In Genesis 29 we find the beginning and lineage of the Israelite people. Jacob (Israel) had two wives and two concubines. One marriage of which he did not want (Leah) which was forced upon him. Out of this family came the Israelite nation from the following women.
Of Leah: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun.
Of Rachel: Joseph, Benjamin.
Of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid: Gad, Asher.
Of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid: Dan, Naphtali.
If you read the entire context of the passage you will come to realize that Rachel was the primary woman that Israel (the man) was directed to be with. Rachel had her first child with Joseph much later than the other women had their children. Joseph was the first born of Rachel and had a very important part later on when he became Governor of Egypt and all his brothers bowed down to him. Ruben was the first born of Jacob and by all rights originally did have the birth right and consequently it was taken away and given to Joseph's children because of his sin. Some may think that this bypass of the first born is unusual or unbiblical because of the law in Deuteronomy 21:15-17, but, I can assure you that it is biblically sound to take the birthright away from the elder for the reason of grievous sin. Many examples exist in the bible where the younger bypass the elder, for example:
Seth bypassed Cain.
Shem bypassed Japeth.
Isaac bypassed Ishmael.
Jacob (Israel) bypassed Esau.
Joseph's children bypassed Reuben.
and David bypassed all his brothers.
Upon the births of his children Jacob (Israel) was looking to find a place (Gen 30) where his wives, children, and himself could go to call their own. Laban was reluctant to let him just leave because he was blessed with an increase in cattle by Jacob (Israel) working for him v.27 So, of course Laban did not want Jacob to leave. The two men set an agreement that Jacob would get all the spotted and speckled cattle, sheep, and goats to be his own if he would stay with Laban. We now know that both men had plans to trick each other.
Laban and Jacob (Israel) make an agreement, however both have a plan to trick the other.
According to the book "Primogenesis" by Howard B. Rand on page 99 he talks about Joseph practicing an art that is little understood today, which raised my curiosity. I did a little research and according to one site (scroll 3/4 the way down), if you strip the bark on white birch, benzoin, and laurel. Pilling the rods would make a sweet gummy substance come out of the wood in which the cattle would drink and would reproduce at the watering trough. Maybe it could be thought of as Viagra for cattle. So in essence Jacob was doing this to only the speckled and spotted cattle and not Laban's which ultimately produced an unequal amount of cattle for Jacob.
This polygamist family although imperfect were used by Father Yahweh to further his Kingdom here on earth both then and now. It shows an example of how the Father can use imperfect people to still promote his Kingdom here on earth.
Praise the Lord!
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