Speaker 1: Previously on the Chosen People.
Speaker 2: Lord Layman, it would be a great act of mercy
Speaker 2: if you'd give me sanctuary here for a while as
Speaker 2: my mother's kinsman.
Speaker 3: What's this, lord nonsense? You're my sweet sister's son. You'll
Speaker 3: stay under my roof as an honored guest on a refugee. Come, Come,
Speaker 3: there's a hot pot on the flame.
Speaker 1: Jacob turned his gaze back at Rachel. She glanced back,
Speaker 1: wondering why he was looking at her. A smile curled
Speaker 1: on the edges of Jacob's face. He turned to Larbon
Speaker 1: with a glint in his eye.
Speaker 2: I'll serve you for seven more years. That should be
Speaker 2: more than enough for your youngest daughter, Rachel's, and in marriage.
Speaker 2: One thing that certain, dear Rachel, was that I do
Speaker 2: love you, And seven years of labor for your hand
Speaker 2: will seem like mere moments as long as I get
Speaker 2: to see you every day. Leah, what are you doing here?
Speaker 4: I was with you last night, Jacob. Don't you remember?
Speaker 5: What? No?
Speaker 6: What?
Speaker 5: No?
Speaker 2: How's it possible? How was supposed to be with Rachel? I?
Speaker 2: How did you?
Speaker 4: My father insisted that it should be this way. He
Speaker 4: sent Rachel back to her tent and bid me meet
Speaker 4: you in here to be your wife. We sealed the covenant.
Speaker 4: It's done a treacherous night.
Speaker 2: They've been treats me.
Speaker 7: I swear, Jacob.
Speaker 3: I had no choice, Jacob, Jacob, you know better.
Speaker 5: I knew you wouldn't take Leah for a bride price
Speaker 5: of seven years. I did what I had to do.
Speaker 5: This way, I got to marry off my eldest daughter,
Speaker 5: and you worked my fields for far more years than she's.
Speaker 5: It's a win win. Well by that, of course, I
Speaker 5: mean that I win twice.
Speaker 1: They sealed the promise that night with passion underneath the stars.
Speaker 1: To Jacob, it was well worth for fourteen years. Yet
Speaker 1: something was hiding in the margins between love and longing.
Speaker 1: Leah's love for Jacob, Jacob's love for Rachel, Lea's contempt
Speaker 1: for Rachel, and love AND's love of control were all brewing.
Speaker 1: Like the Eastern, Western, Southern, and Northern winds. They were
Speaker 1: doomed to collide, causing a storm of epic proportions.
Speaker 6: In the House of Jacob, we find love and envy
Speaker 6: amid ancient cries of barren wombs and broken hearts. Shallo
Speaker 6: my friends from here in the Holy Land I'm youa
Speaker 6: l Extein with International Fellowship of Christians and Jews and
Speaker 6: welcome to the Chosen People. Have you been impacted by
Speaker 6: this podcast? Do you enjoy listening?
Speaker 2: Well?
Speaker 6: I would love if you can leave a review. I
Speaker 6: read them all and they not only help me understand
Speaker 6: what you like in the podcast so I can give
Speaker 6: you more of it, but they also help give us
Speaker 6: a better understanding of who we're reaching. I want to
Speaker 6: know about you, So go right now and leave a review.
Speaker 6: Thank you so much. And if you're interested in learning
Speaker 6: more about the countless lives being affected and biblical prophecy
Speaker 6: coming to fruition through my work at the International Fellowship
Speaker 6: of Christians and Jews, you can visit IFCJ dot com.
Speaker 6: Now let's begin. Have you ever asked yourself this question?
Speaker 6: Why do we deceive the ones that we love most?
Speaker 6: What drives us to sow seeds of discord in the
Speaker 6: soil of our own homes? In Genesis twenty nine to thirty,
Speaker 6: we find a family ensnared by lies, each deception dividing
Speaker 6: them further, and we ask ourselves, is love enough to
Speaker 6: sustain us in the middle of our deepest longings?
Speaker 4: He's exactly like this well.
Speaker 1: Leah was at the shepherd's well, venting to Zilpah. While
Speaker 1: drawing out water. She gestured to the large stone that
Speaker 1: sealed the top shot.
Speaker 4: Jacob opens his heart for Rachel, but when I try
Speaker 4: to connect with him, he's sealed shut. It's not fair.
Speaker 4: He was mine first by right.
Speaker 1: Zilpah, her loyal servant, friend and sister, placed a tender
Speaker 1: hand on Leah's shoulder, her expression one of sympathy and understanding.
