Jacob Trusted God

Jacob's Life (Genesis 27:1 to 35:29).

Age	Event	Reference
15	Abraham dies	21:5; 25:7, 26
91	Joseph is born	35:16-20
108	Joseph is sold into slavery	37:2
120	Isaac dies	25:26; 35:28
130	Jacob moves to Egypt	47:7-9
147	Jacob dies, is buried in Canaan	47:28

     Jacob's Dream at Bethel (Jacob’s Ladder)

     “Jacob left Beersheba and started toward Haran. 11 At sunset he came to a holy place and camped there. He lay down to sleep, resting his head on a stone. 12 He dreamed that he saw a stairway reaching from earth to heaven, with angels going up and coming down on it. 13 And there was the Lord standing beside him. "I am the Lord, the God of Abraham and Isaac," he said. "I will give to you and to your descendants this land on which you are lying. 14 They will be as numerous as the specks of dust on the earth. They will extend their territory in all directions, and through you and your descendants I will bless all the nations. 15 Remember, I will be with you and protect you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done all that I have promised you." 16 Jacob woke up and said, "The Lord is here! He is in this place, and I didn't know it!" 17 He was afraid and said, "What a terrifying place this is! It must be the house of God; it must be the gate that opens into heaven." Gen 28:10-17 (TEV)

     “The point of the vision was that God and his angels were with Jacob on his journey. God reiterated to Jacob the covenant promises made to Abraham and Isaac, promising him land, descendants numerous as the dust (cp. 13:16; 22:17), and universal blessing through him (cp. 12:2-3; 15:5,18; 17:3-8; 22:15-18; 35:11-12). God also promised to be with Jacob and watch over him until he returned.”  —NLT Study Bible

     “Bethel later became a holy site for Israel (see Judg 20:18-27; 1 Sam 7:16; 10:3; 1 Kgs 12:26-13:10; 2 Kgs 2:2-3).

28:20-22 In view of what God would do for him, Jacob vowed to do certain things for God. He believed the Lord's words and responded in gratitude. Jacob's vow influenced Israel's way of making commitments to God in worship.” —NLT Study Bible

     “I am with you: The promise of God's presence meant that God would protect and provide for Jacob in a special way. God's promise to be with his people is repeated throughout Scripture (see also 26:24), prompting a response of worship and confidence in those who have faith (28:16-22).

28:16-22 The second half of the passage gives Jacob's response to the revelation. He felt reverential fear and awe in the Lord's presence, and his acts of devotion became archetypes of Israel's worship. When God graciously visits his people and promises to be with them and make them a blessing to the world, his people respond in faith with reverential fear, worship, offerings, and vows. They preserve their faith in memory for future worshipers.

—NLT Study Bible

     “Jacob got up early next morning, took the stone that was under his head, and set it up as a memorial. Then he poured olive oil on it to dedicate it to God. 19 He named the place Bethel. (The town there was once known as Luz.) 20 Then Jacob made a vow to the Lord: "If you will be with me and protect me on the journey I am making and give me food and clothing, 21 and if I return safely to my father's home, then you will be my God. 22 This memorial stone which I have set up will be the place where you are worshiped, and I will give you a tenth of everything you give me." Gen 28:18-22 (TEV)

     Beth'el (the house of God).  A well known city and holy place of central Palestine, about 12 miles north of Jerusalem.  Bethel was the scene of Jacob's vision. Gen 28:11-19; 31:13 Jacob lived there. Gen 35:1-8   Here was the ark of the covenant. Judg 20:26-28; 21:4 Later it is named as one of the holy cities to which Samuel went on circuit. 1 Sam 7:16  Elijah visited Bethel, and we hear of "sons of the prophets" as resident there. 2 Kin 2:2-3  But after the destruction of Baal worship by Jehu, Bethel comes once more into view. 2 Kin 10:29  In later times Bethel is named only once under the scarcely-altered name of Beitin. Its ruins still lie on the righthand side of the road from Jerusalem to Nablus.

—Smith's Bible Dictionary

     Jacob Arrives at Laban's Home

     “Jacob continued on his way and went toward the land of the East. 2 Suddenly he came upon a well out in the fields with three flocks of sheep lying around it. The flocks were watered from this well, which had a large stone over the opening. 3 Whenever all the flocks came together there, the shepherds would roll the stone back and water them. Then they would put the stone back in place. 4 Jacob asked the shepherds, "My friends, where are you from?" "From Haran," they answered. 5 He asked, "Do you know Laban, grandson of Nahor?" "Yes, we do," they answered. 6 "Is he well?" he asked. "He is well," they answered. "Look, here comes his daughter Rachel with his flock." 7 Jacob said, "Since it is still broad daylight and not yet time to bring the flocks in, why don't you water them and take them back to pasture?" 8 They answered, "We can't do that until all the flocks are here and the stone has been rolled back; then we will water the flocks." 9 While Jacob was still talking with them, Rachel arrived with the flock. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel with his uncle Laban's flock, he went to the well, rolled the stone back, and watered the sheep. 11 Then he kissed her and began to cry for joy. 12 He told her, "I am your father's relative, the son of Rebecca." She ran to tell her father; 13 and when he heard the news about his nephew Jacob, he ran to meet him, hugged him and kissed him, and brought him into the house. When Jacob told Laban everything that had happened, 14 Laban said, "Yes, indeed, you are my own flesh and blood." Jacob stayed there a whole month.”  Gen 29:1-14 (TEV)

     Campbell said the Bible is a book of FACTS.  God works through people to fulfill His Purpose.  But He allows people to make decisions and to do things.  Jacob’s one true love was Rachel, yet the Promise came through Leah.  Rachel’s son Joseph was an important person (two tribes, Ephraim and Manasseh).  But Leah’s son Judah was the line of King David. 

