In the Beginning:
The Book of Genesis
Lesson 17 Jacob & Rachel
the book of Genesis 29:1—30:43
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)*
New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)*
Catechism of the Catholic Church
ex libris (in our library)
cross references in the book of Genesis
next lesson: Jacob Separates from Laban
This material coordinates with Lesson 17 on pages 95–100 in the study book In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis.
“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done.”—the book of Genesis 1:31—2:2
welcome to our in-depth study of the book of Genesis
We invite interested groups and individuals to check out the sample first lesson from this 28-lesson 
Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study. 
These online study pages link to our free lesson video overviews as well as to a list of cross references in the biblical text. Other study aids include maps, charts, illustrations, additional commentary, and prayers based on the primary Scripture in each lesson. In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis has been granted an imprimatur and can be purchased from our website shop. If you have a Bible-study question or comment, click on one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons on any online study page.
open with prayer
It’s always wise to begin any Bible study with prayer, whether reading the Scriptures alone or meeting with others in a discussion study group. You can pray using your own words or use one of the opening prayers on our website. We especially like the following:
Lord Jesus, you promised to send your Holy Spirit
to teach us all things.
As we read and study your word today,
allow it to touch our hearts and change our lives. Amen.
let’s review—the book of Genesis 27:1—28:22
In Lesson 16 Isaac Blesses Jacob; Jacob’s Dream at Bethel, Rebekah successfully plots to ensure that Jacob, her favorite son, receives the patriarchal blessing instead of Esau, the son to whom Isaac intends the blessing to go. After this happens, Esau intends to kill Jacob. Isaac then sends Jacob to Mesopotamia to find a wife. Esau, seeing that his Hittite wives aren’t pleasing to his parents, takes a daughter of Ishmael as his third wife. On his journey to Mesopotamia, Jacob stops to sleep at Bethel. While there, he dreams of a ladder to heaven, and in this dream God renews with Jacob the covenant he previously made with Abraham and Isaac. Jacob promises that if God does indeed protect him and he returns safely to the land of Canaan from Mesopotamia, then he will accept the LORD as his God.
a biblical love story
The story of Jacob’s love for Rachel emphasizes love as a foundation for marriage, an idea also seen in the marriages of the patriarchs Abraham and Isaac. Jacob’s marriage to Rachel, however, isn’t arranged as smoothly as that of his father. After Jacob has worked seven years for Rachel’s hand, her father deceives him. Jacob ends up married to Rachel’s older sister Leah instead. Although Jacob’s been wronged, that he’s deceived as a result of disguised identity has a familiar ring. He only received the patriarchal blessing by pretending to be his brother Esau. Click on the illustration (right) to enlarge it. The original illustration by Turning to God’s Word co-founder Tami Palladino is on page 99 in the study book In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis.
Jacob has to make his own marriage arrangements (22:54)
In the video overview for this lesson, Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps 
discusses the key ways that the arrangement for the marriage of Jacob’s father Isaac to Rebekah differs from the arrangement for Jacob to marry Rachel. Abraham was the driving force behind his son Isaac’s marriage, providing a number of expensive gifts. Jacob has to negotiate his own marriage with nothing to offer except his own willingness to work for Laban. While Isaac married Rebekah almost immediately, Jacob’s marriage to Rachel is put on hold until after he has served her father for seven years. Laban, however, underhandedly substitutes his daughter Leah for Rachel, forcing 
Jacob to work another seven years in order to obtain Rachel as his wife. This can be seen as one of the clearest indications that the number seven is used in Scripture not to express perfection, but to point to some kind of continuation, much the way that after a week of seven days is completed, it’s always followed by another week of another seven days. Consider the implication that cycles of seven in the book of Genesis have on the Christian understanding of Creation. The videos for this study are being redone and will be posted as they become available. The original videos for Lessons 4 through 28 will remain accessible until then.
The Scripture ranges for the videos being redone to accompany this Catholic Bible study from Turning to God’s Word will match the Scripture ranges for the sets of questions in the study book In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis. Viewers will be able to follow along as author Matthew Phelps discusses Lesson 17, “Jacob & Rachel,” on pages 95–100 in the study book.
WHAT DO YOU THINK about Jacob’s marriage arrangement?
When Isaac was wed to Rebekah, the marriage was arranged by a servant of his father Abraham. Jacob must make his own arrangement to marry Rachel.
? What is the key disadvantage Jacob faces in arranging his own marriage?
? Consider why Laban failed to stipulate up front that Rachel only could marry Jacob after sever years if her older sister Leah had first gotten married.
? Do you think that Laban expected Leah to marry in that amount of time, or do you think that he intentionally was trying to trick Jacob?
? Consider whether Leah was complicit in the wedding-night switch.
