Topical Bible: Envy: Rachel, of Leah

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In the biblical narrative, envy is a recurring theme that often leads to strife and discord. One of the most poignant examples of envy is found in the account of Rachel and Leah, the two wives of Jacob, as recorded in the Book of Genesis. This account provides insight into the destructive nature of envy and its impact on familial relationships.

Background

Rachel and Leah were sisters, daughters of Laban, and both became wives of Jacob. Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah, which set the stage for a complex and competitive relationship between the two sisters. This favoritism is evident in Genesis 29:30 : "So Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years."

Rachel's Envy

Rachel's envy of Leah is explicitly mentioned in Genesis 30:1 : "When Rachel saw that she was not bearing children for Jacob, she envied her sister. 'Give me children, or I will die!' she said to Jacob." Rachel's inability to conceive, contrasted with Leah's fertility, fueled her envy. Leah had already borne several sons to Jacob, which increased Rachel's feelings of inadequacy and jealousy.

The Consequences of Envy

Rachel's envy led her to take drastic measures to compete with her sister. She gave her maidservant Bilhah to Jacob as a surrogate, hoping to build a family through her. Genesis 30:3 records Rachel's decision: "Then she said, 'Here is my maidservant Bilhah. Go sleep with her, so that she can bear children for me and I too can build a family through her.'"

This act of desperation highlights how envy can drive individuals to make choices that may not align with God's original design for family and marriage. The rivalry between Rachel and Leah continued to escalate, with both sisters using their maidservants to bear additional children for Jacob, further complicating the family dynamics.

Spiritual Implications

From a spiritual perspective, the account of Rachel and Leah serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of envy. Envy can lead to a lack of contentment and gratitude for one's own blessings, as seen in Rachel's fixation on her sister's fertility. It can also result in strained relationships and a departure from God's intended harmony within the family unit.

The Apostle Paul warns against envy in his epistles, emphasizing the importance of love and unity among believers. In Galatians 5:26 , Paul writes, "Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another." This exhortation underscores the need for Christians to guard their hearts against envy and to cultivate a spirit of love and contentment.

Conclusion

The account of Rachel and Leah is a vivid illustration of how envy can disrupt relationships and lead to actions that are contrary to God's will. It serves as a reminder for believers to seek contentment in God's provision and to foster love and unity within their families and communities.

Nave's Topical Index

Genesis 30:1
And when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said to Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

The Testament of Issachar Concerning Simplicity.
... And had not Leah my mother given up the two ... Therefore the Lord hearkened to Rachel
because of the mandrakes ... No envy can enter into his thoughts, no jealousy ...
/.../v the testament of issachar concerning.htm

Chapter xxx
... For, surely, it would seem quite unreasonable to suppose that Rachel never
experienced a trace of envy until Leah had borne four sons. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxx.htm

Letter xxxiv (Circa AD 1130) Hildebert, Archbishop of Tours, to ...
... What pleasant nights you spend with your Rachel; how abundant an offspring is born
to you of Leah; how you ... Its renown is not diminished by envy, nor increased ...
/.../letter xxxiv circa a d 1130.htm

Faustus States his Objections to the Morality of the Law and the ...
... nakedness, he hid himself in a corner of Paradise; that envy made him ... his son Jacob,
husband of four wives"two full sisters, Rachel and Leah, and their ...
/.../faustus states his objections to.htm

Chapter xxxvii
... to say that "mother" must here refer to Leah, who had ... or by synecdoche to Jacob and
his family in whom Rachel lived ... To the hatred of v.8 jealousy or envy is now ...
/.../leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxxvii.htm

Subject Index
... the treachery of Judas not a type of, [823]388. Envy, [824]67. ... Jacob, [1295]12,
[1296]13. Jacob, Leah and Rachel figures of the Church, [1297]266. ...
/.../irenaeus/fragments from the lost writings of irenaeus/subject index.htm

Against Jovinianus.
... I given you all." He then flies off to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, of whom the first
had three wives, the second one, the third four, Leah, Rachel, Billah, and ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/against jovinianus.htm

The Second Oration on Easter.
... XXI. If you are a Rachel or a Leah, a patriarchal and great ... We were deceived because
we were the objects of envy. We were cast out because we transgressed. ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/oration xlv the second oration.htm

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 4. <. ...
/.../chapter ithe first chaldaean empire.htm

Here Beginneth the History of Joseph and his Brethren
... His brethren had great envy hereat. ... These were sons of Leah that Jacob gat in
Mesopotamia, and Dinah his daughter. ... The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. ...
/.../wells/bible stories and religious classics/here beginneth the history of 2.htm