“Yet your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not allow him to hurt me.”
This is news to me, as well as the former deception re the marriage to Rachel, Laban has also been deceptive with Jacob’s wages. Gosh, if he does this to a relative, what would he do to an enemy?!
This whole time Jacob has been abiding “in Him” , God. Knowing he is where he is meant to be. Now it is time to move on. He continues to bring his wives into the picture.
And you know that with all my might I have served your father
He is arguing his case, their father’s countenance is not favourable to him, yet all he has done is serve their father wholeheartedly.
David Guzik writes: You know shows Jacob knew his wives were aware of his righteous conduct and Laban’s unfair treatment of him.
and said to them, “I see your father’s countenance, that it is not favorable toward me as before; but the God of my father has been with me.
He begins to explain the reasoning behind the decision, on the direction he is taking them, so they understand.
He begins with turning their minds toward the fact that even though he had come to live with them and was dependant on their father, their father has not been favourable toward him, but in spite of this, he had still been blessed and increased, and Jacob accounts this to God. His God, the God of his fathers.
So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field, to his flock,
Jacob has direction and now it is time to move into action, he needs to inform his wives.
John Gill notes: Rachel is mentioned first, as being his proper and lawful wife, and is only called so, (Genesis 46:19) ; and it was for her sake Jacob had Leah.
Some commentators mention that possibly it was sheep shearing time and festivities were taking place at the field and that is why he sent for them there, and /or for privacy to consult with them as back in the tents they could be overheard.
Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you.”
It is heartening to see Jacob did not just react and run from the worsening situation with Laban and his sons, he sought the Lord. He would have needed to hear the word of the Lord saying “I will be with you” because he would be fully aware his brother would probably want him dead, and would not be favourable to his return.
David Guzik writes: Even if Jacob never knew it, God had been preparing him for this time. First, God gave him the desire to go back home (Genesis 30:25), then his present circumstances became unbearable. Finally, the Lord gave personal direction to Jacob.
He also adds that often God leads us in the same pattern.
Adam Clarke writes: And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return-and I will be with thee. I will take the same care of thee in thy return, as I took of thee on thy way to this place. The Targum reads, My WORD shall be for thy help, see Genesis 15:1. A promise of this kind was essentially necessary for the encouragement of Jacob, especially at this time; and no doubt it was a powerful means of support to him through the whole journey; and it was particularly so when he heard that his brother was coming to meet him, with four hundred men in his retinue, Genesis 32:6. At that time he went and pleaded the very words of this promise with God, Genesis 32:9.
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown write: Having been conducted to Haran by God (Ge 28:15) and having got a promise that the same heavenly Guardian would bring him again into the land of Canaan, he might have thought he ought not to leave it, without being clearly persuaded as to the path of duty. So ought we to set the Lord before us, and to acknowledge Him in all our ways, our journeys, our settlements, and plans in life.
And Jacob saw the countenance of Laban, and indeed it was not favourable toward him as before.
Jacob has heard the “sour” words of Laban’s sons toward him and the changed countenance of Laban also, and it would seem by the following verse that Jacob is unsettled and seeks God for direction
Now Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has acquired all this wealth.”
I could imagine this could be a dangerous place to be in for Jacob, knowing Laban’s sons are resentful toward him.
From John Gill: and it was so far true what they say, that it was out of their father’s flock that Jacob got all his increase; but then it was according to a covenant that Laban and he entered into, and therefore was obtained in a just and lawful manner. But as another commentator says, envy distorts everything.
Thus the man became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks, female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.
How Jacob’s life has turned around. He was sent off from home with nothing. He encountered God and trusted God. He has worked hard even after being deceived by his boss and uncle, but he has worked on and God has blessed him and increased him. Even though his wages were at a disadvantage re gaining speckled sheep from solid coloured sheep, God blessed him and the flocks brought forth spotted and speckled – his wages.
John Gill writes: Jacob grew very rich: and had much cattle; the greater part of Laban’s flocks brought forth speckled, spotted, and brown cattle, which, according to agreement, were Jacob’s: and maidservants, and menservants; which he got to take care of his household affairs, and to assist him in keeping his flocks: and camels, and asses; for his flocks increasing so very much, he sold many of his sheep at a good price, as Jarchi observes, and with it bought camels and asses; and these were very fit for his use, when he should be obliged or think fit to remove into his own country, and which he was meditating, and had a direction from the Lord for, as in the following chapter.
