Story of Jacob and Laban?

Question

Is someone familiar with the story of Jacob and Laban, and can explain it in their own words?

This came up in a recent Biology section post, and I gave my interpretation as I understood it, but would love to hear if this is the accepted interpretation:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AheI6fpISEZ62a3NO1sXKj7ty6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20071004184148AAxtujW&show=7#profile-info-1f926bc362024bbe97bd1aa1029fc12aaa

Please don't just quote Genesis:30 to me. I'm familiar with the passage (and it is given by the asker in the above link).

I am looking for a description in your own words.

Thanks!

My bad. I should have been more specific.

I am referring to the shennanigans in Genesis 30:31-43, regarding the livestock and the "rods".

Answer 1

After deceiving his father Issac, his mother feared for his life and sent him away to her brother's (Laban) in the land of Haran. Upon arrival he meets Laban's youngest daughter Rachel and fall head over hill's for her. He aproaches Laban about marrying Rachel. Laban agrees in exchange for seven years of servitude.
So, after the seven years are up Laban was not quit ready to give up Jacob because he realized that God blesses everything he (Jacob) touches. Instead of giving Jacob Rachel in marriage he tricks him by sending Leah; the oldest into his bed. In those day's the act of sex constituted marriage, not so much a ceremony.
Anyway, the next morning when Jacob woke up and realize what had happened he was furious. (What goes around, comes around. Don't forget, we all wrep what we sow.)
He confronts Laban and he (Laban) gives him this it not being in our culture to marry the youngest before the eldest speech. (So why agree to it in the first place) Being so in-love with Rachel he agree to another seven years of servitude to have Rachel as his wife.
So anyway, he does his time and then some. It comes time when he wants to move on. He tells Laban that he would take all of his imperfect flock as wages. God blessed Jacob's flock from imperfection to perfection. When Laban heard of this he was not happy; filled with jealousy. When Jacob heard of this he decided to pack up camp and move on to the land of his father Issac in-which God had already given him a word to do so. Before they left Rachel went back to her fathers home and stole one of his god's. When Laban found it missing he ran after Jacob to confront him. Jacob denies that he took his god and if anyone in his camp stole it that they would surely die not realizing that it was his wife Rachel who took it. Laban searched Jacob's and Leah tent and found nothing. Before he could search Rachel's tent she got the god and sat on it and used the excuse that she was on her period so she could not get up for him to search.

I could go on, but that pretty much sums it up.

Answer 2

Jacob loved Rachel (laben's younger daughter). He agreed with laban that he'd work 7 years for him, to get her hand in marriage.

After the 7 years, Laban thought that he can't marry Rachel first since she's the younger one. The tradition back then was the younger can't get married until the older does. So he had Leah cover her face and marry Jacob. Jacob thought he was marrying Rachel.

Jacob is disappointed/angry but still loves Rachel and wants to marry her. He works anohter 7 years, and finally marries her as well.

That's a total of 14 years.

He works another 6 years (for a total of 20) for laban for "pay" in the form of flock.

So, at the end of 20 years, he's married to Leah and Rachel and has a bunch of flock, that's when he leaves Laban.

Answer 3

Jacob And Laban

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Story of Jacob and Laban?
Is someone familiar with the story of Jacob and Laban, and can explain it in their own words?

This came up in a recent Biology section post, and I gave my interpretation as I understood it, but would love to hear if this is the accepted...

Answer 5

Jacob, who was fleeing his bro Esau, meet Rachel, one of Laban's daughters, and fell head over heels. So he made a deal with Laban; he'd work for 7 years for Rachel's hand in marriage. 7 years go by, but Laban gives Jacob his other daughter instead. So Jacob works another 7 years and finally gets Rachel.

Answer 6

Laban was Jacob's father-in-law and he was a piece of work. He tricked Jacob into working for him for twice as long as he wanted to, and he was very unethical. Jacob married two of his daughters and did very well working for him.

The reason I think it might have shown up in your Biology post: Jacob was shrewd, too. Laban had told him that he could have every sheep from the flocks that had specks, spots or imperfections. So Jacob engineered the sheep by luring the imperfect ones to mate and ended up having more than Laban.

Answer 7

There is no interpretation here. It is just an account of the
life of Jacob. He followed the law and worked for the father
of the one he wanted to take as his wife. But the father,
Laban, kept deceiving him and wouldn't let him take his
bride back to his country. Laban tricked Jacob into marrying
Leah instead of Rachel The Lord was with Jacob and even
blessed Laban's flock with an increase. But Laban was a
deceiver, so God intervened and Jacob increased in both
family and wealth. God told him to return to his home in
Canaan and "I will be with you".

Answer 8

As Jacob returned to the land of his mother to seek a wife and escape the wrath of Esau, he was truly taken with the charms of Rachel and truly believed she was also Gods choice for him.
Laban said he would give Rachel to him as wife if Jacob would work for him 7 years . Rachel did have an older sister named Leah ( which means cow) I would think she was not fair to look upon. After the 7 years and Jacob most likely a little drunk in celebration married the veiled Leah.

Jacob was pissed. Laban reminded Jacob of the law that the older sister should Marry first and still promised Rachel if Jacob would work another 7 years , placating Jacob with concubines as well. Jacobs work blessed the flocks of Laban greatly.

After 14 years the woman of his dreams was finally his but her womb seemed closed and in all of their years together bore him only two of his 13 children 12 sons and 1 daughter.

Joseph who was hated by his brothers and Benjamin the baby.

Laban was not an honest man , but all that was done was in Gods plan. From Jacob (Israel) to the # of tribes to the # of apostles . This story was one of the great Biblical events that formed Gods plan.

Answer 9

Laban took advantage of Jacob, end of story.

Answer 10

Because of the anger of Esau having his birthright stolen by Jacob, Jacob is sent away to Rebecca's brother Laban until the anger dissipates. While there, Jake falls in love with Rachel.
Laban agrees to let Jake marry her after he serves 7 years on Laban's farm. After the wedding night, Jake discovers that it is Rachel's sister Leah that he has married. Protesting to Laban, Jacob learns that he can also marry Rachel if he serves another 7 years. (Which he does, and between the two women and their handmaids, 13 children are born.)
LESSONS:
Jacob is reminded of the "bait and switch" tactics he used to steal Esau's birthright blessing.
PARALLELS:
But the story also reflects God's relationship with Israel. In love with His "first wife," Israel, God finds that Israel (Leah) is not what He "expected"; does not love Him in the way He deserves to be loved, even to the rejection of their Savior.
The Gentile Church (Bride of Christ) fills that desire for a loving relationship between God and His own.

Yet God will be as faithful to Israel and The Bride as Jacob was to Leah and Rachel.