Genesis 30:14

Genesis 30:14 says, And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son’s mandrakes.  Reuben would have still be fairly young, but he was in the fields and harvested some mandrakes for his mother.  These plants were noted for causing someone to be in an excited state, somewhat like narcotics, according to the definition.  Rachel asked Leah to share them with her.  Verse fifteen states, And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son’s mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son’s mandrakes.  Evidently, Leah did not really care about what Rachel wanted, since she felt that Rachel had stolen her husband.  Again, I am not sure that Rachel had anymore say in the matter of marriage than Leah did, but it was bound to cause bad feelings, especially when Jacob loved Rachel more.  We cannot blame others for doing  things that they really have no control over.  Jacob and their father were the ones to blame, not each other.  Verse sixteen proclaims, And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son’s mandrakes. And he lay with her that night.  Leah met Jacob as he came in from the field and told him that he must come to bed with her that night.  She said it was because of the mandrakes, so for whatever reason, she felt that the mandrakes would make her more desirable.  People today often begin to use stimulates or drugs thinking that they will somehow make them better, when at best what they often do is simply decrease inhibitions.  Verse seventeen adds, And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son.  Once more, only God can give life, and actually Leah was Jacob's first wife.  Unlike Sarah and Abraham, we are not told that God made His promise to Jacob and a particular woman, but God was still at work in their lives.  We as followers of Christ may at times fail to live up to what God expects of us, but that doesn't mean that He is not still at work in our lives.  Leah was blessed with a fifth son.  Verse eighteen states, And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar.  Leah attributed her having another son to God blessing her for giving her maid to Jacob, but I don't believe that this was the case.  If God blesses us, it will never be because we have done something that is against His word.  Verse nineteen says, And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son.  Then verse twenty adds, And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun.  Leah had a sixth son and felt that because of this Jacob would prefer her to Rachel.  We should never use children as a way to cause someone else to love us.  Verse twenty-one states, And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah.  Jacob now had ten sons, and this was his first daughter.  Then, verse twenty-two declares, And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.  I don't believe that this means that God had forgotten Rachel until this time, but simply means that He blessed her with a child.  As followers of Christ, if we don't get everything we want in life, that doesn't mean that God has forgotten us.  Our relationship with God should never be determined by material things.  Verse twenty-three adds, And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach:  Then verse twenty-four concludes, And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son.  Rachel finally had son, and she named him Joseph.  As we know, Joseph would become a big part in God fulfilling His promise to Abraham, then Isaac, and now Jacob.  God's promise to us today of everlasting life is just as certain as was His promise to them, no matter how much time passes before the ultimate fulfillment of that promise.

Genesis 30:1

Genesis 30:1 says, And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.  Rachel was very envious of Leah because Leah was having children and she wasn't.  Rachel was the one Jacob really loved, but she said she was ready to die if she couldn't have a child.  Sometimes, it is easier to envy others because of their success in areas that we wish to succeed than it is to be thankful for what God has blessed us with.  Verse two states, And Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God’s stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?  Jacob became angry at Rachel's demand and asked if he were God to be able to give her a child.  As I have said before, I believe that God gives life to every child, no matter how they are conceived.  Verse three declares, And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.  Like Sarah, Rachel had a plan to get a child for herself.  Just as Sarah had given her maid to Abraham, Rachel gave her maid Bilhah to Jacob to have a child with.  Bilhah had even fewer rights than Rachel did, and evidently Rachel did not consider how Bilhah would be affected by this.  As followers of Christ, we cannot use those that we may have authority over simply to satisfy our own desires.  Verse four adds, And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her.  Rachel carried out her plan, but we never hear of her consulting God about it.  When we make plans in life, we should always consult God first.  Verse five states, And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son.  Blah gave Jacob another son.  Verse six adds, And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan.  Though she must not have felt the same way about the sons of Leah, Rachel saw this child as one that God had given her.  We cannot just claim God's blessings on ourselves when our plans that have been made without Him are successful.  Verse seven declares, And Bilhah Rachel’s maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son.  Bilhah gave Jacob another son.  Jacob may have loved Rachel, but he was perfectly willing to have children with other women.  When we love someone and are married to them, we should remain true to them in all aspects of life.  Verse eight adds, And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.  Rachel stated that she had wrestled, or had big problems with Leah, but now she had prevailed.  Instead of supporting each other in a situation that neither had created, the sisters were feuding.  When we are in a bad situation, especially one that is not of our making, we need not spend time blaming others, especially those who have no control over the situation.  Verse nine declares, When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.  When Leah did not have another child, she gave Jacob her maid Zilpah to have a child with.  I believe because she was afraid that Rachel would now really be preferred by Jacob.  Verse ten states, And Zilpah Leah’s maid bare Jacob a son.  Then verse eleven adds, And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.  Like Rachel, Leah gave God credit for blessing her plan.  If we are to give God credit for our success, we must first know that we are following His will.  Verse twelve states, And Zilpah Leah’s maid bare Jacob a second son.  Like Bilhah, Zilpah had a second son with Jacob.  This was now eight children that Jacob had, and he was indeed on his way to becoming the father of a great multitude, but I personally do not feel that this was in accordance with God's plan.  Verse thirteen adds, And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher.  Leah thought that people would call her blessed because her maid had given Jacob another son, though she really had very little to do with the birth of the child.  We cannot claim to do things in the name of God simply to claim praise for ourselves.

