Jan 10,2010 Genesis 30-31:42

Now, Rachel begins to get upset about not having kids. When she complains to Jacob, he gets angry with her because he's doing his part, and to take it up with God. But instead of praying Rachel gives her husband her maid. Again, history is repeating itself! So Bilhah, Rachel's servant has two sons named Dan and Naphtali. Not to be outdone by Rachel, Leah gives her maid Zilpah to Jacob. She becomes pregnant twice and has two sons named, Gad and Asher. (I just can't help seeing all of this in my head like an episode of Desperate Plural Housewives - Oy!)

The oldest son, Reuben, is out in the field and finds some mandrakes. In the amplified bible these are also called love apples. Reuben gives these love apples to his mother, Leah. Rachel wants some mandrakes! She asks Leah for some and in true Wisteria Lane fashion, Leah gets all bent out of shape because Rachel gets everything and now she wants mandrakes too! So Rachel bargains a night with Jacob for some love apples! Leah goes out to meet Jacob to tell him the deal and they sleep together and (no surprise) she gets pregant and names her fifth son Issachar. Leah gets pregnant again and has her sixth son named Zebulun. Later she finally has a girl and names her Dinah. In those days the main purpose of women was to be fruitful and multiply, but Rachel was still barren. I find it interesting that Leah perceives her sister as the more fortunate one even though she has bourne seven children and Rachel hasn't even had one. But God hears her (I guess she finally started talking to the right person) and she has a son and names him Joseph.

By now Jacob is ready to move his wives, children, household and flocks out of his father-in-law's house. I don't blame him. It's been 20 years and he's ready to go back home. Laban tells Jacob that he's been good for business and doesn't want him to leave. Laban asks what he could pay Jacob for his service and Jacob says not to pay him anything. But Jacob would like to take all the speckled and spotted and black sheep and speckled and spotted goats. So what does Laban do? He says OK and then leaves with all the speckled and spotted and black goats and sheep. Jeez. Thanks uncle Laban! Now how Jacob knew how to get speckled and spotted sheep and goats by using poplar, almond and plane trees, peel them and set them by the watering hole where the animals mated and conceived, it doesn't say. But it works! Laban's sons were jealous and Laban was being a jerk to Jacob. The Lord told Jacob to go back home. He talks with Rachel and Leah who are disgusted with the way their father is being to them and they tell Jacob to do whatever God tells him to do. Then Jacob leaves with everything that's his and Laban chases after him and catches up with him and accuses him of deceiving him. But Laban says that he won't hurt Jacob because God told him not to. Laban is really angry because some of his idols have gone missing along with Jacob and his entourage. Laban searches through everything but can't find the idols. (Rachel has hidden them in her saddle bag under her and says she can't get up because it's her time of the month and she isn't well enough to get off the camel!) Oh boy.

Our reading ends right in the middle of Jacob finally giving Laban a piece of his mind about all the work he's done and how he's suffered in Laban's service.

Tomorrow read 31:43-34:31 (it's almost a numerical palindrome)