? Where was Rachel when this switch was taking place?
? Can you think of a reason why Rachel might have agreed to the deception?
? Seven years is a long time for Jacob to work to marry Rachel. Why do you think that Laban allowed the marriage to Rachel to take place before Jacob put in the second period of seven years?
the popes inspire us—love of God is not exclusive
“Jacob’s Love” on page 100 of In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis looks at a common misconception—the idea that loving another person automatically competes with our love for God. Quoting St. Francis de Sales, Pope St. John Paul II explains that Jacob’s love for Rachel in no way detracts from Jacob’s love for God: “One love is not contrary to the other because love of Rachel does not violate the supreme advantages of love of God.”
Jacob doesn’t overstep
In the book of Genesis 30:1–2, after Rachel complains that she’ll die if she doesn’t have children, Jacob makes a statement indicative of his relationship with the LORD: “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” In addition to reflecting the common ancient idea that a failure to conceive children was a sign of being out of favor with God, Jacob’s statement also clearly shows that he’s under no illusions about who ultimately controls life and death. The evidence is mounting that as a result of receiving the patriarchal blessing, Jacob is maintaining a healthy respect for the God worshiped by both his father Isaac and his grandfather Abraham.
WHAT DO YOU THINK about this foreshadowing of the Blessed Virgin Mary?
The book of Genesis 30:13 records that when Leah names Asher (the son of Jacob born to her maid Zilpah), she announces: “Happy am I! For the women will call me happy … .” This verse, which some translations render as: “Blessed am I! For the women will call me blessed … .” sounds familiar to the Gospel According to Luke 1:48, in which Mary prays: “For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.” This is part of the prayer known as the Magnificat, which is found in the Gospel According to Luke 1:46–55. You can learn more about the connection 
between traditional Marian prayers and biblical texts in the Turning to God’s Word Bible study Scripture and the Rosary: New Testament Mysteries, Old Testament Parallels. Free digital lessons from that study rotate year-round on our website, based on the liturgical season.
? How are these two verses announcing blessing for Leah and blessing for Mary similar?
? How are they different?
? It’s easy for Christians to understand why it is that Mary is going to be called blessed. The immediate reason that Leah believes she’ll be called blessed clearly is because of the birth of Asher. Although the society in which Leah lived would have considered her to be Asher’s mother, she actually wasn’t his birth mother. Which of Jacob’s 12 sons were born directly to Leah?
? Consider which of Leah’s sons it’s likely that she thinks qualify her to deserve to be called blessed in Scripture?
? What might explain why Leah’s role in salvation history is relatively ignored?
read the Catechism—what the Church teaches about Mary being blessed among women
Almost all Catholics regularly pray the Hail Mary or, in Latin, the Ave Maria. This Marian prayer includes the words spoken by Mary’s cousin Elizabeth in the Gospel According to Luke 1:41–42, which are particularly relevant to consider in conjunction with the book of Genesis 30:13. Paragraph 2676 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches:
2676 … Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. After the angel’s greeting, we make Elizabeth’s greeting our own. “Filled with the Holy Spirit,” Elizabeth is the first in the long succession of generations who have called Mary “blessed.” “Blessed is she who believed … .” Mary is “blessed among women” because she believed in the fulfillment of the Lord’s word. Abraham, because of his faith, became a blessing for all the nations of the earth. Mary, because of her faith, became the mother of believers, through whom all nations of the earth receive him who is God’s own blessing: Jesus, the “fruit of thy womb.”
name—you could look it up in our archives
The book of Genesis provides meanings of the names of 11 of Jacob’s 12 sons. What does your own name mean? Consider whether it captures the essence of your true self. By what name would you like to be known? To learn more about names, read Lost in Translation, an online column in which Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps helps readers connect with ideas expressed in the original languages of the Scriptures. New Lost in Translation entries are posted on Mondays, and past entries are archived on our website. Contact us if you’d like to receive Lost in Translation by email every week.
pray with the Psalms—what do you call God?
While the descendants of Jacob were careful not to speak the name of God, they god around any problems by assigning God a number of titles, many of which Christians still use. How many titles for God from the Old Testament can you name off the top of your head? Familiarity with the Psalms may provide an advantage. You can learn more about 
the titles of God in Lesson 13 Our Helps Is in the Name of the LORD in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers.
Click on the illustration for Lesson 13 Our Helps Is in the Name of the LORD in Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers to enlarge it. Created by Turning to God’s Word co-founder Tami Palladino, that illustration is on page 55 of the study; it includes a number of titles for God the Father. How many of these might apply equally well to Jesus? Can you think of any titles for Jesus that don’t apply to God the Father or to the Holy Spirit?
WHAT DO YOU THINK Scripture is suggesting about divination?
