Genesis 29:31 “And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.”
There are three shocking words in this verse: “Leah was hated.” No one can argue that Jacob was wronged by Laban, but was this the correct response? After the deception, Jacob’s choice should have been to ask God for help in coping with his disappointment. He should not have served the second seven-year term and taken on an additional wife.
His “love” for Rachel was no justification for hating Leah and subjecting her to a life of sharing her husband. God took specific action based on Jacob’s wrongdoing, giving grace unto the wife he should have learned to love.
This may be one of the most poorly understood stories in all of the Old Testament. I have even heard Bible teachers praise Jacob, calling this the “greatest love story in the Bible!”
Two things prove this is untrue: 1) God’s response to Jacob’s hatred and 2) Leah’s place in the lineage of Christ. Do not be confused, God did not intend for Old Testament saints to have multiple wives. Their cultures often encouraged it, but it was wrong and resulted in a multitude of problems and heartaches.
Genesis 29:31 “And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.”