Genesis 29:25

Genesis 29:25 says, And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?  The next morning, Jacob asked Laban why he had beguiled him and given him Leah instead of Rachel.  Like Jacob, people are sometimes more upset when they are cheated than they are when they cheat others as Jacob had done with Esau.  Verse twenty-six states, And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.  Laban cited tradition as the reason.  Again, Jacob should have understood this,, since tradition said that the first born son would receive a father's blessing.  If we cheat others, we should not be surprised if others cheat us.  Verse twenty-seven adds, Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.  Jacob was basically told to accept Leah as his wife and that he would then be given Rachel for a wife as well, for which he would have to serve another seven years.  Having more than one wife at a time was never God's plan.  We have to wonder how Leah felt about this, since she knew that she was not the one that Jacob wanted.  Verse twenty-eight declares, And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.  After a week, Laban gave Jacob Rachel as his wife also.  As with Leah, we have to wonder how Rachel felt about this situation.  Neither were really given a choice, unless they defied their father.  Verse twenty-nine states, And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.  Laban gave Rachel one of his maids to be her handmade, as he had done in giving Leah a handmaid.  At least Laban seemed to not make a difference between his daughters.  Verse thirty declares, And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.  Jacob took Rachel as his wife also, but he loved her more than he did Leah.  Again, though she had done nothing wrong, Leah was in a bad situation.  Sometimes we may find ourselves in some bad situation through no fault of our own.  Jacob would work another seven years for having Rachel as his wife.  Jacob, Leah, and Rachel were all affected by Laban's plot.  Verse thirty-one declares, And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren. God had mercy on Leah because of her situation.  We must pray that if we find ourselves in a bad situation that God will have mercy on us.  Verse thirty-two adds, And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.  Leah thought that when she had a son that Jacob would finally love her.  We can never force someone to love us, even if we give them what they may want.  Verse thirty-three adds, And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.  Verse thirty-four continues, And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons:  therefore was his name called Levi.  Then verse thirty-five concludes, And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.  Leah had four sons.  She was still hoping that Jacob would love her, but after the birth of her last son, she simply said that she would praise the LORD.  We should never forget to praise God, no matter what our situation may be in life.

Genesis 29:12

Genesis 29:12 says, And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son: and she ran and told her father.  Jacob identified himself as Isaac and Rebekah's son.  He wasn't just some random stranger.  She ran to share the news.  Verse thirteen states, And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house.  Laban was just as excited to meet Jacob, so he ran to meet him and brought him home with him.  We today may never be as out of touch with relatives as people were in that day, unless it is by choice, but we are still usually excited to see relatives that we haven't seen in a while.  Verse fourteen adds, And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.  Laban recognized Jacob as a blood relative, and Jacob stayed with him for a month.  Of course, as followers of Christ, we have blood relatives, but we also have spiritual relatives, and hopefully many are both.  Verse fifteen declares, And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?  Whether Jacob had already been working during this month he had been there or not, Laban said he didn't expect him to work for free.  We should never expect our relatives, or our fellow Christians, to work for us for nothing.  This was more than just a few days work and was going to continue for awhile.  Laban asked Jacob to name his price.  Verse sixteen adds, And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.  We already knew about Rachel, but Laban had an older daughter named Leah.  Verse seventeen continues, Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.  We are told more about Leah's character and about Rachel's looks.  Evidently Rachel was prettier than Leah.  We still often judge women more by their looks than by their nature or character.  Verse eighteen states, And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.  Jacob loved Rachel, whether because he had gotten to know her during the month he had been there or simply because he found her beautiful.  Jacob told Laban that he would work for him for seven years in order to have the right to marry Rachel.  I am not sure how many people today would be willing to work seven years in order to marry someone.  Verse nineteen says, And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.  Laban said that it was better that he allow Jacob to marry Rachel than for her to marry someone else.  We are not told how God's leadership was taken into consideration in this deal, nor are we told how Rachel felt about it.  When we as followers of Christ make plans, we must consider what God wants us to do, and also how our plans will affect others, especially if they are part of the plan.  Verse twenty declares, And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.  Jacob's love for Rachel was so strong that seven years only felt like a few days.  If we really love someone, then no matter how much we do for them it should always seem but a small thing to us.  Verse twenty-one adds, And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.  Jacob had fulfilled his part of the deal, and now he was ready to marry Rachel.  If we make an agreement with someone as Christians, then we should always do our best to fulfill that agreement.  Verse twenty-two states, And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.  Laban gathered everyone together and made a feast, supposedly to carry out his part of the agreement.  Verse twenty-three adds, And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.  Laban did not carry out his part of the agreement, sending Leah instead of Rachel to Jacob.  I believe that Leah is often the forgotten woman in this story.  She knew that Jacob loved Rachel, but she still had to do what her father told her to do.  We always need to consider how our actions will affect others, especially other followers of Christ.  Verse twenty-four adds, And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.  Laban gave Leah one of his maids as her handmade.