Speaker 7: Perhaps when you bear him children, he'll begin to love
Speaker 7: you earnestly, Mistress. Give a man a son, and he'll
Speaker 7: treasure you forever.
Speaker 4: We've lain together enough times to make me concerned. I
Speaker 4: can't conceive.
Speaker 7: Perhaps you may pray to the gods for favor.
Speaker 4: No, they are not my gods. My god is the
Speaker 4: god of his forefathers Now. Jacob told us how his
Speaker 4: father was conceived to a woman far beyond her child
Speaker 4: bearing years. He can open up wombs. I shall pray
Speaker 4: to him and pour out my longing.
Speaker 1: Leah prayed to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Speaker 1: She asked that he would see her ply and respond
Speaker 1: with the child. That night, she entered Jacob's tent while
Speaker 1: he was alone. It was rare, since Rachel was usually
Speaker 1: with him in the late hours. She made love to him,
Speaker 1: although Jacob.
Speaker 5: Did not to her.
Speaker 1: Their union was a sad and unrequited one. Leah longed
Speaker 1: for him, pining for a simple glance of affection in
Speaker 1: her direction. Still wounded by the tricks played on him,
Speaker 1: Jacob tolerated Leah long enough to fulfill his husbandly duties
Speaker 1: and give her a child. When they were through, they
Speaker 1: lay beside each other in silence. Leah wanted to roll
Speaker 1: over and hold him. She longed for the simplest touch
Speaker 1: of genuine affection. Jacob refused, Could you leave my tent now?
Speaker 1: I have to wake up before sunrise tomorrow and bring
Speaker 1: the flocks to the shearers.
Speaker 4: You'd send me away so late I could sleep beside
Speaker 4: you and help you prepare early in the morning.
Speaker 2: No, that won't be necessary.
Speaker 1: Please leave now, Leah laughed quietly, her heart heavy with sorrow.
Speaker 1: Jacob turned away, burying his face in his blanket, consumed
Speaker 1: by a maelstrom of guilt and anger. Guilt for not
Speaker 1: loving Lea and anger at the trickery that had bound
Speaker 1: him to her. The favor of the Lord shone upon Lea,
Speaker 1: and her womb quickened with life. The discomfort of pregnancy
Speaker 1: was a small price to pay for the joy of
Speaker 1: bearing Jacob's child. She sat opposite Jacob, her hands lovingly
Speaker 1: cradling her belly.
Speaker 4: Jacob, do you think it will be a boy or
Speaker 4: a girl?
Speaker 2: Anybn tells me A man always hopes for a son,
Speaker 2: but would not love his daughter any less. I think
Speaker 2: that's how I feel.
Speaker 1: Leah's cheeks flexed with a smile, and her forehead became
Speaker 1: like a rose. But Rachel seated nearby, or a mask
Speaker 1: of som be longing. She had yet to conceive, and
Speaker 1: the weight of her worry grew with each passing day.
Speaker 4: I know it's a boy. God most High has nearly
Speaker 4: confirmed it. He will be the heir to Abraham's promise.
Speaker 7: We'll see about that. What do you mean, Rachel, I
Speaker 7: mean we shall see. Jacob's family has an untraditional history.
Speaker 7: His father, Isaac was the second born. Jacob himself was
Speaker 7: the second born as well. You'd know these if you
Speaker 7: were closer to him.
Speaker 1: Leah's eyes fell, shame washing over her. She rose and left,
Speaker 1: feeling Rachel's jealous gaze burning into her back. In due time,
Speaker 1: Leah gave birth to a son. She cradled him tenderly,
Speaker 1: marveling at his dark hair and sturdy frame. To Leah,
Speaker 1: he was perfect.
Speaker 4: His name shall be Reuben, which means behold a son.
Speaker 4: Because God has looked at my affliction. He's seen me
Speaker 4: and answered my prayers. Now I get to present Jacob
Speaker 4: with a son. He will be an offering of devotion.
Speaker 4: Now my husband will love me.
Speaker 1: But Jacob's heart remained distant. Though he loved his son, Reuben,
Speaker 1: he paid Leah little heed. Most of his time was
Speaker 1: spent with Rachel under the sycamore tree, whispering secrets and
Speaker 1: sharing laughter. Leah watched from afar, her heart aching for
Speaker 1: a love that remained just out of reach. She turned
Speaker 1: to Zilpah, her ever devoted servant, sister and friend.
Speaker 4: She still hasn't given him a child. Perhaps he'll see
Speaker 4: my value if I conceive again, and the gap between
Speaker 4: us will close.
Speaker 1: Leah waited until the sun set. Rachel left for her tent,
Speaker 1: and Jacob returned alone to his Leah whispered to God
Speaker 1: an earnest and longing.
