. By now she must have been very upset.
33) Things became even more stressful and painful as time progressed.
34) Verse 34 says that Levi was born to Leah and Jacob.
35) Here is what Leah thought when Levi was born – READ v. 34
36) The name Levi meant “attachment.”
37) The birth of this son must have been a big blow to Rachel.
38) Rachel was the one who had been the object of Jacob’s attention and love.
39) Leah was the one who had been “hated” (loved less).
40) Now Leah believed that she would be securely joined (attached) to her husband.
41) She believed that the birth of her 3rd son would strengthen her relationship with Jacob.
42) After Levi
was born
43) Leah was again the one who became pregnant and gave birth.
44) By the time the fourth son was born Rachel was boiling.
45) She was very mad – verse 1 of Gen. 30
46) Jacob didn’t appreciate his wife’s outburst – verse 2.
47) The sparks really flew in the exchange between this husband and wife.
48) Rachel wants to have children. Thus far in the story pregnancy for her has been impossible.
49) Rachel now suggests an alternative.
50) This alternative is in Gen. 30:3.
51) Rachel wanted her give her husband children by using another woman.
52) This was done, and this union brought forth a son named Dan (verse 6).
53) The name “Dan” meant justice; perhaps Rachel felt God was finally helping her.
54) For Rachel things seemed to finally be looking up.
55) Though her situation was improving, Rachel must not have been satisfied with one son.
56) The process was repeated and Rachel received another son (Naphtali, verse 8).
57) The name Naphtali means wrestling; this is what these two sisters did.
58) In a figurative sense they wrestled over their offspring & husband’s love.
59) Leah has produced four children and Rachel has produced 2 by her handmaid.
60) This sounds like a contest, and for all practical purposes, it was.
61) Who would be able to produce the most children for and by the same man?
62) Let’s move to verse 9.
63) Leah wanted to keep her lead so she presents Jacob with yet another woman.
64) Leah’s maid was given to Jacob and the maid became pregnant.
a) This child was named “Gad.” The name “Gad” (30:11) meant “good fortune.”
65) This suggests that Leah was thinking, “I’m ahead by three; I’m fortunate.”
66) Leah’s maid became pregnant a second time; this son was Asher, Gen. 30:13.
67) The name Asher meant, “happy.” Leah must have been happy.
68) She had six sons and her sister only had two. She had a 200% lead.
69) Moving to Gen. 30:17-18 Leah started to have children again; son named Issachar.
70) After Issachar Leah gave birth to Zebulun (verse 20).
71) Jacob now has ten boys with the oldest possibly being about 10.
72) Leah then borne a daughter named Dinah (verse 21) but this was not the end.
73) Up to this point Rachel has not produced a single child from her own body.
74) This finally changed. Verses 22-23. This son was Joseph (verse 25).
75) Rachel gave birth to another son (Benjamin, Gen. 35:18), but she died during this birth.
76) We may look at this story and asK ourselves, what were these woman thinking? Why would these women enter into A contest to see who could produce the most children?
77) Are
the events in Gen. 29-30 really that surprising?
78) In
this household there was envy (Gen. 30:1).
79) Rachel
saw that her sister could bring forth children and she also wanted that
ability.
80) We may look at this account and saw “How awful. How could they do such a thing?”
81) In our society we may not be in a contest to see who can have the most children.
82) However, we do find envy and a lack of contentment.
83) People are not satisfied with what they have.
84) To a large degree this was the problem that these sisters had.
a) Having a husband that loved her was not enough for Rachel.
b) Being Jacob’s wife and being able to have children was not enough for Leah.
c) Throughout the history of mankind,
85) Many have seen what others have and what is seen results in unhappiness.
86) If someone buys a new car or builds a new house,
a) Friends of the new house owner may decide that they too will build a new house.
b) Somehow their “old house” is no longer good enough.
c) If the first new house costs $200,000, the envious friend will spend $275,000.
d) If the new car that was bought had “a lot of features”, the friend’s car w/have all the feat.
87) Th desire to “keep up with the Jones’ helps keep the computer industry going.
88) There are few programs on the market that can adequately use current technology.
89) The best systems on the market are not needed by the average consumer.
a) Yet, what do we see?
90) If someone buys a nice computer system, friends often buy a better system.
91) Then it is said, “Look at what I have.”
92) A long time ago my father told me something.
a) He said no matter how smart I was, no matter what kind of job I would get,
b) No matter how much money I would eventually have,
c) There would always be someone with a higher level of intelligence.
d) Someone else would have a better education.
e) Someone else would have a better job and possess more money.
f) Dad was right.
93) There will always be someone else who has more than we have.
94) Perhaps this is the reason that the Hebrew writer said in Heb. 13:5.
95) Rachel and Leah should have been content with their status in life.
96) These two sisters could have been content.
97) They weren’t content, and this lead to a contest to see who could have the most children.
98) Other people have also lacked contentment and troubles have soon followed.
99) Who can forget Naboth, the man who owned vineyard (1 Kgs. 21)?
100) King Ahab wanted this vineyard. He said to Naboth,
101) “Give me your vineyard and I will give you another one that is even better.”
102) The king had better vineyards. He had more than he needed.
103) Yet, he wasn’t content. He was so unhappy that he whined and pouted.
104) Listen to 1 Kgs. 21:4-5.
105) From sisters to kings there is a lack of contentment in our world.
106) People see what others have and they believe they must have the same.
107) When Jesus dealt with soldiers in Lk. 3:14 He said, “Be content with your pay.”
108) Paul said in Phil. 4:11 that he had learned to be content in any circumstance.
109) In a
prosperous country like
110) There are many that we can look at and say, “I want what he has.”
111) Gen. 29 shows that a lack of contentment leads to several and severe problems.
112) As a Christian are we content with what we have?
113) If we are not a Christian, is a system that offers contentment attractive?