David Guzik writes: The Hebrew of verse 43 says, “the man burst out exceedingly exceedingly.” God was really blessing Jacob, but why? Because of how great or good Jacob was? No. It was because of the promises God made to Jacob (Genesis 28:13-15) and the covenant made to Abraham. In the same way, blessing comes from the Lord to us, not because we are great or good, but because of the covenant God has made with us through Jesus, and promises He has given us in His word.
I must add to what David Guzik has written though, yes I agree, but also Jacob has positioned himself to receive the blessing by walking in the Lord, not operating out of his own old devices of deceit etc. We may have the promises, but it is conditional to our walking in obedience.
As we close up this chapter I really like what Adam Clarke has written: We have already seen many difficulties in this chapter, and strange incidents, for which we are not able to account. 1. The vicarious bearing of children; 2. The nature and properties of the mandrakes; 3. The bargain of Jacob and Laban; and 4. The business of the party-coloured flocks produced by means of the females looking at the variegated rods. These, especially the three last, may be ranked among the most difficult things in this book. Without encumbering the page with quotations and opinions, I have given the best sense I could; and think it much better and safer to confess ignorance, than, under the semblance of wisdom and learning, to multiply conjectures.
But when the flocks were feeble, he did not put them in; so the feebler were Laban’s and the stronger Jacob’s.
As David Guzik writes: Jacob also used selective breeding to increase the strength and vitality of his flock.
And it came to pass, whenever the stronger livestock conceived, that Jacob placed the rods before the eyes of the livestock in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.
Jacob uses wisdom to build his own flock, but I am still perplexed by the method!
Adam Clarke elaborates on the meaning of the word “stronger” here: The word mekushsharoth, which we translate stronger, is understood by several of the ancient interpreters as signifying the early, first-born, or early spring cattle; and hence it is opposed to atuphim, which we translate feeble, and which Symmachus properly renders δευτεÏογονοι, cattle of the second birth, as he renders the word mekushsharoth by Ï€Ïωτογονοι, cattle of the first or earliest birth. Now this does not apply merely to two births from the same female in one year, which actually did take place according to the rabbins, the first in Nisan, about our March, and the second in Tisri, about our September; but it more particularly refers to early and late lambs, same year; as those that are born just at the termination of winter, and in the very commencement of spring, are every way more valuable than those which were born later in the same spring. Jacob therefore took good heed not to try his experiments with those late produced cattle, because he knew these would produce a degenerate breed, but with the early cattle, which were strong and vigorous, by which his breed must be improved. Hence the whole flock of Laban must be necessarily injured, while Jacob’s flock was preserved in a state of increasing perfection. All this proves a consummate knowledge in Jacob of his pastoral office. If extensive breeders in this country were to attend to the same plan, our breed would be improved in a most eminent degree. What a fund of instruction upon almost every subject is to be found in the sacred writings!
Then Jacob separated the lambs, and made the flocks face toward the streaked and all the brown in the flock of Laban; but he put his own flocks by themselves and did not put them with Laban’s flocks.
All the commentators seem to agree that by putting the flocks in view of the streaked and the brown it is through the power of imagination that they then bought forth streaked offspring. My mind cannot come to terms with this. But I also have no idea how it did work. Perhaps there is more to the power of imagination than I give credit for???
So the flocks conceived before the rods, and the flocks brought forth streaked, speckled and spotted.
So Jacob’s strategy worked, but it is obvious the hand of God is involved, whether miraculously or somehow through the workings of nature.
And the rods which he had peeled, he set before the flocks in the gutters, in the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink, so that they should conceive when they came to drink.
None of the commentators know how the flocks conceived and were born speckled etc from this strategy of Jacob’s. They all seem to think it was either from divine instruction from God, or Jacob tried his best and God blessed.
