Sister Wives, Mandrakes, And Sex And Sex And Sex And Sex

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It seems like most of my posts have been serious lately.  It’s Friday, so let’s take time for a bit of levity.  I started a 90 Day Bible reading plan this week.  I’ve cranked through Genesis the past few days and I have some questions.

Laban pulled the old switcheroo on Jacob.  It was his chance to unload his weak eyed daughter, Leah.  I guess he wasn’t having any luck marrying her off.

Why didn’t Rachel try to alert Jacob to the plan that Leah was going to replace her that wedding night?  Did she not have any idea?

Did Leah not talk when she went into Jacobs tent?  How did Jacob not know he was sleeping with the wrong sister?

I thought that Jacob really loved Rachel.  That’s what it says in the Rich Mullins song.  Jacob he loved Rachel.  Rachel, she loved him.  And Leah was just there for dramatic effect.  If he loved Rachel so much and worked another seven years for her, it sure didn’t stop him from producing seven kids in pretty quick fashion with Leah.

Rachel was barren for a time there.  She decided that Jacob should sleep with her handmaiden and produce her a child.  Jacob’s reaction?  “Ok!!!!”  This handmaiden quickly produced two sons.

Leah had stopped having kids for a while.  She saw what was going on with Rachel, Jacob and Bilhah, the handmaiden, and gave Jacob her handmaiden Zilpah to have some more kids.  Jacob’s reaction?  “Ok!!!”  She produced two kids.

Reuben, the firstborn, went out one day and found mandrakes in the filed.  He brought them to Leah.  Rachel wanted some.  Leah’s price?  Jacob had to sleep with her.  Jacob came home that night from working and Leah tells him that she has hired him for some mandrakes.  Jacob’s reaction?  “Ok!!!”  Another son comes along. (By the way, does this make Jacob the first male prostitute?)

Leah later has a daughter.  I’m not sure if that was the result of any mandrakes exchanging hands.

Finally, Rachel has a son.  Jacob has to be a tired, happy man by now.

After reaching Canaan, Rachel gives birth again.  Unfortunately, she passes away giving birth.

What did I learn from reading through this?  Sister wives don’t really work.  I’ll stick with my one wife.  I don’t really know what mandrakes are.  The world hasn’t really changed so much.  It’s still full of sex and sex and sex and sex.

What lessons have you learned from this particular episode in the Bible?