brought her to him
Genesis 29:23
29:23 brought her to him. This cruel deception on Laban’s part was not God’s retribution for Jacob’s deception of Isaac, as many have suggested. Leah was destined to be the mother of Judah, through whom Christ would come. Leah was less attractive than Rachel and had found no husband as yet, thus inhibiting her younger sister also from marrying (Genesis 29:26), so that both were well past the normal age for marrying (as was Jacob). Laban was afraid no suitable husband would ever be found for Leah, and so used this trick to force Jacob into marrying both. This would, he hoped, tie Jacob (a productive worker with a substantial future inheritance) permanently to Laban and his family. Leah also had come to love Jacob and, although her father’s device must have been difficult and embarrassing for her, as well as for Rachel, she went along with the plan in obedience to her father.
