Study From the Book of Genesis,30

Study From the Book of Genesis,30

Today is the Resurection Sunday or Easter in the Western Church, where we memorise the resurrection of our Saviour Jesus Christ. As I studied chapter 30 of the Book of Genesis, I chose two biblical principles and their lessons which are useful in Biblical Counselling.

Rachel envied Leah. It was a strong feeling of rage mirrored Sarai’s envy of Hagar. In her despair, Rachel brought her maid Bilhah to Jacob as a surrogate wife. Bilhah bore a child and called him Dan relates to the Hebrew word that means “Judge”. Rachel thanked God for hearing and answering her pleas.

Rachel’s maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. With his name Naphtali, Rachel expressed the vehemence of her struggle with her sister.

The now infertile Leah used her maid Zilpah to acquire more sons: Gad means” Troop comes.” And Asher as she was happy because of her numerous sons. Reuben’s discovery of the mandrakes, which are a special type of herbs that the people of the ancient Middle East regarded as aroma associated with love making, led to another squabble between Leah and Rachel. In the end Leah hired Jacob for a night with her. And God listened to Leah and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son and called his name Issachar. Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son and called his name Zebulun. Afterwards, she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah.

Finally, God enabled Rachel to have a child. The three verbs, remembered, listened, and opened emphasize that conception is a gift from God. By the birth of Joseph (means Increase) by his beloved wife, Jacob was ready to go to his own place. Jacob had always wanted to return to Canaan. Indeed, God had promised to bring him to his homeland.

Since Genesis speaks only of Laban’s daughters during Jacob’s visit, Laban probably did not have a son at the time. Therefore, he adopted Jacob as his son and principal heir. The Code of Hammurabi attests that this was a common practice in the ancient Middle East. As the principal heir, Jacob and his family were regarded as part of Laban’s house hold.  But in the intervening years, Laban had fathered sons who would threaten Jacob’s status in the family. Hence Jacob asked Laban to let him go.

God had promised to bless others through Abraham’s descendants. Now God blessed Laban through Jacob, and later He would bless an Egyptian household through Joseph. Presumably, the speckled and spotted sheep would be the smaller part of the flock. So, the deal was to Laban advantage. Jacob then placed sticks of various colours in the watering troughs to symbolize his belief that God would bless him with more speckled and spotted lambs. Indeed, God blessed Jacob as He promised. Jacob added all the speckled and spotted animals to his own herd.

So, with the symbolic multicoloured rods, Jacob asked God to bless him with speckled and spotted animals from the stronger livestock in the Laban’s herd. Indeed, God promised to do just that in the dream, and Jacob became wealthy.

Structure

Verses: 1-24: the other children of Jacob.

Verses 25-43: Jacob’s agreement with Laban.

Principle 51: verse 30:2:  ---“And Jacob’s anger was aroused against Rachel, and said ‘Am I the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?”

Lesson 51: When Rebekah tried and failed to have children, her husband Isaac, prayed for her. Abraham had done the same for Abimelech’s household. But Jacob had not yet learned to stand tall on his knees in prayer.

Principle 52: 30:27: ----” And Laban said to him. ‘Pease stay, if I have found favour in your eyes, for I have learned by experience that the Lord has blessed me for your sake’.”

Lesson 52: the blessing of God has a way of spilling over to touch others. (5/4/2026).