21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.” 22 So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. 23 But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. 24 And Laban gave his servant Zilpah to his daughter as her attendant. 25 When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?” 26 Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one. 27 Finish this daughter’s bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.”
Genesis 29:21-27 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/gen.29.21-27.NIV.
This scripture is an astonishing account of Laban’s trickery. However, it mirrors another story just a few verses back: the story of Jacob tricking his father Isaac through impersonation. Here, Laban promised Rachel to Jacob but instead gave him Leah. It’s quite a sad state of affairs now that Jacob had slaved for Laban for seven years only for the payday to arrive and for him to discover that he had been tricked. In the same way some years ago, his own brother waited with baited breath for the day when he would receive the blessings of a first born from his father only to find out that his own twin brother had impersonated him and benefited instead. Was God punishing Jacob for his sin against his brother? Well, scripture does not alude to that. However an important point this sequence of events delivers is that there is injustice in the world and that our position in God does not insulate us from it. At times God will allow us to be treated unfairly probably to realize that justice and the final say belongs to Him. He’s the righteous Judge. This story also leaves us with some view of this man, Laban. Laban’s first account in scripture was during the time when Eleazar, Abraham’s servant had gone to seek the hand of Rebekah in marriage to Issac. Laban’s dominating character was very conspicuous. Even in the negotiations, he seemed to overshadow his own father, Bethuel. Laban’s dominant and cunning nature is further disclosed in this story. It’s not mentioned whether he knew that Jacob was actually on the run and was sojourning in Padan Aram. However he knew he had no other place to stay and seemed to want to take advantage of his misery ‘using’ him the best way he could. Laban didn’t seem to be a man concious of God. But he had power and influence over the lives of others including Jacob’s. Our walk as Christians doesn’t guarantee us positions of authority over others. Infact at times, those who are sold out to sin may just be our bosses. They may even convert us into victims of their trickery and corruption. This is a reality that’s grim but it is the reality anyway. But how should we react to this? There are no easy answers since it depends on the situation. However, the next verses highlight how Jacob reacted to Laban’s trickery.
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