Although we did briefly consider 29:30-35 last time we need to backtrack a little to look again at these verses which form an integral part of the story that unfolds up to 30:24. If we compare 29:31 with 30:22 we find that these two verses form effective bookends surrounding the passage we have before us. In both we read that it is the LORD who is the author and giver of life. The relevant phrase in both verses is this:

"He opened her womb"

The whole section traces the origin of the 12 tribes of Israel and throughout the messiness of sinful human lives it is the LORD who is at work overruling and determining just what will happen.

Jacob's family is highly dysfunctional. We have already seen how it came to be that Jacob married two sisters. Now we learn of the bitter rivalry that characterized the relationships within this polygamous situation.

We see an unloved wife who is yet blessed with fruitfulness in having many children. We see the other who is loved but barren and so has no children. How will they respond?

We see a husband who seems to be something of a pawn in the respective power-plays of his wives. How does he react to it all?

The rivalry between the wives continues to be played out through their respective servants – an ancient case of surrogate motherhood.

Ancient aphrodisiacs are employed – the OT equivalent perhaps of Viagra? But what of its effectiveness?

And all this mess takes place within the family of a believer – a case can indeed be made that the major players are all to some extent believers. What a tragedy this is! But it does serve to show us that believers' families are not necessarily immune from even the direst of difficulties.

We'll focus our attention upon how the various protagonists behave in response to the situations in which they find themselves – there will be many warnings for us as most of their behaviour is to be avoided and not imitated.

So let's begin.

Leah's first response

Having colluded with her wicked father Laban's plans Leah has tricked her way into marriage with Jacob. She obviously and quite naturally wanted to be married but there are ways that are right and there are ways that are wrong. Leah now finds that the marriage she wanted was not a happy affair for her.

Sadly, this is the case for many in the world today. But divorce was not an option for her – it is no easy solution for the Christian either.

But in the midst of her sadness of being unloved she benefited from the LORD's merciful kindness. What an encouragement and at the same time what a challenge for us.

What was Leah's experience? Unloved, the LORD opened her womb and blessed her with children. But how does she respond?

Yes, Leah does recognize that it is the LORD who has enabled her to have children. But in the first three cases she interprets His generosity as a way by which she will gain the affection of her husband that she most clearly does not have. Leah is trying to "buy" the love of her husband and that is not the way love works. How many women today still think that giving a man what he wants is the way of binding him to her?

Do we look to find our satisfaction in the LORD or in our spouse? Much in this episode declares to us that it is dangerous to expect our spouse to bring fulfilment to our lives – the LORD alone is the Only One who can ultimately match up to our hopes and expectations.

In saying that I don't wish to ignore the blessings of being happily married to a wonderful husband or wife. This is a real blessing from the LORD for which we should be grateful but perhaps those of us who are in such happy marriages are exposed to the danger of looking to our spouse in an inordinate manner.

And yet Leah is slowly learning. Three births followed by the deception of seeing no change in the affections of her husband and then a fourth birth occurs. This time instead of imagining that this will secure her place in her husband's heart Leah turns to the LORD and rejoices in Him. How we need to learn to do this consistently in our own lives! This marks a high point in Leah's spiritual life – sadly she will slip away from this strong vantage point as she backslides in ch.30.

Rachel's first response

Do you know what it is to share the joys of others, to rejoice with those that rejoice? Rachel didn't. Yes, she has found that the marriage she had looked forward with such anticipation didn't turn out quite as she had expected. She has the love of her husband – and it is clear throughout that she remains his wife of preference – but she hasn't any children!

She watches her sister bear child after child and doesn't share any of her happiness. As she sees baby after baby all that grows in her is envy. God had been good to Leah but Rachel doesn't see it that way and wants only blessing for herself.

Understandable? Yes. But how sad. We find it understandable because we too want to be the ones the LORD blesses – we find it so much easier to rejoice over our blessings than over the blessings afforded to others.

And in her envy how does Rachel react? She turns to the wrong person! Her complaints are directed towards Jacob and the loving harmony of this couple is broken. Does Rachel turn to the LORD? It doesn't appear so – she's venting her frustration on her husband rather than pouring her heart out to the LORD who alone can open the womb.

When Rachel does begin to pray her spirit is all wrong – she fears she's going to lose her primacy in her husband's heart; her situation in the family will be affected – she wants children to reassert her supremacy over her sister. The rivalry between these sisters is wreaking havoc in Jacob's family.

Do you know who is the right person to turn to in time of difficulty and distress? If you do know do you indeed turn to Him or do you continue to fill others' ears with your complaints?

Jacob's response to Rachel

In a section that deals with the origin of most of the twelve tribes of Israel you would expect the patriarch involved to figure prominently but Jacob is surprisingly passive in this section. In fact he is recorded as speaking just once and there he hardly covers himself with glory. In this section 12 children are born to Jacob and did you notice that he's not involved in naming a single one of them – Leah and Rachel divide that task up amongst themselves and the names for the most part bear terrible witness to the struggles, tensions and rivalries between them.