Genesis 29:1

Genesis 29:1 says, Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.  Jacob completed his journey after he had a personal assurance from God.  Wherever we go in life, if we have God's assurance that He is with us, and we are being obedient to His will, we should feel free to go.  Jacob left under Isaac's blessing and direction, but he arrived under God's.  Verse two states, And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well’s mouth.  Jacob, like Abraham's servant, came to a well, this one used to water sheep, but the well had a great stone across it.  Jesus said He is Living Water for those who accept Him, but until someone does, sin is the same as having a rock blocking him or her from that water.  Verse three adds, And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well’s mouth in his place.  After all the flocks were gathered, they removed the stone, watered the flocks, and then replaced the stone.  We all have equal access to the Living Water that Jesus provides, but faith in Him is like the stone.  It is removed for those who accept Jesus as their Savior and Lord, but it still blocks those who do not from having access to the Living Water.  Verse four says, And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.  Jacob asked the people at the well who they were.  They told him that they were from Haran.  If someone asks us who we are today, would our answer include anything about being God's people?  I know that these people did not say that, but we should always ensure that when we are telling people who will are, as followers of Christ, that should always be one of the things we tell them.  Verse five adds, And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.  Jacob asked if they knew Laban, the son of Nahor, and they said they did.  When someone asks us today if we know Jesus, the Son of God, hopefully we can honestly say that we do.  Verse six continues, And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.  Jacob asked if Laban was well, the people said that he was and then Rachel came with her sheep to water them.  Jacob had found at least one of Abraham's people.  If we were to continue to equate this with coming to Christ today, then we could say that when people are going about their everyday life, hopefully they will encounter someone who can point them to Christ.  Though Jacob had left simply to find a wife, after his encounter with God, he was now there also as a representative of God.  Once we encounter and accept Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, wherever we go we are His representative, whether we want to be or not.  Verse seven states, And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them.  Jacob told them to water and feed the sheep.  We likewise have a command from God to feed His sheep.  Verse eight adds, And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.  They told Jacob that they couldn't water the sheep until all the flocks were gathered.  Again, when equating this to Jesus as the Living Water, we all have equal access.  Verse nine declares, And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep: for she kept them.  While Jacob was talking with the men, Rachel came to water her father's sheep.  Verse ten adds, And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.  Jacob saw Rachel, who was indeed his mother's relative, and he rolled the stone from the well and watered her flock.  The time might not have been right in the tradition of those at the well, but Jacob was there on a mission from God now.  We cannot allow tradition to keep us from doing what God leads us to do, even if it might be risky.  Verse eleven states, And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept.  I believe that Jacob felt that Rachel was the one he was looking for.  We might question his kissing her when he first met her, but a kiss was a normal greeting back then.