     Jacob to fulfillment of the promises (cp. 24:12-20). The well was a reminder of God's blessing (cp. 16:13-14; 21:19; 26:19-25, 33).  In contrast to the lazy, unhelpful shepherds (29:7-8), Jacob is portrayed as generous, industrious, and energetic. • Jacob... watered his uncle's flock: Laban's flocks would flourish under Jacob's care.  29:11 Jacob kissed Rachel: Kissing relatives was a proper greeting (29:13; cp. Song 8:1).

—NLT Study Bible

     Jacob Serves Laban for Rachel and Leah

     “Laban said to Jacob, "You shouldn't work for me for nothing just because you are my relative. How much pay do you want?" 16 Laban had two daughters; the older was named Leah, and the younger Rachel. 17 Leah had lovely eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful. 18 Jacob was in love with Rachel, so he said, "I will work seven years for you, if you will let me marry Rachel." 19 Laban answered, "I would rather give her to you than to anyone else; stay here with me." 20 Jacob worked seven years so that he could have Rachel, and the time seemed like only a few days to him, because he loved her.”  Gen 29:15-20 (TEV)

     Jacob's joyful prospect of marriage to the lovely Rachel became an occasion for Laban's shrewdness and Jacob's discipline. Jacob and his mother had deceived his father and brother to gain the blessing; now his mother's brother deceived him. Jacob received a dose of his own duplicity through twenty years of labor, affliction, and deception in Laban's service (31:38). In God's justice, people harvest what they plant (Gal 6:7). Laban's deception was perfectly designed to make Jacob aware of his own craftiness. God often brings people into the lives of believers to discipline them. But Jacob was tenacious, and God blessed him abundantly with a large family and many possessions (30:25-43) during this time of service.—NLT Study Bible

     “Then Jacob said to Laban, "The time is up; let me marry your daughter." 22 So Laban gave a wedding feast and invited everyone. 23 But that night, instead of Rachel, he took Leah to Jacob, and Jacob had intercourse with her. 24 (Laban gave his slave woman Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maid.) 25 Not until the next morning did Jacob discover that it was Leah. He went to Laban and said, "Why did you do this to me? I worked to get Rachel. Why have you tricked me?" 26 Laban answered, "It is not the custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older. 27 Wait until the week's marriage celebrations are over, and I will give you Rachel, if you will work for me another seven years."  Gen 29:21-27 (TEV)

     Profile of Leah

      “Leah was Laban's first daughter, Jacob's unloved first wife, and Rachel's older sister.  After Jacob deceived his father Isaac into giving him the blessing intended for Esau (27:1-40), Jacob went to his uncle Laban in Mesopotamia to find a wife (27:46-28:2) and escape Esau's revenge (27:41-42). He fell in love with his cousin Rachel and arranged with her father to marry her after seven years of work (29:17-18). At the wedding feast, Laban deceived Jacob by giving him Leah instead of Rachel (29:21-25), claiming that custom required the older daughter to marry first (29:26). Leah's eyes were not beautiful, but Rachel "had a beautiful figure and a lovely face" (29:17).  Jacob's love for Rachel (29:20) induced him to work another seven years to marry her. In the intense rivalry between the two sisters, Jacob favored Rachel, so the Lord blessed Leah with six sons and a daughter (Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah) before Rachel was given any children (29:31-30:22). This barrenness became a great burden for Rachel. At one point she bargained with Leah for mandrakes, a plant believed to ensure conception, in exchange for conjugal rights. This increased her sister's advantage, because Leah conceived and bore her fifth son.

     Leah was the mother of two tribes that played significant roles in Israelite history. The tribe of Levi was the tribe of the priesthood, and the tribe of Judah became the tribe of royalty through which the promised seed (3:15; 12:2-3; 2 Sam 7:16; Matt 1:1) came in the person of Jesus Christ.  —NLT Study Bible

     “The leaders and the others said, "Yes, we are witnesses. May the Lord make your wife become like Rachel and Leah, who bore many children to Jacob. May you become rich in the clan of Ephrath and famous in Bethlehem. 12 May the children that the Lord will give you by this young woman make your family like the family of Perez, the son of Judah and Tamar."  Ruth 4:11-12 (TEV)

     “But Rachel had not borne Jacob any children, and so she became jealous of her sister and said to Jacob, "Give me children, or I will die." Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, "I can't take the place of God. He is the one who keeps you from having children."  Gen 30:1-2 (TEV)

     “30:1-2 In that culture, it was like death for a woman not to have children (cp. 1 Sam 1); only God could open Rachel's womb.   30:3-4 Rachel's decision to have children through her servant, and Jacob's compliance, recall Sarai's use of Hagar (16:1-4). • bear children for me: Literally bear children on my knees.

     30:1-8 Rachel's naming of sons through Bilhah does not reflect faith as Leah's namings had. Rachel felt wronged over the marriage and her barrenness. The names of Bilhah's sons reflect Rachel's bitter struggle with her sister and her feeling of some victory.”  —NLT Study Bible

     Rachel finally gave birth to her own son, Joseph. His birth was brought about by God's intervention, not by superstitious practices (30:14-16) or the social custom of giving servants as wives. • Removed (Hebrew ʾasap, "take away") sounds similar to Joseph (Hebrew yosep). Joseph means "may he add." Rachel rejoiced over Joseph's birth, yet she prayed that the Lord would add yet another son to her family.