Q&A Books/Genesis Truth Boosters/Genesis 29Chapter 29Genesis 2911questionsQ1.Who were the people mentioned in Genesis 29:1, and how could Jacob marry from among them if they were idol-worshippers? Didn’t Laban, for instance, have idols that Rachel took with her? How could Jacob love a woman who cherished these idols?Q2.Wasn’t it unusual for a woman like Rachel to be tending sheep? I thought women in ancient times typically stayed at home, while men worked in the fields.Q3.How old was Rachel when she met Jacob, and how old was Jacob? Isn’t it odd that we don’t have Rachel’s exact age in Genesis, or a clearer idea of their age difference?Q4.Was Jacob’s kiss in Genesis 29:11 really appropriate? Can we say that kissing women is generally acceptable in the Bible?Q5.What exactly was wrong with Leah’s eyes in Genesis 29:17? And isn’t it a bit concerning that the Bible seems to exalt Rachel’s beauty over Leah’s?Q6.Was working seven years really a normal price to pay for a bride? Isn’t that excessive?Q7.How could Jacob sleep with Leah and not realize she wasn’t Rachel? Isn’t this just karma coming back to bite Jacob after his own deception of Isaac? And isn’t Leah guilty here for participating in her father’s deception, knowing Jacob had worked seven years for Rachel?Q8.Did Laban act out of cultural custom or was he just being sneaky? Why would he deceive Jacob by giving him Leah instead of Rachel, especially after Jacob worked for seven years? Was Laban justified by tradition, or was he just looking out for himself?Q9.So, what exactly was the 'bridal week' that Laban referred to in Genesis 29:27? Was it just some kind of cultural practice, or did it have a deeper meaning? Why was Jacob expected to observe it even after being deceived?Q10.Why didn't God open Rachel's womb at the same time as Leah's? It seems unfair that Leah, the less-loved wife, would be the one to bear children first. Was God favouring Leah over Rachel? What was the purpose behind this delay?Q11.Why would people in the Bible invent names for their children based on specific circumstances? Isn’t it a bit strange to name children in response to what’s happening in life, almost as if the name is a label rather than an identity?
