a. Everyone Despises Leah

Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. Jacob loved Rachel.

Something is wrong with Leah’s eyes. Some translators think she was blind, or at least impaired. However, the text does not say Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel could see really well. Leah had broken eyes, but Rachel was beautiful. Obviously something was wrong with Leah’s eyes, which made her hard to look at. In a culture where the women dressed very modestly, and might have worn veils over everything but their eyes, having ugly eyes hurt.

Even her father knows she will never be married. He forces her on a man who does not love her to get rid of her.

And Jacob clearly despises her. What magical words did she hear in the first daylight after her wedding night? “Who the heck are you?! I Don’t Want YOU! I Wanted RACHEL!!

We see clearly from the prayers she offers later that Leah had believed a husbands love would replace the love she never got from her father. She had put all her hopes in the love of this future husband who would whisk her away and finally make her feel beautiful, cherished and important. But she did not get it.

b. Leah Degrades Herself

Thus far Leah has been mistreated by everyone else. But she cannot let go of that dream. So she continues to pursue the idol of the perfect family to her own degradation.

It is sad to watch someone put all their trust in something and see them disappointed. But there is something utterly pathetic about watching someone continually wring that idol out, believing one day it will pay off, until they have completely degraded themselves.

Casino’s in Toronto Canada have reported the strangest crisis. They have to deal with slot machine players deficating in their Casino. These adults have lost their money, but they are so convinced that if they keep playing eventually that machine will pay off. So they refuse to go to the bathroom. These people humiliate themselves because they believe any minute their machine will pay off.

Leah does the exact same thing here. Listen to the names of her children:

32 And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because the Lord has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.”

Reuben – “See, a son” my whole life I have been invisible, everyone has looked past me to see Rachel. Now I will be seen, finally I will be loved.

33 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon.

Simeon – “heard” Nobody has ever noticed me. My husband despises me and ignores me, he does not hear me talking, but now finally I will be heard.

34 Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.”

Levi – “Attached – cleaved unto” Finally now I will be embraced. Finally, I who have been alone, and cast out my entire life, now my husband will finally embrace me and everything will be better.

My heart just breaks for her. I want to grab her by the face and say: “Leah, Jacob is never going to complete you. He is never going to satisfy you. Look somewhere else, you will never find love and fulfillment here.”

Do I need to have that same conversation with you? If I did, what would it need to be about? What do you still believe will complete you?

Do you share Leah’s conservative idol of family?

Do you lean toward the liberal idol of freedom?