In the book of Genesis 30:27–28, Laban says that he’s learned by divination that the LORD has blessed him because of Jacob. After then agreeing to pay Jacob wages, Laban immediately plots to cheat his son-in-law. Several things about this part of the story raise questions.
? First and foremost, why might Laban need to rely on divination to figure out that his increase in fortune is related to the work that Jacob’s been doing for him for 14 years?
? From Jacob’s response to Laban, recorded in the book of Genesis 30:29–30, it’s apparent that Jacob also credits the LORD with Laban’s increase in fortune. Consider how it is that Jacob knows that God is the one responsible.
? What kind of person do you think would be likely to credit God under such circumstances?
? Consider whether you think that Laban truly recognizes the LORD as the source of Jacob’s successful stewardship of his flocks. Point to evidence in the thirtieth chapter in the book of Genesis to support your position.
? Why might the author of the book of Genesis include mention of Laban’s practice of divination?
Q&A—what is the correct listing of the 12 tribes of Israel?
A participant studying Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume II: Restoration and Redemption has a question about why Ephraim and Manasseh are referred to as half tribes, which led another participant to comment on something she remembered from our study of the book of Revelation about the listing of the tribes. Participants studying In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis may find the same information useful.
Q: Why are Ephraim and Manasseh referred to as half tribes?
A: Ephraim and Manasseh are the two Egyptian-born sons of Joseph, the eleventh son of Jacob. At the end of the book of Genesis, Jacob adopts both boys, and they essentially split what otherwise would have been considered their father Joseph’s inheritance of land in Canaan. Scripture sometimes calls their descendants members of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, but sometimes they’re referred to as members of half tribes. Although listings of Jacob’s sons always include Joseph, there are very few instances in which Scripture includes Joseph in the listing of the 12 tribes of Israel.
Q: Why are there so many variations in biblical listings of the 12 tribes? Doesn’t the book of Revelation omit Dan and another tribe because of the location of the worship centers set up in the northern kingdom by Jeroboam to compete with Jerusalem in the southern kingdom?
A: This is an astute observation. It appears that the authors of Scripture manipulated the names 
of the 12 tribes to suit whatever point they were trying to emphasize at the time. The following information is from “Every Tribe of the Sons of Israel,” commentary in Lesson 8 Salvation Belongs to Our God in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness.
There are several listings of the 12 sons or 12 tribes of Israel in the Scriptures, with slight differences. The birth order of the 12 sons can be found in the book of Genesis 29:31—30:24 and 35:16–18.
The book of Genesis 48:3–5 describes Jacob’s adoption of Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, and they share Joseph’s inheritance. Joseph almost never is referred to as a one of the 12 tribes of Israel, but his sons Ephraim and Manasseh are considered founders of the two half-tribes.
Still later, in the book of Exodus 32:21–29, the Levites distinguish themselves in service to the LORD. As a result, in the book of Exodus 40:12–15, they’re set apart to serve as priests. After this, Levites no longer are included in listings of the 12 tribes.
The book of Numbers 35:1–8 records that the Levites are provided for by the other tribes. In the book of Revelation 7:5, Judah is listed first among the tribes of Israel, almost certainly because Jesus is of the tribe of Judah. In the book of Revelation 7:8, Joseph and Benjamin appear to be listed last because they’re last in the birth order.
Dan and Ephraim are omitted from that list in the book of Revelation. A clue as to why appears in the First Book of the Kings 12:28–30, which records that Jeroboam, ruler of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, set up golden idols in Dan and Bethel (a city in Ephraim territory). The tribes of Dan and Ephraim appear to be excluded because they engaged in idolatry and led others away from worship of God.
the best Catholic commentary about Scripture
To find out more about how Church teaching is supported by Scripture passages in In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis, check out the Index of Citations in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Links (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition [RSVCE*]) to the primary Scripture passages in the lesson and relevant paragraphs in the Catechism are provided here. Not every passage in the biblical text for this Catholic study is referenced in a Catechism paragraph, however.
the book of Genesis 29:15—paragraph 500
the book of Genesis 30:1—paragraph 2374
to learn more, read more Scripture
If you’re having difficulty with a particular passage of Scripture, it can be helpful to read the relevant 
cross references—but looking these up can take time. To make that easier, we’ve compiled the cross references from the Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE)—the translation that we reprint in our study books. That list can be found at the top of every online study page, and it includes links to cross references in the primary biblical text for In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis.
don’t forget about our indexes & extra online material
If you’re trying to locate information about a specific Scripture passage, you can look it up in the index at the back of the study book or sample lesson. If you want to find a particular commentary, you can look up its title in the topics index. To learn more about another book of the Bible for which there’s a Turning to God’s Word study, visit the online study directories to read the commentaries and watch any accompanying videos. Finally, if you have a question or would like to make a comment about any of our studies, you can use one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons to email our authors.
ex libris—Church documents & books about religious topics
Link to magisterial documents referred to in our Bible studies at ex libris—magisterial documents. 