I have my own theory, just like we learned earlier that mandrakes were well known for their properties to help conception, perhaps these plants helped animals with conception , and by faith Jacob believed God would bless him with his own flock – speckled etc. The only problem with my theory is the next verse says they conceived before the rods, not after drinking with them in the water……so I’m not convinced at my own thoughts even!
But I think Adam Clarke sums it up well: The finger of God works in nature myriads of ways unknown to us; we see effects without end, of which no rational cause can be assigned; it has pleased God to work thus and thus, and this is all that we know; and God mercifully hides the operations of his power from man in a variety of eases, that he may hide pride from him. Even with the little we know, how apt are we to be puffed up! We must adore God in a reverential silence on such subjects as these, confess our ignorance, and acknowledge that nature is the instrument by which he chooses to work, and that he performs all things according to the counsel of his own will, which is always infinitely wise and infinitely good.
Now Jacob took for himself rods of green poplar and of the almond and chestnut trees, peeled white strips in them, and exposed the white which was in the rods.
Hopefully as we read on the bible will elaborate on why he has done this or how he was inspired to do this.
From John Gill: And Jacob took him rods of green poplar… Of the white poplar tree, called green, not from the colour, but from the moisture, being such as were cut off of the tree: and of the hazel and chestnut tree; the former some take to be the almond tree, as Saadiah Gaon, and others; and the latter to be the plantain or plane tree, so Ainsworth, and others: and pilled white strakes in them; took off the bark of them in some places, and left it on in others, which made white strakes: and made the white appear which [was] in the rods; that part of the rods which was stripped of the bark appeared white; and it appeared the whiter for the bark that was left on in other parts; and both made the rods to appear to have various colours, which was the design of Jacob in pilling them.
Confirming what we read that John Gill says, Adam Clarke writes: Rods of green poplar libneh lach. The libneh is generally understood to mean the white poplar; and the word lach, which is here joined to it, does not so much imply greenness of colour as being fresh, in opposition to witheredness. Had they not been fresh-just cut off, he could not have pilled the bark from them. And of the hazel luz, the nut or filbert tree, translated by others the almond tree; which of the two is here intended is not known. And chestnut tree armon, the plane tree, from aram, he was naked. The plane tree is properly called by this name, because of the outer bark naturally peeling off, and leaving the tree bare in various places, having smooth places where it has fallen off. A portion of this bark the plane tree loses every year. See more in Parkhurst. Such a tree would be peculiarly acceptable in hot countries, because of its shade. Pilled white streaks in them Probably cutting the bark through in a spiral line, and taking it off in a certain breadth all round the rods, so that the rods would appear party-coloured, the white of the wood showing itself where the bark was stripped off.
Then he put three days journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks.
David Guzik summarises: Jacob now will care for the large flock of his father-in-law Laban, made up of solid-colored animals, and Jacob will receive any speckled or spotted offspring of this flock. Obviously, if there was a way Jacob could encourage these solid-colored sheep to bring forth spotted and speckled offspring, it would greatly increase his personal wealth. b. So there would be no mixing of the flocks, Laban’s sons took care of all the existing speckled and spotted sheep and goats, keeping them a three-day journey from the main flock. Jacob himself would take care of the solid-colored flock of Laban, as well as their speckled and spotted offspring, which belonged to him.
So he removed that day the male goats that were speckled and spotted, all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had some white in it, and all the brown ones among the lambs, and gave them into the hand of his sons.
John Gill writes: and, gave [them] into the hands of his sons; not the sons of Jacob, as some in Aben Ezra; for they were not fit for the care of a flock, the eldest son, Reuben, not being seven years of age; but the sons of Laban, who were now grown up and fit for such service.
And Laban said, “Oh, that it were according to your word!”
I am chuckling to myself at Laban’s response, “I bet you do Laban” is what comes to mind. The odds are so stacked in his favour it must seem unbelievable to him.”
John Gill explains the phrase: “that it were according to your word.” behold, I would it might be according to thy word; he agreed it should be as Jacob had settled it, and he hoped and wished he would abide by it; he was afraid he would not keep to it.
“So my righteousness will answer for me in time to come, when the subject of my wages comes before you: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the lambs, will be considered stolen, if it is with me.”
