Short Story: Rachel And Leah Essay Samples

Jacob, the son of Prophet Isaac, fell in love with the younger daughter of his uncle Laban as Rachel was beautiful. Jacob was asked to work in the farm for seven years in order to get married to Rachel. After seven years of work, Laban betrayed Jacob and in the night he was married to Leah thinking of her as Rachel, who was covering her head in a scarf. When Jacob found about the betrayal, he complained his uncle Laban that he was engaged with Rachel, and he married him to Leah. Laban replied our tradition did not allow us to marry the younger daughter before the elder one and if Jacob still wants to marry Rachel he has to work another seven years.
After seven years of work, Rachel was married to Jacob but soon Rachel found out that she is unable to give childbirth, while Leah gave birth to four named Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. It created panic among two sisters, and Rachel asked Jacob to sleep with her maid named Bilhah, she gave birth to two boys who were named Dan and Naphtali. In competition, Leah asked Jacob to sleep with her maid Zilpah, and she gave birth to two sons. But Leah was not satisfied, and she got involved with her husband and gave birth to another two boys and one girl. Children were used as a tool of revenge (Borgman).
Rachel prayed that she could give birth to a son and soon she was gifted with a son named Joseph. After some time, Jacob decided to leave and settle in his father’s country. On the way, Rachel gave another birth of a boy who was named Ben-oni by her mother. Rachel died during the childbirth, and later Jacob renamed his son Ben-oni to Benjamin (Borgman).

Discussion

As mentioned above that the children were used as a tool of revenge by the two sisters. It created panic and contradiction in the life of both sisters as well as Jacob. However, this true story is should not have gone this way but an example is made to further guide ourselves in life.

Work Cited

Borgman, Paul. Genesis: The Story We Haven't Heard. Downer's Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2001. Print