Journey
Leah and Rachel
Two sisters married to one man: follow Leah and Rachel through rivalry, bargaining and the naming of their sons, to a grave by the road to Bethlehem.
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Opening stop: Two daughters, Genesis 29:16
Jacob met Rachel first, keeping her father's sheep at the well (Genesis 29:9-11). Well favoured is the phrase Genesis later uses of her son Joseph (Genesis 39:6). Laban's answer to Jacob's offer never quite says yes. He says only that giving her to Jacob is better than giving her to another man. Seven years on he names what he left out: in his country the younger is not given before the firstborn (Genesis 29:26).
And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
King James Version
At a well, Jacob meets shepherds from Haran and learns that Rachel is coming with Laban's sheep. He rolls away the stone, waters her flock, kisses her and weeps. Rachel brings news to Laban, who welcomes his nephew. Jacob agrees to work seven years for Rachel, whom he loves. After the feast, Laban brings Leah instead, and Jacob discovers the deception in the morning. Laban appeals to the local practice of marrying the older daughter first. Jacob completes Leah's wedding week, receives Rachel as his wife too, and serves another seven years. He loves Rachel more than Leah. The Lord sees that Leah is hated, in the King James wording cited here, and enables her to conceive while Rachel has no children. Leah bears Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah, naming them with words of affliction, hope and praise.
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This journey has 9 stops. The opening stop is free. Premium opens the rest of the guided path, and every Scripture chapter stays free to read.