David Guzik writes: Jacob will take the speckled and spotted offspring, but will separate the currently speckled or spotted animals from the rest of the flock, so the odds are set against him. Allowing the speckled and spotted sheep and goats to remain in the flock would have increased the likelihood of more speckled and spotted offspring coming from the flock at large.
I think the Geneva Study Bible sums this verse up very well: God shall attest to my righteous dealing by rewarding my labours.
“Let me pass through all your flock today, removing from there all the speckled and spotted sheep, and all the brown ones among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and these shall be my wages.”
This was stacked in Laban’s favour. It is apparent that Jacob’s faith is in God’s provision.
John Gill points out that the ones Jacob takes aside are not his wages, but the offspring, he writes: and [of such] shall be my hire; not those that were now in the flock, but such as were like them, that should be brought forth for the time to come; which seems to be a strange proposal, and what was not likely to turn out much to the advantage of Jacob; but he knew what he did, and very probably was directed of God, if not in a vision, yet by an impulse on his mind, that such a method would be right, and would succeed; see (Genesis 31:10-12) .
David Guzik writes: This is an agreeable deal to both parties. First, because it is a foolproof way to distinguish between the flocks of Laban and Jacob. As well, Laban liked the deal because the odds were stacked in his favor. Jacob may have proposed the deal because he was willing to trust in God.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown write: I will pass through all thy flock to-day–Eastern sheep being generally white, the goats black, and spotted or speckled ones comparatively few and rare, Jacob proposed to remove all existing ones of that description from the flock, and to be content with what might appear at the next lambing time. The proposal seemed so much in favor of Laban, that he at once agreed to it.
So he said, “What shall I give you?” And Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. If you will do this thing for me. I will again feed and keep your flocks.”
I can’t imagine Laban liking being on the back foot and to have to need Jacob like he does, and to ask “what shall I give you?”, when he has always got the most out of Jacob for the least on his part, this must have made him “sweat” a bit.
John Gill summarises: And he said, what shall I give thee? &c.] So said Laban to Jacob, still avoiding making any offer himself, but waiting for Jacob, and pressing upon him to fix his wages: and Jacob said, thou shalt not give me anything; a speech Laban liked very well: his meaning is, that he should give him no certain settled salary, nor even of anything that Laban was now possessed of, and God had blessed him with for his sake he did not desire any part of it; but if thou wilt do this thing for me; which he was about to mention, and does in (Genesis 30:32) ; I will again feed [and] keep thy flock; there is an elegance in the original; “I will return, I will feed, I will keep thy flock”: it seems by this that Jacob had relinquished the care of the flock, upon the time of his servitude being out; but, upon the following condition, proposes to return to it, lead it out to the pastures, and feed it on them, and keep it night and day, as he had used to do.
“For what you had before I came was little, and it has increased to a great amount; the LORD has blessed you since my coming. And now, when shall I also provide for my own house?”
Jacob seems in no mood to be mucked around anymore and seems to have the upperhand after being duped by Laban.
The “upperhand” has come through God blessing his labours.
Adam Clarke writes: For it was little which thou had before I came Jacob takes advantage of the concession made by his father-in-law, and asserts that it was for his sake that the Lord had blessed him: Since my coming, leragli, according to my footsteps-every step I took in thy service, God prospered to the multiplication of thy flocks and property. When shall I provide for mine own house Jacob had already laid his plan; and, from what is afterwards mentioned, we find him using all his skill and experience to provide for his family by a rapid increase of his flocks.
I like how John Gill highlights the meaning of the word “increase” it gives a really good picture of the increase that must have taken place and why Laban would not want this key man to go: and it is [now] increased unto a multitude; or “broke forth” F13, spread itself over the fields and plains, hills and mountains adjacent, so that they were covered with his sheep, these bringing forth thousands and ten thousands, (Psalms 144:13) .
So Jacob said to him, ” You know how I have served you and how your livestock has been with me.”
Jacob leads up to his proposal.
Then he said, “Name me your wages, and I will give it.”
“Money talks” , Laban is serious about his son n law staying on!
