This lesson is compatible with the "Jacob" Flash-A-Cards from Abeka Books.  

Scripture References: Genesis 30:1-24

“Jacob, if you don’t give me children, I will DIE!” Rachel said to her husband one day.  Rachel was jealous of Leah.  When Leah had Ruben, her first son, Rachel was jealous.  In that culture, it was common for men to have more than one wife, although that isn’t what God says is okay.  The wife who has children is more important than the wife without children.  In fact, after a certain amount of years, a man could legally divorce his wife if she hadn’t had children yet!

And a wife with a son was even better, as the sons were the ones to carry on taking care of the family.

So, Rachel couldn’t stand it when Leah had a son first.  Then Leah had Simeon, and Levi.  Her jealousy and unhappiness grew.  When Leah’s fourth son Judah was born, Rachel just couldn’t take it anymore.  “Give me children, or I will die, Jacob!”  she sobbed into her hands.

Jacob became very angry with his wife.  “What?  Am I God?  Can I heal your body so you can have children?” 

“Here, take my maid Bilhah.  Marry her and she will give you children.  Those children will be my children.” Said Rachel.

Does this sound like anyone you know?  Sarah!  Jacob’s grandmother did the same thing with Hagar, her maid.  Both Hagar and Bilhah were slaves.  So, if the ladies they served gave them to their husbands to marry, they didn’t have the same position as a wife that wasn’t a slave.  And the ladies they served could claim their children as their own.  So, Rachel was going to claim the sons Bilhah had as her own. 

Just like Abraham listened to Sarah when he shouldn’t have, Jacob listened to Rachel.  He married Bilhah, and Bilhah had a son.  When Bilhah gave birth, Rachel said “God has judged my case and he has heard my voice and given me a son, so I will call his name Dan, which means “God is my Judge”.  Then Bilhah got pregnant again and had another son.  Rachel said, “I have wrestled with my sister, and I have won!”  so, she called him “Naphtali, which means “my bitter fight”.  Isn’t it sad that two sisters who grew up together, and probably had a pretty good relationship, were now fighting over who could have children?  Leah wanted her husband’s love, and Rachel wanted children, and the place of importance that came with having children. 

It must have been very unpleasant for Jacob to have his wives complaining and fighting all the time! 

Although Leah had praised God when she had her fourth son, Judah, she must have forgotten about God’s goodness by now.  She was getting jealous of Rachel!  Leah said to Jacob “I have stopped having children, so I am giving you my maid, Zilpah to marry.  Her sons will be my children too.”

Jacob married Zilpah…giving him FOUR wives!  Four times the trouble! 

Zilpah got pregnant and had a son.  Leah said “A troop is coming!  I have so many children now!”  she named him Gad, which means “Luck, or Happiness”.  Then Zilpah had another son, and Leah called him “Asher” which means “blessed”.  Leah said, “All the women will look at me and call me blessed.”

Then Leah had two more sons of her very own.  She called the next son “Issachar”, and the one after that she called “Zebulun”.  When Zebulun was born, she said “God has given me good gifts.  Now my husband will live with me because I have given him 6 sons.”  Leah then had one more child.  This time it was a girl!  She called her Dinah.

Finally, God gave Rachel a son of her own.  She called him “Joseph” and said “God has taken away my shame of not having children.  And God will give me another son!”

How many sons has Jacob had so far?  11!  And one girl.  God had truly blessed Jacob.  Did Jacob fail God?  Yes!  Several times, just like his father Isaac, and his grandfather Abraham!  But God blessed Jacob anyway, because He had a plan for his family.  God was going to send Jesus to die for our sins thorough Jacob’s family.  In fact, God was going to use one of LEAH’S sons!  Jacob’s first wife, who was the wife God planned for him all along.  God used Judah to be in the line of Jesus’s family.  In fact, one of Jesus’ names is “the Lion of the Tribe of Judah!”

I’m so glad God keeps his promises, even when we fail him.  Just as he promised Jacob that the savior would come through his family.

Let’s review the Jacob’s son’s names in order:  (and Dinah his daughter)

1.     Ruben

2.     Simeon

3.     Levi

4.     Judah

5.     Dan

6.     Naphtali

7.     Gad

8.     Asher

9.     Issachar

10.  Zebulun

11.  Joseph

Jacob had agreed to stay and work for Laban for 7 years.  Seven years had come and gone by then!  Jacob had 12 children now!  He knew it was time to leave Laban and go back home.  Jacob went to Laban after Joseph was born and said “Send me away to my own home country.  Let me leave with my wives and children, who I served you over 14 years for.  You know I have done good work for you.

Will Laban let Jacob go?  You have to come back next week to find out!

Let’s pray and thank God for sending the Lion of the Tribe of Judah to die for our sins!