she occupied a lower place than Rachel in her husband's nffections ie explicitly declared. This preference of Rachel to Leah was-1. NaJ,ural in Jacob. Rachel had been his he~rt•s choice from the first, while Leah had been thrust upon him against his inclination. But even had this been otherwise, as no man cnn serve two masters, so can no h_i.sband love two wives equally-an argument against polygamy. 2. Painfi!l to Leah. Had Leah loved Jacob less than she manifestly did, it is doubtful 1f the undue regard sbo,vn to Rachel would not have inflicted a grievous wound upon her wifely heart; but, entertaining towards him an affection strong and tender, she yeamed for a larger sl1are of his esteem, and at each successive child's birth gave utterance to a hope that he would yet be joined to her. No heavier blow can be dealt by a husband to the tender heart of a loving wife than to withdraw from her his love, or even to be cold and indifferent in its expression. 3. Sinful in th.e sight of God. Though not so beautiful as Rachel, Leah was yet entitled to an equal share with her in Jacob's affection. Equally with Rachel she was Jacob's wife. It was Jacob's sin that he had married her at all when he did not either love or desire her. On detecting the fraud he should have instantly repudiated the engagement. But having publicly ratified the contract with Leah by fulfilling her WP,ek, he owed to Leab a full share of his affection as a husband. Nay, though not the wife his inclination had selected, there is reason for believing that Leah, rather than Rachel, was the bride God had chosen (Leah was the ancestress of the Saviour); hence doubly was Jacob bound to love Leah equally with Rachel. II. LEAII THE FRUITFUL. W11ile Rachel enjoyed the highest place in Jacob's affection, she was "barren "-a grievous affliction to one who might possibly be the mother of the promised Seed. The fruitfulness of Leab was-1. Expr_essly caused by God. The Lord, who had decreed temporary barrenness for Rachel the fair, opened the womb of Leah the despised; neither to compensate Leah for the loss of Jacob's love, nor to punish Jacob for his sinful partiality; but to manifest his power, to show that children are the heritage of the Lord, to vindicate his sovereignty, to attest th::i.t God giveth families to whomsoever he will, and to suggest that the line of promise was designed io be not the fruit of nature, but the gift of grace. 2. Thankfully a.clcn,owledged by Leah. While cherishing the hope that her children would eventually unite Jacob's heart to her own, she delightedly recognised her exceptional fruitfulness as a special mark of Jehovah's favour, and gave expres~ion to her gratitude in the naming of her sons: Reuben, see, a son! Simeon, heanng; Le,i, joined ; Judah, praise. 3. Enviously belield by Rachel. This appears from the opening statement in the ensuing chapter; and this, though perhaps as natural as Leah's sense of pain at Rachel's preference by Jacob, was yet as sinful as Jacob's excessive partiality towards herself. Learn-1. The sinfulness and sorrow of having more wives at once than one. 2. The wickedness of wedding where one does not love. 3, The sovereignty of God in giving and withholding children. 4. The cruelty and criminality of showing par- tiality towards those who possess an equal claim on our affections. 5. 'l'he duty and profit of remembering and ackncwledging family mercies.
EXPOSITION. become more dear to her husbo.nd, and abovo CHAPTER XXX. all share the hope of being 11. progenitrix of the Ver. 1.-And when Rachel aa.w (apparently promised Seed. If not w11.rr11.n ted to infer that after, though probably before, the birth of Rachel's barrenness was due to lack of prayer Leah's fourth son) that she be.re 1acob no on her pe,rt and Je,cob's (Keil), we are at least children (literally, tha,t she bare not to Ja.cob), justified in 11,sserting that her conrluet in Rachel envied her 1ister (was jealous of her, breaking forth into o.ngry reproaches against the root refetT~ to the redness with which her husband was unlike that of Jacob's the face of e.n e.ngrywoman is suffused); and mother, Rebekah, who, in eimilll.r circum- BB.id unto la.cob, Give me children (sons), or stances, sought relief in prayer and oracles elBe I die-literally, and if not, I am a dead (Kalisch). The brief period that h11.d elapsed woman; i. e. for ehe.me at her sterility. since Rachel's me,rrlage, in comparison with Rachel had three strong reasons for desiring the twenty years of Robeknh's barrenness, children-that she might emulate her sister, signallydiecovered Racl1el's sinful impatience. CH. XXX. 1-13.] 'l'HE BOOK OF GENESIS. 36!,