One commentator believes Laban is still scamming: Say what thou wilt have, fix what salary thou thinkest sufficient, and I will agree to it, and punctually pay it: this he craftily said, not choosing to propose anything himself, but leaving it to Jacob, knowing very well the honesty and modesty of Jacob, that he would mention less wages than he could have the face to offer him. ~ John Gill.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown sum it up well: The Eastern shepherds receive for their hire not money, but a certain amount of the increase or produce of the flock; but Laban would at the time have done anything to secure the continued services of his nephew, and make a show of liberality, which Jacob well knew was constrained.
And Laban said to him, “Please stay, if I have found favour in your eyes, for I have learned by experience that the Lord has blessed me for your sake.”
Interesting words by Laban. Shame he doesn’t realise the Lord’s blessing can be on him too if he walked in His ways, instead of being an idolator, which we’ll see further on, and is actually alluded to in this text, because the words “learned by experience” is the Hebrew word: Nachash, a primitive root meaning: to practice divination, divine, observe signs, learn by experience, diligently observe, practice fortunetelling, take as an omen 1. (Piel) 1. to practice divination 2. to observe the signs or omens. ( See further down as Adam Clarke explains this more).
I cannot think however, that even though these words acknowledge Jacob as a blessing, I cannot but help thinking Laban is purely selfish in his motives.
David Guzik writes: Laban knows Jacob has been an invaluable worker for him. Laban says this knowledge was learned by experience; literally, this means “learned by divination.” Laban practiced occult divination, and by this he knew the source of blessing.
Adam Clarke breaks down how this means “divination” in the text: The word in the text which we, following the Septuagint, translate serpent, is nachash; and, according to Buxtorf and others, has three meanings in Scripture. 1. It signifies to view or observe attentively, to divine or use enchantments, because in them the augurs viewed attentively the flight of birds, the entrails of beasts, the course of the clouds, and under this head it signifies to acquire knowledge by experience. 2. It signifies brass, brazen, and is translated in our Bible, not only brass, but chains, fetters, fetters of brass, and in several places steel; see 2 Samuel 22:35; Job 20:24; Psalms 18:34; and in one place, at least filthiness or fornication, Ezekiel 16:36. 3. It signifies a serpent, but of what kind is not determined…….(for the rest of Adam Clarkes explanation – Click Here/ Genesis 3:1)
John Gill writes: And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry… One would think he could not expect to have much from him, by his treatment of him; but he craftily cajoles him in this fawning, flattering way, in order to gain a point, and begs of him, in a very humble and suppliant manner, if he had any love for him, that he would not depart from him, but stay with him, which he should take as a great favour; for he could not insist upon it, as bound in duty, or as a point of justice: for I have learned by experience; by the observations made in the fourteen years past; that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake: Laban had so much religion as to ascribe the blessings, the good things he had, to the Lord, as the author and giver of them; and so much honour, or however, thought it was more his interest to own it, that it was for Jacob’s sake that he was thus blessed: the word translated is used sometimes of divination, and the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem render it, “I have used divinations”; and according to Jarchi and Aben Ezra, Laban was a diviner and soothsayer; and by the teraphim he had in his house, (Genesis 31:19) ; he divined, and knew thereby that he was blessed for the sake of Jacob; but, as Schmidt observes, it is not credible that the devil should give so famous a testimony to Laban of Jehovah and Jacob.
And to sum up here is Jamieson, Fausset & Browns commentary: Laban said . . . I have learned–His selfish uncle was averse to a separation, not from warmth of affection either for Jacob or his daughters, but from the damage his own interests would sustain. He had found, from long observation, that the blessing of heaven rested on Jacob, and that his stock had wonderfully increased under Jacob’s management. This was a remarkable testimony that good men are blessings to the places where they reside. Men of the world are often blessed with temporal benefits on account of their pious relatives, though they have not always, like Laban, the wisdom to discern, or the grace to acknowledge it.
“Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go; for you know my service which I have done for you.”
There seems to be no love lost here, that Jacob has toward Laban. But Jacob has kept his word, even though the terms of “the marriage deal” were deceptive.
And it came to pass, when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my country.”