This listing includes significant recent encyclicals as well as a number of historical Church documents. Recommended books related to Scripture study can be found at ex libris—main bookshelf.
wondering how to pronounce some of these words?
The following link is to a reading from the New International Version (NIV) Bible. To listen, open the link and click on the audio icon above the printed text. Although not taken from the translations used in our study materials, the NIV reading provides an audio guide to pronunciation of words in this lesson’s primary biblical text. A close online version of the translation of the Bible used in Catholic liturgy in the United States as well as an audio guide for daily Mass readings for the current month can be found on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
the book of Genesis 29:1—30:43 (NIV)
close with Bible-based prayer related to this lesson
Many of our Catholic study groups like to conclude their discussions with a prayer based on the scriptural focus of their lesson, and some participants include Scripture-specific prayer in their individual study. If you’re uncomfortable composing your own Bible-based prayers, you can follow our four easy steps. If you prefer, you can use the following prayer based on this lesson’s text from the book of Genesis.
O God, you remained with Jacob and supported him
for many years when he was living in a foreign land,
even though his initial relationship with you
was based on the fact that you’re the same God
worshiped by Abraham and Isaac, his grandfather and father.
Help us to love you and to respect our place
as descendants in a long line of people you call your own.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ,
who is the reason that Christians call you Father. Amen.
Lesson 18 Jacob Separates from Laban—the book of Genesis 31:1–55*
Lesson 16 Isaac Blesses Jacob; Jacob’s Dream at Bethel—the book of Genesis 27:1—28:22
you also may like our study of Scripture & the Rosary (digital only)
Scripture & the Rosary: New Testament Mysteries, Old Testament Parallels, a 26-lesson Catholic Bible study with an imprimatur, looks at the biblical foundations of the Rosary. The study includes lessons on Pope St. John Paul II’s Rosarium Virginis Mariae (Rosary of the Virgin Mary), the Apostles’ Creed, and the Luminous Mysteries as well as the original 15 Mysteries of the Rosary. Color photographs of stained glass windows depict key scenes in the lives of Jesus and Mary. Free digital lessons rotate throughout the year on our website.
start a Turning to God’s Word Bible study
Thank you for your interest in our study In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis. 
Information about beginning a Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study can be found at start a Bible study. Tami, Matthew, and I are available to answer questions and offer support. Contact us if you’d like to start a Turning to God’s Word study or have your schedule listed with other TtGW study groups on our website. —Jennifer
*There are seven deuterocanonical books in the Old Testament—the Books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees, as well as some passages in the Books of Esther and Daniel. Protestants usually refer to these works as “apocryphal,” a word that means “outside the (Protestant) canon” because they’re excluded from most Protestant Bibles. The word “deuterocanonical” means “second canon”; Catholics use that word to refer to any section of the Catholic Old Testament for which there are no extant, or existing, Hebrew manuscripts. All of the deuterocanonical books appear in the Septuagint, the earliest remaining versions of which date to the 1st century B.C. This Greek translation of the Old Testament was in common use by Jews at the time of Jesus—but the same books aren’t found in existing Hebrew manuscripts, which aren’t as old as the oldest version of the Septuagint. Learn more by reading How Do Catholic & Protestant Bibles Differ?
Turning to God’s Word printed Bible studies use the 2006 Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE) translation for all Scripture references except those to the Psalms, which are taken from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and published in 2020 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). All Scripture links for the online study pages for In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis are to the 1966 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE) translation. The New International Version (NIV) audio recordings follow the same chapter and verse numbering as the RSV Catholic translations, but the NIV translation doesn’t include the deuterocanonical books and passages.
The 1966 RSVCE uses archaic pronouns and verb forms such as “thee,” “thou,” “didst” in the Psalms and in direct quotations attributed to God. The 2006 RSV2CE replaces those with more accessible English. The few significant translation changes in the RSV2CE include rendering almah as “virgin” in the Book of Isaiah 7:14 and restoring the term “begotten” in the Gospel According to John 3:16.
Numbering varies for some passages in this Bible study. Turning to God’s Word studies (print and digital) follow the numbering in the Revised Standard Version Catholic translations (RSV2CE and RSVCE). Discrepancies in the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) are noted in the Index of Scripture Citations in the study book and the online sample.
You can learn more about the Psalms by viewing a sample lesson from the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers. The second part of that study, Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline, is scheduled for publication in 2025. Some verse numbers may vary in different translations of the Psalms.