Rachel has now grown jealous of Leah as Leah had five sons by Jacob while Rachel remained barren. She demands a child by. Jacob who rebukes her saying, “Am I in the 0lace of God who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” (Genesis 30:2). This 8s in contrast to Isaac who prayed over Rebekah’s barrenness (Genesis 25:21-22). Isaac is still not turning to God like his father did.
As a result, Rachel gave her servant, Bilhah, to Jacob to bear children for her. Bilhah gave birth to a son that Rachel named Dan saying “God has judged me and has also heard my voice and given me a son”. Bilhah also gave birth to another son that Rachel name Naphtali saying, “with mighty wrestling I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed”. (Genesis 30:3-88.
Now Leah became jealous of Rachel and sent her servant, Zilpsh, to Jacob in order to bear children for her. Zilpah bore a son Leah named Gad saying, “Good fortune has come”. Then Zilpah bore a second son who, Leah named Asher saying “Happy am I! For women have called me Happy!” (Genesis 30:9-13)
when Reuben then brought mandrakes to his mother, Leah, Rachel desired the mandrakes for herself. The reason for this is not told, but it may be that Rachel felt the mandrakes would help with her barrenness. Rachel went to Leah to ask for Reuben’s mandrakes, and Leah agrees on the promise that she can be with Jacob. God heard Leah in this, and she bore another son to Jacob naming him Issachar, because “God has given me my wages because I gave my servant to my husband.” Leah also bore another son, Zebulun of whom she said, “God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will honor me because I have borne him six sons.” Lead also gave birth to a daughter named Dinah (Genesis 30:14-21).
After this, scripture tells us that God remembered Rachel, and she bore a son to Jacob. She named him Jospeh saying “May the Lord add to me another son”. (Genesis 30:23)
Shortly after Joseph was born, Jacob went to Laban to ask to return to Canaan. Laban had discovered that the Lord blessed his household through Jacob, and asked Jacob what he would like for wages this time. Jacob asked for every black and speckled sheep, lamb, and goat from the flocks as his wage, and he would continue to pasture Laban’s flock. That way if there was a part of Jacob’s flock that was not speckled, it would be counted as stolen from Laban. Laban set the speckled flock in the charge of his sons and sent them three days journey from the non-speckled flock that he and Jacob pastured. In that way, Laban treated Jacob deceptively once again,
Jacob took fresh stick of almond and plane trees and peeled white streaks in them and set them where the flocks drank water, which is also where they bred. This led to the flocks giving birth to speckled, striped, and spotted. Using this selective breeding process Jacob was able to grow stronger flock than Laban, as well as developing a large flock along with servants and camels (Genesis 30: 25-43)
As Laban and his sons grew jealous of the growth of Jacob’s flock, the Lord told Jacob that he should return to Canaan, and that He would be with Jacob. Her talked with Rachel and Leah who both affirmed that what their father had taken from them, God has given to them and their children. Scripture mentions that while preparing to leave Rachel also took her father’s household gods. The reason for this is not made clear. (Genesis 31:1-21).
After three days, Laban learned that Jacob and his family had fled. Laban pursued Jacob and soon caught up to him. It is at this time that God tells Laban “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad”. (Genesis 31:24) Laban accuses Jacob of stealing from him, but when Jacob offers to allow Laban to search for anything that is his, Laban cannot find it. Jacob then reminds Laban that he has worked for Laban fairly for 20 years and has been taken advantage of numerous times by Laban. At the end of this disagreement, they piled stones that Jacob named Galeed. There they made a covenant that Jacob would treat Laban’s daughters appropriately, and Laban agreed to no longer pursue Jacob (Genesis 31: 25-55)
Jacob now turns his sights to his homeland, Canaan. On the way he met two angels of God, where Jacob said, “This is God’s camp”. He called the place of the meeting Mahamnaim, meaning two camps. This could be reflective of Jacob’s camp and God’s camp (Genesis 32:1-2).
Jacob then sends messengers into Edom to speak with Esau, indicating that he is returning after all this time with oxen, donkeys, flocks, and servants. Of not is the humble tone of Jacob’s message calling Esau “my lord” and himself ‘your servant”. This harkens back to where Isaac told Esau he would break the yoke of his brother.
The messengers return to Jacob reporting that Esau was coming with four hundred men with him. This causes Jacob to fear meeting Esau, and he splits all that was with him into two camps. Please note the prayer that Jacon now utters:
““O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, the LORD who told me, ‘Go back to your country and to your kindred, and I will make you prosper,’ I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness You have shown Your servant. Indeed, with only my staff I came across the Jordan, but now I have become two camps. Please deliver me from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid that he may come and attack me and the mothers and children with me. But You have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper, and I will make your offspring like the sand of the sea, too numerous to count.” (Genesis 32:9-12)
This is the first genuine prayer that we are provided which Jacob spoke. It is full of humility and brokenness. It is also reminding God of the promise he made to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, holding on to that promise.
After this prayer, Jacob takes from all he has and sends servants with lavish gifts of his flocks to Esau. He sent them in droves, making a continual gift to Esau leading to their meeting.
That night, Jacob crossed the Jabbok, where Jacob is found alone that night. During the night a man wrestles with Jacob until the morning. When the man did not win, he put Jacob’s hip out of socket. Jacob still will not let the man go until he blesses Jacob. Then the man tells Jacob his name from then on is Israel because “You have striven with God and with men and prevailed” (Genesis 32:28). Jacob called the place Peniel “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”
Jacob now comes to the time of meeting with Esau. In preparation Jacob had ordered his family, with his servants and his children by them in the front, Leah with her children by Jacob next, followed lastly by Rachel and Joseph. He then went before them all to meet Esau. But Esau ran to Jacob, embracing him and kissing him; not at all the greeting Jacob expected! Esau urged Jacob to journey on with him, but Jacob said he was weary. Thus, Esau returned alone to Seir. Meanwhile Jacob traveled on to El-Elhone-Israel (God, the God of Israel) where he built an altar. Jacob is now finally recognizing that God is his God!
My Bible Journey In A Year (Chronological) 