Jacob is frustrated too. It wasn't his fault that he ended up being married to two warring sisters but what a disaster it had turned out to be. And now his favourite is coming to him accusing him of failing to make her pregnant!

Jacob is right to respond to Rachel by pointing out to her a truth that she should have known already. He, Jacob, was only a man and couldn't be expected to do what God alone can do!

And so he speaks the truth to her – but oh, he is so hard and cold with it. He is angry and responds harshly and callously to the one for whom 7 years of hard work had seemed such a small price to pay just a few years before.

When Rebekah his own mother had been barren Isaac hadn't chided her but had prayed for her. There is not a word about Jacob praying for Rachel in this passage. Where has his love gone? Where has his gentleness gone? He does precious little to help his wife who is so obviously struggling.

Words of warning sound forth don't they from such a passage. How many marriages have begun full of romance and expectation to degenerate later into selfish centredness and defensive self-justification.

Lord make us gentle, praying people!

Rachel and Leah gain

Surrogate motherhood is now the preferred route for Rachel and a route which will soon be copied by Leah.

We noticed when dealing with Abraham and Sarah that this idea of surrogate motherhood was a culturally accepted practice in the area at that time. Rachel resorts to this device as a means of having children who will be legally hers – though it is clear that this was only a "second best option" as she will only speak about her reproach being taken away when she herself conceives.

And all seems well… intitially! Dan is born – Rachel looks positively upon his birth declaring that God has judged in her favour (Dan means judged). It looks promising – Rachel is attributing his birth to the LORD. But how sad it really is! What she has in mind is that God has judged in her favour over against her sister! This comes out all the more clearly when the second son is born to Bilhah – where she declares she has prevailed over her sister!

Instead of these latest baby boys being a source of joy they become a further source of tension and rivalry within the family context!

Leah having reached her heights in ch.29:30 now backslides. She can't rejoice with her sister even though she has four boys of her own. She doesn't share her joy but rather interprets the events as ratcheting-up their rivalry and responds in kind. Whereas a case could have been made by Rachel for using Bilhah as a surrogate mother after all she was herself barren, what possible reason could Leah have had seeing as she already had four boys of her own? She was merely upping the rivalry stakes!

Mandrakes

In the ancient world mandrakes were thought to be an aphrodisiac. These love-apples were perfumed and thought to arouse sexual interest. Little Reuben had been out in the fields and found some of these growing in the field. He was only young lad and brought them back to his mum as little boys do.

Rachel saw the possibilities – a little help like that could be just what she needs so she asks her sister for some.

Leah seizes the opportunity of doing a deal and barters her mandrakes for a night with Jacob.

It appears that Jacob had been failing to give Leah her marital rights for some time now and Leah manipulates to get her way. How keen she is to intercept Jacob as he returns home after a day working in the fields.

What a sorry state Jacob's family life is in. He is effectively being used a stud animal passed around and hired out. How degrading it all is – but sin is degrading and we should not think of it any otherwise.

Jacob is disgusted but goes along with it all and Leah conceives her fifth son. I say he's disgusted because the word used in the Hebrew is not the normal word to describe intimate relations between a husband and wife. More accurately it could be translated Jacob mated Leah. He had sex with her but didn't make love – there is nothing of the tender intimacy that should characterize a husband and wife.

The sordid origin of this boy is forever recorded in his name Issachar – hired! Did you notice too that no mandrakes were necessary for this birth – it is the LORD who is the author and giver of life!

Maybe Jacob has been stung into dealing more appropriately with Leah because we read that she conceives again - no tricks, no hiring – and her sixth son is born – sadly Leah is still trying desperately to draw Jacob to her. She still hasn't got back to her high spot of trusting the LORD and finding her all in Him. That she does get back there is hinted at in the name she gives to her daughter. Dinah is the female form of Dan and means judged – it seems at last that Leah is happy to leave matters in the LORD's hands, He will judge.

Rachel has a child at last

Rachel has done all that she can to have a child. She's nagged her husband – she's been down the surrogate mother route but found no satisfaction in the boys born that way – she's tried herbal remedies – but nothing has worked for her.

Is she without hope? No, because life doesn't depend upon those things – life depends upon the LORD. And the LORD God is an all-seeing God. He remembered Rachel and in His time opened her womb too. He doesn't do that for all – there is no blanket promise that all who want children can have them – but for those who do have children it is because of the LORD.

And how does Rachel respond?

I'd like to think that she's come to a firmer faith but I'm unsure. Yes, she does speak of this birth as being due to His working, He has taken away her reproach. That is surely good! The tensions also seem to die down now between her and her sister.

And yet..?

She wants another son?

I'm not sure.

But I am sure there are lessons for us here. Believers are capable of making a right hash of things at times. The families of even believers can be far from ideal and shot through with rivalries, tensions, sadnesses. Let us learn, let us take heed.