Genesis 29:18

Seven years of service was a high bride-price in the ancient world, but Rachel was beautiful (like Sarah and Rebekah), and Jacob was in love with her.

Jacob looked forward with joy to marrying Rachel, but this hope became a time of testing. Laban acted with shrewdness (clever but not honest behavior), and Jacob was disciplined (corrected and trained). Jacob and his mother had deceived his father and brother to gain the blessing. Now Laban, his mother’s brother, deceived him.

Jacob experienced the results of his own dishonesty through 20 years of hard work, suffering, and being misled while serving Laban (31:38).

In God’s fair judgment, people receive what they do (Galatians 6:7). Laban’s actions helped Jacob see his own tendency to deceive others. God often brings people into the lives of believers to discipline them. But Jacob was determined, and God greatly blessed him with a large family and many possessions during this time of service (30:25–43).

• These chapters describe how God fulfilled his promise by greatly blessing Jacob with a family and possessions. God also disciplined Jacob, leaving him to struggle with Laban for many years. Laban was Jacob’s match in deception, and thus a means of correction.

• The story of Jacob and Laban is similar to Israel's later stay in Egypt. Jacob struggled while serving his uncle but finally emerged with a large family (the founders of the 12 tribes) and great wealth. In Egypt, the Israelites suffered under their oppressors, but they also flourished, becoming a great nation of 12 large tribes and escaping with great riches.