achel. So he served for that time, and got Rachel finally. The lord saw that Leah was unloved, so he made her conceive. Leah bore Jacob three sons, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, which she hoped would get her attention from her husband. Religiously, (through Levi) and politically (through Judah), the leadership of Israel will belong to the sons of Leah, the unloved, because she was an unbeautiful wife to Jacob. (118) Jacobs hatred for Leah is not explained. One is led to deduce that her very presence is a constant reminder to Jacob of how he, the deceiver, was deceived in turn, forced into an unwanted marriage and seven years additional free service to his uncle, in order to claim his beloved Rachel. (419) Leah wouldnt bear any more children. Rachel was barren, like Rebekah was at first, and she was envious of Leah, so she begged Jacob for a child, but Jacob was angry, telling her it wasnt his fault but god was responsible, and not to put him in the place of god. Rachel then told Jacob to have a child with her maid Bilhah who will bear it over her so it would be hers. Rachels maid bore two children like this, first Dan, then Naphtali. Leah was again jealous of Rachel, so she gave her maid Zilpah to Jacob to have children with, of which he had two: first Gad then Asher. One day in the field, Rachel bought mandrakes from Leah, the price being a night with Jacob. Jacob lay with her, and she bore two sons, Issachar then Zebulun, and then a daughter named Dinah. Rachel bore one more son, whom she named Joseph. Now it was time for Jacob to go back to his own family. He asked Laban for his wives and his children. Laban said he has learned that Jacob is blessed by the lord and Laban has profited from this blessing from having Jacob around, so Laban says to Jacob to name your wages, and I will give it. Jacob says he will need food for his household, so he will go among Labans flocks and take every speckled and spotted sheep and goat and every...
