#42: Work and Wait

Genesis 29:14-21

After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, 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.”

Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”

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

Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.”

Comments

Jacob had traveled from Beersheba to Harran both to escape Esau’s murderous rage and to find a wife from among his own people. This is an important story because it tells the origin of what will one day be the twelve tribes of Israel; it is also a confusing story because it comes from a culture quite different from our own.

Laban’s offer to pay Jacob in addition to providing room and board may have seemed generous, but it benefitted Laban greatly by binding Jacob to work seven years for him. 

The NIV says Leah had “weak” eyes, but the NRSV translates this as “lovely” eyes. The Hebrew word generally means “soft” or “tender,” neither of which translates easily into English as a way of describing someone’s eyes. This was not a matter of one sister being homely and the other beautiful, but of one being more shapely and beautiful than the other. It doesn’t surprise us to learn Jacob fell for the stunner, but that he chastely waited and worked seven years for her would not be typical today!

Reflections

Delayed gratification is a sign of maturity. How patient are you when it comes to working and waiting for something you really want?

Credit cards, home equity loans and other forms of easy credit make it possible to have almost anything you want now and pay for it later. How often do you buy something on credit rather than saving for it?

Prayer

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who promises us a kingdom and invites us to work and wait for it.