A Con-Artist is a person who cheats or tricks others by persuading individuals to believe something that is not true. Attributes of con-artists include the ability to manipulate people into doing what they don’t want to do. In the passage below, Laban found out that Jacob kissed his youngest daughter. Rather than pay Jacob to work for him, he lets Jacob decide how he wants to be paid. Head over heels for Rachel, Laban agrees to give her away, but Jacob must work for him for 7 years.
When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his uncle, Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth and watered the flock of his uncle Laban. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and he wept aloud. 12 Jacob told Rachel he was her father’s relative, Rebekah’s son; and she ran and told her father. 13 When Laban heard of the arrival of Jacob his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and embraced and kissed him and brought him to his house. And [Jacob] told Laban all these things. 14 Then Laban said to him, Surely you are my bone and my flesh. And [Jacob] stayed with him a month. 15 Then Laban said to Jacob, Just because you are my relative, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be? – Genesis 29:10-15
Sometimes you have to give con-artists the benefit of doubt. As for Laban, maybe he thought that some other man would come into Leah’s life to sweep her off and live happily ever after prior to Rachel’s planned wedding. As the courtship of Jacob and Rachel came to an end, Leah remained single, placing Laban into a no-win situation. If honesty is t he best policy, Laban turned to alcohol to deceive Jacob like he deceived his father Isaac years earlier.
And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. 21 Finally, Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my time is completed, so that I may take her to me. 22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast [with drinking]. 23 But when night came, he took Leah his daughter and brought her to [Jacob], who had intercourse with her. 24 And Laban gave Zilpah his maid to his daughter Leah to be her maid. 25 But in the morning [Jacob saw his wife, and] behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, What is this you have done to me? Did I not work for you [all those seven years] for Rachel? Why then have you deceived and cheated and thrown me down [like this]? 26 And Laban said, It is not permitted in our country to give the younger [in marriage] before the elder, Genesis 29:20-26.
Back in ancient times, Jewish weddings would last a week which as illustrated in John 2:1-11. When Jacob got really drunk, it wasn’t hard for Laban to switch brides. While Moses doesn’t mention Rachel’s displeasure or frustration, Jacob is forced to wait until the end of the week, when the wedding party has ceased, to consecrate his marriage with Rachel. Nonetheless, a good con-artist doesn’t waste any opportunities, forcing Jacob to work another 7 years for Laban. Based upon Moses description of Laban within this chapter of the Bible is the making of a con-artist or God simply used Laban’s personality to teach Jacob the lesson: you reap what you sow.
by Jay Mankus
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