Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

It is an interesting comment on Laban that Jacob found it necessary to remind him of the expiration of the seven years. A great marriage feast, probably lasting an entire week (v. 27), was prepared, according to the usual custom. Laban's deception of Jacob was possible because of the custom of veiling the bride and bringing her to the bridegroom "in the evening."

Although girls usually had little choice in the selection of their husbands, Leah's consent was necessary to the success of this base proposal. She must herself have loved Jacob, to approve and cooperate in the plan to wrong both her sister and her future husband by marrying one who neither sought nor loved her. Laban's duplicity resulted in lifelong rivalry between the two sisters (see ch. 30:14—16).

Next morning Jacob, the master deceiver, awoke to find himself the victim of deceit. Inexorable justice had repaid him double for his double—dealing. In self—defense Laban pleaded an imaginary requirement of local social custom. Had this actually been the custom in Haran, as it was in some other ancient countries, he should have told Jacob of it when the latter proposed working for Rachel. Jacob's vow to God at Bethel, however, and his longing for Rachel led him to stay by Laban rather than repudiate the marriage as he might have done.

It is plain that Jacob did not serve another seven years before Rachel became his wife. This occurred at the close of Leah's festal week. Jacob's act of bigamy must not be judged by a later provision in the Mosaic law that prohibited marriage with two sisters concurrently (Lev. 18:18). At the same time Jacob's double marriage cannot be justified on the ground that the blessing of God eventually made it the means of multiplying Jacob's seed and so fulfilling His promise. God simply overruled the errors of men even these could not thwart His purpose (see Ps. 76:10).

The bigamy that had been occasioned by Laban's deception and Jacob's affection brought friction and regret to the homes of both men. In this school of affliction Jacob learned that "the way of transgressors is hard" (Prov. 13:15). The jealousy and misery attending this marriage are a commentary on Moses' specific injunction against a man's marrying two sisters concurrently (Lev. 18:18).