God's teaching often proves harsh, but very clear. That is what happened in Jacob's case as well. Finding himself in Haran, he understood that he would have to stay there for a long time. The years passed, and it was entirely natural to start a family in a new place. There was only one difficulty: a bride-price had to be paid for a wife. That was the common custom everywhere in the East, and Jacob had no money. He was a poor distant relative, a half-forgotten kinsman who could not count on much. There was the option of working off the bride-price, working it off as a shepherd, a job not nearly as simple as it seems today to many city dwellers. It was difficult above all because of the responsibility for the flock entrusted to the shepherd: a hired shepherd was financially responsible for losses among the livestock entrusted to him.

Jacob was to work off the bride-price for his chosen bride for seven years, but for the sake of love he was ready for this. When the seven years had passed, however, they gave him someone entirely different from the one for whom he had worked. They gave her to him and explained the deception by an old local custom: supposedly it was not accepted in the family for the younger daughter to marry before the older one. There was, however, a way out, and it was immediately pointed out to Jacob: he could receive the bride he had chosen as a second wife, since polygamy in those days and in those lands was normal. True, for the second bride he again had to pay the bride-price, and after the first wedding Jacob had not acquired any money. That meant another seven years of work. There was no discount for a second wife; he could be grateful they did not raise the price. Jacob had nowhere to turn: in someone else's house he was in no position to demand his rights.

It is not hard to notice that Jacob here finds himself practically in the same position into which he himself had earlier put his father Isaac. The same substitution, the same helplessness of a deceived person who understands everything perfectly well and nevertheless can do nothing about it. The same outward propriety: after all, it is about an ancient custom that cannot possibly be violated, and if Jacob did not know about it, what can be done? By allowing this situation, God clearly shows Jacob what it is like to be deceived under an outwardly quite respectable pretext, deceived in such a way that nothing can be done: all that remains is to accept the situation as it is. The lesson is harsh, but very clear and easy to grasp. Such lessons are usually learned well.

By what strange paths the formation of God's people proceeded. Here Jacob chooses a wife, serves seven years for her, and through deception receives the older sister, whom no one had taken in marriage; so her father decided to foist her on his compliant son-in-law. It is no wonder one could be mistaken if the bride's face was hidden under a veil. Lies and deception continually stand in the way of God's blessing. Sin is what God is forced to deal with constantly when the salvation of a person and of humanity is at stake. Leah, who became Jacob's wife by deception, unloved but faithful, bears him sons. And in an astonishing way, not beloved Rachel, but unloved Leah will become the mother of Judah, from whose tribe God will give the world the Savior.