The Pulpit Commentary — Genesis — Section 420

place (not the entire population, but the lccted Looh as his "ife, If so, it must be set princifal inhabitants), and made a feast- to Ja.cob's credit that at the coll of God, thus a "m1shteh," or drinking (cf, eh. xix, 3), i. e. a wedding banquet (cf, bride-ale bridal), which commonly lasted seven days = providentially addressed to him, ho was pre- pared to sacrifice his best affections to the claims of religion and duty. It is not Jacob, (Jndges xiv. 10; Tobit xi. 18), though it but Lsbnn, ,vho proposes that he should also appears to have varied according to the cir- marry Rachel. cumstances of the bridegroom. Ver. 26.-And Laban so.id, It must not be Ver. 23.-And it came to pass in the so done-tl1e future expresses the thougl1t evening, that he took Leah his daughter, that the custom l1as grown into n strong moral and brought her to him. The deception prac- obligation (Kaliscl1)-in our country(Hebrew, tised on Jacob was rendered possible by the place), to give the younger before the first- fact that the bride was usuallv conducted born. The same custom exists among tho into the marringe chamber veiled ; the veil Judians (Rosenmiiller; cf. Roberts, 'Ori- being so long and close as to conceal not only ental Illustrations,' p. 34), Egyptians (Lane), the face, but much of the person (vide eh. and other Oriental countries (Delitzsch). xxiv. 65). And he went in unto her. The Ver. 27. -Fulfil her week, -literalJy, conduct of Laban is perfectly intelligible as make full the week of thi,s one, i. e. of Leah, the outcome of his sordid avarice; but it is if Leah was given to Jncob on the first night. difficult to understand how Leah could acqui- of the festivities (Calmet, Rosenmiiller, Keil, esce in a proposal so base as to wrong her Kalisch, L:mge, Ainsworth); but if Leah was sister by marrying one who neither sought married at the close of the seven days, then nor loved her. She must herself have been it must refer to Rachel's week (Bush, Murphy) attached to Jacob; and it is probable that -and we (including Labal).'s wife and eldest Laban had explained to her his plan for son, as in eh. xxiv. 50, 55) will give thee bringing about a double wedding. this also (i. e. Rachel) for the service which Ver. 24.-And Laban gaveUDto his daugh- thou shalt serve with me yet seven other ter Leah Zilpe.h-" the Dropping" f (Gese- years. Almost every motive that is mean, nius), "Myrrh-juice" (Furst) - his me.id base, and desP.icable appears in this behaviour (according to Gcsenius the ,rnrd is closely of Labnn's; 1f he attached little vnlue to his connected with an UDused root signifying to daughters' affections, he had a keen appreci- spread out, hence a maid-servant) for an o.tion of Jo.cob's qualities as a shepherd. handmaid. This was in accordance with Ver. 28.-And Jacob did so, and fulfilled Oriental custom (vide eh. xxiv. 61). That her week. Literally, the week of this one, Leah obtained only one damsel need not be either of Leah or of Rachel, as abovo. Rosen- RScribed to Labe.n's parsimonious character, miiller, assigning the first week (vcr. 27) to but to his already-formed intention to bestow Leah, rnfers this to Rachel ; but tho expres- a second on Rachel sion can scarcely have two different meanings Ver. 25.-And it came to pass, that in the within the compass of two verses. And he morning, behold, it was Leah. If Jacob's ga.ve him Rachel his daughter to wife also. deception, even with the veiled bride, may The polygamy of Jacob, though contrary to still be difficult to understand, it is easy to the law of nature (eh. ii. 21-25), admits of perceive in Leah's substitution for Rachel a some palliation, sine& R,ichel was the choice clear instance of Divine retribution for the of his affections. 'fhs marriage of sisters imposition he had practised on his father. was o.ftenvards decfarecl iucestuous (~e_vit. So the Lord oftentimes rewards evil-doers xviii. 18). according to their wickedness (cf. 2 Sam. xiL Ver. 29.-And Laban gave to Rachel his 10-12). And he said to Laban (who, Cal- daughter Bilhah-" Bashful," "Modest" vin conjectures, had given Jacob a splendid (Gcsenius)-his handmaid to be her maid. entertainment the night before to make him Ver. 30.-And he went in also unto Ra- say nothing about the fraud), What is thia chel, and he loved also Rachel more than Loah thou ha.et done unto met did not I serve (implyin~, however, that Leah had a place in with thee for Ra.chel 1 wherefore then hast his affect1ona), and served with him yet seven thou beguiled me 1 It says much for Jacob other years. The seven years cunningly ex- that he did not seek to repudiate the marriage. acted for Leah was thus the second fraud Perhaps he saw the hand of God in what had practised upon Jacob (eh. xxx. 26; xxxi. 41; bappcned, and probably considered that, Hoseo. xii. 12). though he had chosen Rachel, God had se• Oil. XXlX. 15-30.] THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 361