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†. Gen 29:21 . .Then Jacob said to Laban; Give me my wife, for my
time is fulfilled, that I may cohabit with her.
The word "cohabit" is not actually in the Hebrew. It should read "go near".
What Jacob said, in the common colloquialism of our day, is what men
sometimes say when they want to sleep with a particular girl. They
sometimes say: Wow! I'd sure like to get next to that! (chuckle) Very
expressive.
†. Gen 29:22-23 . . And Laban gathered all the people of the place
and made a feast. When evening came, he took his daughter Leah
and brought her to him; and he cohabited with her.
Jacob has got to rank as just about the dumbest groom in history. He knew
both of those girls like the back of his hand. For seven years he lived right
next door and saw them both every day. Leah and Rachel didn't even
resemble each other. The one was shapely and beautiful. The other was not.
Even if he couldn't see well enough in the dark to tell the difference, he
certainly should have been able to feel the difference; and to recognize the
difference in their voices.
Was that man so totally plastered with booze from the reception that he
couldn't even tell who, or what, he slept with that night? Haw-Haw-Haw
Haw-Haw
But the real mystery was Leah. Wouldn't you think that she would have
spoke up and said something before things got out of hand? That sly girl.
(chuckle) Personally I think she had a big crush on Jacob. Later on Leah will
try very hard to get Jacob to transfer his affections to her and forget about
Rachel.
This so reminds me of Sadie Hawkins' day in the Little Abner comics of the
old days. In the town of Dog Patch, men didn't grow on trees; there just
wasn't enough to go around; and on top of that, some of the hillbilly girls
weren't much to look at either. Subsequently, some of the local gals had a
tough time getting husbands.
So, in memorial of an old spinster lady named Sadie Hawkins, a special day
was set aside each year wherein the bachelorettes had a chance to get
hitched. All they had to do was run down one of the unattached men; and
whoever they caught, absolutely had to marry them; no exchanges and no
returns.
But hey! Where was Rachel!?! Was she tied up out in the barn or something?
Well; I hate to say it, but I really don't think she ever did want to marry Mr.
Jacob. He was at least 82 years old by this time. Abraham and Sarah were
only ten years apart but it's really impossible to know Rachel's age. She
hadn't been through menopause yet, that much can be known; but that's
about all. I really think she was in on the whole scam all along and I think
Rachel was seriously hoping Jacob would settle for Leah and forget all about
her. But alas; such was not to happen. Jacob was very determined. He
accepted his fate with Leah, but went after Rachel anyway.
NOTE: The covenant that Yhvh's people eventually agreed upon with God as
per Lev 18:18 protects sisters like Rachel and Leah so that men are not
permitted to cohabit with both girls at the same time.
†. Gen 29:24 . . Laban had given his maidservant Zilpah to his
daughter Leah as her maid.
Zilpah didn't say anything either. In fact she very likely assisted Leah to
bathe and prepare for her wedding night. Poor Jacob. He was so defeated. It
was like the whole world, and even the stars above in their courses, were in
a grand conspiracy to dupe the old boy that night.
†. Gen 29:25 . .When morning came, there was Leah! So he said to
Laban: What is this you have done to me? I was in your service for
Rachel! Why did you deceive me?
There is really no one to blame for this situation but Jacob himself. They say
to never look a gift horse in the mouth. But I think your wedding night has
to be the exception. For crying out loud, you'd think the man would have
enough sense to make sure the woman in his bed was the one who was
supposed to be there. Yes, Laban was a rascal. But then so was Leah, and so
was Zilpah; and Rachel too. And maybe this gave Jacob cause to remember
how he tricked his own dad back home into giving him Esau's blessing.
(chuckle) There's an old saying: What goes around, comes around.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
†. Gen 29:21 . .Then Jacob said to Laban; Give me my wife, for my
time is fulfilled, that I may cohabit with her.
The word "cohabit" is not actually in the Hebrew. It should read "go near".
What Jacob said, in the common colloquialism of our day, is what men
sometimes say when they want to sleep with a particular girl. They
sometimes say: Wow! I'd sure like to get next to that! (chuckle) Very
expressive.
†. Gen 29:22-23 . . And Laban gathered all the people of the place
and made a feast. When evening came, he took his daughter Leah
and brought her to him; and he cohabited with her.
Jacob has got to rank as just about the dumbest groom in history. He knew
both of those girls like the back of his hand. For seven years he lived right
next door and saw them both every day. Leah and Rachel didn't even
resemble each other. The one was shapely and beautiful. The other was not.
Even if he couldn't see well enough in the dark to tell the difference, he
certainly should have been able to feel the difference; and to recognize the
difference in their voices.
Was that man so totally plastered with booze from the reception that he
couldn't even tell who, or what, he slept with that night? Haw-Haw-Haw
Haw-Haw
But the real mystery was Leah. Wouldn't you think that she would have
spoke up and said something before things got out of hand? That sly girl.
(chuckle) Personally I think she had a big crush on Jacob. Later on Leah will
try very hard to get Jacob to transfer his affections to her and forget about
Rachel.
This so reminds me of Sadie Hawkins' day in the Little Abner comics of the
old days. In the town of Dog Patch, men didn't grow on trees; there just
wasn't enough to go around; and on top of that, some of the hillbilly girls
weren't much to look at either. Subsequently, some of the local gals had a
tough time getting husbands.
So, in memorial of an old spinster lady named Sadie Hawkins, a special day
was set aside each year wherein the bachelorettes had a chance to get
hitched. All they had to do was run down one of the unattached men; and
whoever they caught, absolutely had to marry them; no exchanges and no
returns.
But hey! Where was Rachel!?! Was she tied up out in the barn or something?
Well; I hate to say it, but I really don't think she ever did want to marry Mr.
Jacob. He was at least 82 years old by this time. Abraham and Sarah were
only ten years apart but it's really impossible to know Rachel's age. She
hadn't been through menopause yet, that much can be known; but that's
about all. I really think she was in on the whole scam all along and I think
Rachel was seriously hoping Jacob would settle for Leah and forget all about
her. But alas; such was not to happen. Jacob was very determined. He
accepted his fate with Leah, but went after Rachel anyway.
NOTE: The covenant that Yhvh's people eventually agreed upon with God as
per Lev 18:18 protects sisters like Rachel and Leah so that men are not
permitted to cohabit with both girls at the same time.
†. Gen 29:24 . . Laban had given his maidservant Zilpah to his
daughter Leah as her maid.
Zilpah didn't say anything either. In fact she very likely assisted Leah to
bathe and prepare for her wedding night. Poor Jacob. He was so defeated. It
was like the whole world, and even the stars above in their courses, were in
a grand conspiracy to dupe the old boy that night.
†. Gen 29:25 . .When morning came, there was Leah! So he said to
Laban: What is this you have done to me? I was in your service for
Rachel! Why did you deceive me?
There is really no one to blame for this situation but Jacob himself. They say
to never look a gift horse in the mouth. But I think your wedding night has
to be the exception. For crying out loud, you'd think the man would have
enough sense to make sure the woman in his bed was the one who was
supposed to be there. Yes, Laban was a rascal. But then so was Leah, and so
was Zilpah; and Rachel too. And maybe this gave Jacob cause to remember
how he tricked his own dad back home into giving him Esau's blessing.
(chuckle) There's an old saying: What goes around, comes around.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=