A family tradition?

Genesis 29:15-30 NASB

Then Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?"  Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.  And Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful of form and face.  Now Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, "I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel."  Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than to give her to another man; stay with me."  So Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days because of his love for her.
  Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give  me  my wife, for my time is completed, that I may go in to her."  Laban gathered all the men of the place and made a feast.  Now in the evening he took his daughter Leah, and brought her to him; and  Jacob  went in to her.  Laban also gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid.  So it came about in the morning that, behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served with you? Why then have you deceived me?"  But Laban said, "It is not the practice in our place to marry off the younger before the firstborn.  "Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you shall serve with me for another seven years."  Jacob did so and completed her week, and he gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.  Laban also gave his maid Bilha to his daughter Rachel as her maid.  So  Jacob  went in to Rachel also, and indeed he loved Rachel more than Leah, and he served with Laban for another seven years.

My thoughts -

Jacob benefited from his mother's deception. Isaac and Rebekah had twin sons, Jacob and Esau. Jacob was his mother's favorite but Isaac, the older of the two, was his father's favorite. We read yesterday how Esau despised his birthright and sold it to Jacob for a meal. Esau also lost his father's blessing to Jacob due to a plot to steal it hatched by his mother and executed by Jacob and Rebekah.

Rebekah then feared for her favorite son Jacob's life as Esau, no doubt fed up with his brother's shenanigans, decided upon their father's death that he would console himself in his grief by murdering his brother. So Rebekah sent Jacob to be with her brother Laban, and to take for himself a wife from Laban's daughters.

As soon as Jacob arrives he discovers Rachael and is smitten. Rachel is beautiful. He is so taken with her that he kisses her in their first meeting. As he stays with Laban he works for him and requests as his payment to be married to Rachel. Laban agrees to this if Jacob will work for him for seven years.

The lack of patience displayed in that first encounter must have subsided because Jacob agrees to the terms and works for his soon to be father in law for seven years. Upon completion of that time Laban shows that he is every bit as good at duplicity and deception as his sister Rebekah and gives Jacob his other daughter instead.

Rebekah's deception benefited Jacob. He unjustly received his father's blessing that was intended for Esau. This wasn't like Esau selling his birthright. Esau may have learned from that mistake. He did not intend to let Jacob have the blessing. Jacob, with the help and guidance of his mother, stole it. Esau did that which was required of him to receive the blessing. He did what his father asked. Jacob did not. Jacob lied, impersonated his brother, and stole it. Rebekah's plot was well conceived, well executed, and completely dishonest.

Laban's plot was as well. Jacob desired Rachel so much he was willing to work for Laban for seven years to have her. But Laban had a less desirable daughter whom he needed to get a husband for. So Laban pulled a bait and switch and lovesick Jacob had no choice but to work another seven years for Laban if he wanted Rachel.

Laban got Leah, his older and far less attractive daughter married off and he got fourteen years labor out of Jacob. Laban and Rebekah show here that deception and duplicity must be a family tradition.

Jacob benefited from one act of deception and was taken in by another. And we see throughout all of Genesis that for as long as people have been on the earth they have lied, cheated, and killed each other to get what they want. We are a fallen people, indeed.