I’m studying the second half of Genesis for the first part of this year, and I continue to be astounded by petty envying of Rachel and Leah over their husband Jacob. I’m also pretty amazed over how passive Jacob is during the feuding of his wives. Nevertheless, as I read one particular text, another thought popped into my head, one that relates to a common criticism against the Bible by modern feminists…
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. 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. 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.
(Genesis 30:14-16)
Is Jacob a squishmallow? Does he have no agency? Is he just a hat to be passed between these ladies? And look at his response to Leah, or rather, look at his NON-response. His wife Leah comes in and says “I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes, so you must sleep with me tonight.” and he just…shrugs and goes with it.
How do I put this diplomatically? Jacob doesn’t seem to be the… question asking type. You know what I mean? I mean if your wife came to you and said “I bought the rights to sleep with you tonight. It cost me a bushel of mandrakes,” wouldn’t you have a question or two? Wouldn’t you wonder why your two wives were bartering over the right to sleep with you, and why, apparently, the selling price was nothing more than a basket of fruit that any eight-year-old boy could pick in an afternoon?
Isn’t that kind of insulting?
Anyway, that’s not the point I want to make. What struck me was a thought about how the Bible, especially the Old Testament, is often depicted as a text with “primitive” and “regressive” views regarding women and their rights, etc. Setting aside all that can be said about this being a different era and culture, I think it’s interesting that Jacob is being treated like an object, bought and sold between his wives. It’s not the wives that are treated like property; in this case, it’s the husband.
I’m just saying: It goes both ways.
That’s all. I don’t really have a grand lesson to learn or anything. I just read this and wanted to share my thought.
Alright, have a nice day.
~Matthew