Genesis 29:1 - 30:24

Jacob's wives

 
 
  1. Whom did Jacob want to marry? 


  2. What was the agreement Jacob initially made with Laban? 


  3. How did Jacob end up marrying Leah? 


  4. How long did Jacob have to wait before marrying Rachel? (notice the custom of the week of feasting associated with the marriage. We see something similar in Judges 14:12) 


  5. What did Jacob have to agree to do in order to marry Rachel? 


  6. What do you think Laban's real motive was in giving Leah to Jacob first without explaining the custom to Jacob ahead of time? 


  7. Compare the physical appearance of Rachel and Leah based on 29:17. You might want to compare a few different translations. 


  8. Who had compassion for Leah? 


  9. Who was it that determined that Leah would have children? 


  10. With each of the first four children Leah bore, she hoped that Jacob would respond by loving her. What did the names Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah mean? 


  11. When Rachel became desperate (30:1), what was Jacob's response? 


  12. What were the things that motivated Rachel so desperately? 


  13. What plan did Rachel devise to get credit for giving Jacob children? 


  14. Name the next two children. What did "Dan" mean, and what was the signifance in Rachel's mind?


  15. Leah followed after Rachel's example. Name the next two children. 


  16. Mandrakes were considered an aphrodisiac and perhaps capable of enhancing fertility. When Rachel saw Reuben with mandrakes, naturally she supposed they might help her. But when she asked Leah for some of them, Leah's reaction reflected her bitterness at being bested by her younger sister in the competition for Jacob's affection. As a result of this particular incident, who conceived? Name the next three children to be born. 


  17. Finally, Rachel gives birth to whom. 


  18. Later Rachel will also give birth to Benjamin, 12 sons and one daughter for Jacob. In a story of naturally understandable human rivalry and emotion, we see God's hand at work. What was God accomplishing through these events in connection with his promises to Abraham? 


  19. Go to http://www.geocities.com/centrevillechurchofchrist/smelser_j/geneal2.htm and practice filling in the names in the proper places. To see the correct name for a given box, use your mouse to point the cursor at the box.