It would seem Josephs birth coincides with the 14 years of labour being over for Jacob. Kind of prophetic of Joseph too, he will represent deliverance for Israel.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown sum up the verse: when Rachel had born Joseph–Shortly after the birth of this son, Jacob’s term of servitude expired, and feeling anxious to establish an independence for his family, he probably, from knowing that Esau was out of the way, announced his intention of returning to Canaan (Heb 13:14). In this resolution the faith of Jacob was remarkable, for as yet he had nothing to rely on but the promise of God (compare Ge 28:15).
So she called his name Joseph, and said, “The Lord shall add to me another son.”
John Gill writes: the name Joseph is composed of two words, one which signifies to gather or take away, used in (Genesis 30:23) , and another which signifies to add; and so has respect to the Lord’s taking away her reproach, and adding to her another son; the Lord shall add to me another son: which is expressive of strong faith; that as she had begun to bear children, she should bear another, as she did.
Adam Clarke writes: Yoseph, adding, or he who adds; thereby prophetically declaring that God would add unto her another son, which was accomplished in the birth of Benjamin, Genesis 35:18.
And she conceived and bore a son, and said, “God has taken away my reproach.”
What a day for Rachel! I wonder if they celebrated in any way.
I wonder if this gave renewed vigour to Jacob and Rachel’s relationship, which would have been hard for Leah.
David Guzik writes: At this point, none would think this eleventh son would end up being the key son used to further God’s redemptive purpose through this family. Yet Isaiah 55:8-9 is true: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”
From the Geneva Study Bible: And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my g reproach: (g) Because fruitfulness came as God’s blessing, who said “Increase and multiply”, barrenness was counted as a curse.
Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.
This must have been after a long time. It reminds me that we must never give up when holding on to the promises of God. God heard her, therefore she must have been crying out to Him.
Adam Clarke writes: And God hearkened to her After the severe reproof which Rachel had received from her husband, Genesis 30:2, it appears that she sought God by prayer, and that he heard her; so that her prayer and faith obtained what her impatience and unbelief had prevented.
David Guzik brings out this point: God’s sovereignty over the womb. a. The idea of God’s sovereignty over the womb is a persistent theme in the Bible; God granted twins to Rebekah (Genesis 25:21); He opens the womb of Leah (Genesis 29:31), and closes the womb of Hannah (1 Samuel 1:5). The purposes of God in opening one and closing the other may be completely unknowable, but God has His purpose.
I like the wording here from John Gill: but hitherto God had delayed to answer, but now gives one: and opened her womb; gave her conception, and made her fruitful, and she became the mother of a child she so much desired.
This has spoken to me that God opens the womb and gives conception, when I relate it to our church and our desire to be fruitful. When I ponder on the many stories in the bible where there was a delay in the answer to prayer, a delay in conceiving, often the child produced had a special part to play in history.
Afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah.
Jacob has a daughter!
Adam Clarke writes: dinah, judgment. As Rachel had called her son by Bilhah DAN, Genesis 30:6, Leah calls her daughter DINAH, God having judged and determined for her, as well as for her sister in the preceding instance.
And Leah said, ” God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will dwell with me. So she called his name Zebulun.
This is so torturously sad. As we read through Leah’s childbearing all we can see is her desire to win her husband’s affections and each time the desire must be thwarted.
Adam Clarke writes: yizbeleni; and she called his name Zebulun, a dwelling or cohabitation, as she now expected that Jacob would dwell with her, as he had before dwelt with Rachel.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown write: And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry–The birth of a son is hailed with demonstrations of joy, and the possession of several sons confers upon the mother an honor and respectability proportioned to their number. The husband attaches a similar importance to the possession, and it forms a bond of union which renders it impossible for him ever to forsake or to be cold to a wife who has borne him sons. This explains the happy anticipations Leah founded on the possession of her six sons.
It is interesting what the Interlinear Bible says the Hebrew root word of “dwell” here means: (Qal) to exalt, honour, (possible) dwell exaltedly.
This says to me that maybe she wasn’t meaning that he’ll now dwell permanently in her tent, but maybe now she will “dwell exaltedly” in Jacob’s sight, he will honour and exalt her instead of treating her as a scourge and an “add-on” to Rachel. This makes more sense to me because in many of the commentators text they say that the women had their own tents. And I can’t imagine Leah really believing he would just dwell with her when he has two wives.