Genesis 28:10

Genesis 28:10 says, And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.  Jacob did what Isaac told him to do.  Though he had received Isaac's blessing, he was still obedient to Him.  We should likewise be obedient to our heavenly Father, even if we have already received our inheritance, or blessing of everlasting life through our faith in Christ.  Verse eleven states, And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.  Jacob stopped over night on the way.  It says he made a pillow of stones, which really doesn't sound very comfortable. Isaac may have been the one through whom God was going to fulfill His promise to Abraham, but that didn't mean that he would never be uncomfortable.  Some people today claim that as followers of Christ we will never have to struggle or suffer, but this has never been what God's word teaches us.  Of course, some would say that Jacob had yet come to have a personal relationship with God, which was most likely true.  Verse twelve declares, And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.  Jacob had a dream of a ladder reaching into heaven and angels going up and down it.  God often spoke to people in dreams in Biblical times, and may still do so today, but if so, we must somehow be able to determine that it is really God speaking.  Not all dreams are a message from God.  Verse thirteen adds, And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;  Isaac saw the LORD God or simply God as we would say, standing at the top of the ladder.  God first identified Himself as the God of Abraham and Isaac.  God simply being their God was not enough, just as His being the God of our parents and grandparents is not enough.  God had now come to Isaac in a personal way, just as He must to each individual in order for anyone to claim salvation through Christ.  Verse fourteen continues, And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.  This was a repeating of the promise to Abraham and Isaac.  When we come to God through faith in Christ as our Savior and Lord, He does not promise us any more than He has always promised anyone who has accepted Christ.  Verse fifteen concludes, And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.  God told Jacob that He would not leave him until God's promise was secured.  As followers of Christ, we can also be certain that no matter where we go in this world that God will be with us and His promise of everlasting life is secure.  Verse and sixteen says, And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.  When Jacob awoke, he said that God was surely in that place and he didn't know it.  Until we come to a personal relationship with Christ, even though God is wherever we are, we won't recognize it, and once we have that personal relationship we should always acknowledge that God is with us, wherever we go.  Verse seventeen states, And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.  Jacob saw the place as a dreadful place because he said it was the home of God.  As followers of Christ, the home of God should never be a place of dread and fear for us, but a place of joy and peace instead.  Verse eighteen adds, And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.  Jacob took the stone that he had slept on and turned it into a altar to God.  Verse nineteen continues, And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.  Jacob called the place Bethel, though it apparently already had the name Luz.  I believe that whenever a person accepts Christ into their life, everything should become different, since everything should now be viewed through obedience to God.  Verse twenty declares, And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,  I believe that Jacob could have said that since God would be with him, just as we must acknowledge that He is with us today if we are following Christ in faith.  Verse twenty-one adds,  So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:  Jacob was putting conditions on his faith in God, and we can never afford to do that.  Verse twenty-two concludes,  And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.  Jacob promised a tenth, or tithe, of all that God might bless him with to God.  I believe that we must likewise give a tithe unto God, but we must acknowledge that everything we have belongs to God and should be used to glorify Him.

Genesis 28:1

Genesis 28:1 says, And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.  Isaac blessed Jacob once again, this time knowing who Jacob was.  He then told Jacob to not take a wife from the women of Canaan.  As parents, though we really cannot choose who our children marry, as followers of Christ, we should always want them to choose the one they marry wisely.  Verse two states, Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother’s father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother.  Just as Abraham had sent his servant to Abraham's family to find a wife for Isaac, Isaac was sending Jacob to her family to find a wife.  Isaac was not sending a servant, but was sending Jacob himself, which would also give Esau some time to allow his anger to cool.  Somethings are better done personally, and when it comes to salvation, that is the only way we can achieve it.  Verse three declares, And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;  Even though Jacob had gotten Isaac's blessing through deceit, once it was given, Isaac asked God's continued blessing on Jacob.  Isaac asked that God make Jacob the father of a multitude of people.  Since this was a promise that God had made to Abraham and reaffirmed to Isaac, we might think that Isaac would already know that this was what God would do.  Still, even if we know God's promise to us, it is good to ask His blessings on others and ourselves.  Verse four adds, And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham. Isaac did ask that Jacob be given the blessing of Abraham, and that was that God would make Abraham the father of a great nation.  We, as followers of Christ, can really only ask that others will claim the promise of salvation through Christ and thereby become a part of His great nation.  We will spiritually always be strangers in this world.  Verse five states, And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother.  Isaac sent Jacob to Rebekah's family.  While he was alive, though he had blessed Jacob, Isaac was still the authority.  When we become a follower of Christ, we still need to listen to those who are older in their relationship to God and wiser than us many times.  Verse six declares, When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan;  Esau saw what was happening with Jacob.  He may have been watching Jacob because he was still very angry at him and wanted to see what would happen next.  It is not unusual that someone who is angry at us, especially if they feel that we have somehow cheated them, to be watching us closely.  Verse seven adds, And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padanaram;  Esau saw that Jacob obeyed his father and mother.  I believe that this may have further added to his anger.  Verse eight continues, And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father;  We have already been told that Esau married two local women, so he may have felt that Isaac was rejecting him even more by sending Isaac back to Rebekah's family to find a wife.  Though Esau should not have married more than one woman, he had.  We should attempt to never play favorites with the spouse's of our children, though at times it may be difficult not to.  Verse nine states, Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.  Esau took one of Ishmael's daughters as wife, possibly believing this would satisfy the requirement that his wife be a blood relative of Abraham.