Hey Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble, and I'm your host for the Bible Recap.

Yesterday when we left off, Jacob had just married two sisters, Leah and Rachel, due in part to some deception from his father-in-law Laban, and Jacob's wife Leah had

just had four sons. Today, we open with Rachel being envious of Leah's ability to bear children.

She puts some weight on Jacob to get her pregnant, but Jacob gets defensive and points out that

only God can give life. We'll see that repeatedly in this chapter. Rachel decides to follow the ways of

her grandmother-in-law slash great-grade Aunt Sarah by offering her maidservant Bilha to her husband.

If you recall, this did not go well for Sarah. Stick around to see if it solves all Rachel's

problems. Bilha has two children for Jacob and Rachel, but then Leah follows suit and gives

her maid servant Zilpa to Jacob, and she has two more sons. So now the tally is Leah four,

Leah by Zilpa too, and Rachel by Bilha too. But this sibling rivalry is far from over.

Bitterness and jealousy have been growing in their hearts, and left unattended,

a bitter heart will often resort to manipulation and retaliation, which is what Leah does next.

Since Jacob probably spends most nights with Rachel, the wife he loves, Leah trades Rachel some

plants in exchange for a night with Jacob. Interestingly, this particular plant,

the Mandrake, is believed to promote fertility, but it's also used to treat stomach ulcers, which I'm

guessing they both have a lot of by this point. Do you see all the striving on both parts? Do you see how

it's never enough for either of them? Do you see how the spirit of greed and comparison and their scarcity mentality is driving all their actions?

This isn't love for God.

It isn't love for Jacob.

It doesn't even seem like love for their children.

It looks a lot more like fear and idolatry and self-promotion.

Leah gets pregnant for the fifth time and thinks it was God's reward for generously sharing her

...