Speaker 4: Prayer, Please grant me another son. Hear me, God of Jacob,
Speaker 4: hear me.
Speaker 1: Once more, Leah called upon Jacob to fulfill his duties.
Speaker 1: Despite his coldness, Leah clung to the hope that another
Speaker 1: child might bridge the chasm between them. They conceived again,
Speaker 1: and months later Leah bore a second son.
Speaker 2: What is his name?
Speaker 4: His name is Simeon. Because God has heard that I
Speaker 4: am hated, he has given me a gift of pity.
Speaker 2: You are not hated, Leah, just not loved. Ah. I'm
Speaker 2: grateful of the sons you've given me.
Speaker 5: That is what.
Speaker 1: Leah's pain and longing lingered. Each day, the tension between
Speaker 1: her and Rachel thickened. Rachel made a point to hold
Speaker 1: Jacob closer when they walked together, tightening her grip around
Speaker 1: his arm when they passed. Rachel consumed more of his
Speaker 1: time in the evenings, blocking access to him later in
Speaker 1: the night. If Leah wanted time with Jacob, she had
Speaker 1: to be an opportunist like her father. When Rachel left
Speaker 1: Jacob's tent and return to hers early in the morning,
Speaker 1: Leah snuck in. Jacob laid on the bed, sprawled out
Speaker 1: in heavy slumber. Leah ran her hands over his chest.
Speaker 2: And kissed his neck.
Speaker 1: In a dream like days, Jacob embraced her. Leah felt
Speaker 1: tinges of guilt, but pushed them away. She was locked
Speaker 1: in Jacob's embrace and received another seed to grow a child,
Speaker 1: another son. Leah entered the dining hall with her third
Speaker 1: son wrapped around her chest. Rachel was sitting with her servant, Billa.
Speaker 1: Rachel's jaw clenched with anger when she saw the child.
Speaker 7: What sad name have you given this one? Leah? Is
Speaker 7: his name me skinnem pathetic?
Speaker 4: No, his name is Levi joined because this third son
Speaker 4: will finally attach Jacob to me. Our hearts and fates
Speaker 4: will be bound with these three sons. You know it's true,
Speaker 4: and that's why you've been so nasty to me.
Speaker 7: I've been nasty to you because you stole my husband
Speaker 7: from me. He wanted to marry me. You and father
Speaker 7: tricked him. I bet every time he sees you beside
Speaker 7: him in his bed, he just sees Laban. That's why
Speaker 7: he spends most nights with me. You're just bitter and jealous, Rachel,
Speaker 7: jealous of you. That's laughable, Leah.
Speaker 1: Rachel stood up and began walking out. Before leaving, she
Speaker 1: leaned into her sister's ear.
Speaker 7: You may have the sons, but I have the love
Speaker 7: of our husband. You can't buy that with more children.
Speaker 1: Leah's body tensed with grief. She looked at little Levi
Speaker 1: curled up against her chest. She heard Reuben and Simeon
Speaker 1: plain tag outside. Three sons, all gifts given to her
Speaker 1: by God. Perhaps she had been obsessing over the wrong
Speaker 1: thing all this time. Maybe these children were gifts given
Speaker 1: to her instead of bargaining chips for her husband's affection.
Speaker 1: Months went by and Leah was able to conceive another child.
Speaker 1: She labored for hours with Zilpah close by. This child
Speaker 1: was her most painful labor. Love for the child fueled
Speaker 1: her resolve as she pushed late into the night. Finally, thankfully,
Speaker 1: the child arrived. Leah held the babe with trembling arms.
Speaker 1: Tears and sweat soaked her garments. Her chin quivered as
Speaker 1: she placed a finger on the child's nose.
Speaker 4: I will name you Judah. Praise this time. I will
Speaker 4: praise God. I will praise God for you, little one
Speaker 4: and all your brothers. You are a gift and a treasure.
Speaker 1: Leah pressed Judah against her chest and wept tears of joy.
Speaker 1: Mingling with sorrow. Jacob entered the tent, his expression weary.
Speaker 1: Leah smiled at him, her warm, contented grin that asked
Speaker 1: for nothing in return. She placed Judah in Jacob's arms.
Speaker 2: Ah, Judah, Now there's a name. What will become of you?
Speaker 2: Sweet child? Who will you become?
Speaker 1: Rachel was listening from the other side of the canvas.
Speaker 1: When she heard Jacob's tender whispers towards his son. Her
Speaker 1: heart sank.
Speaker 7: Will I ever be able to give him a so?
Speaker 1: Jacob returned to his tent, weary from a day of
Speaker 1: hard work and a night of waiting for Leah to
Speaker 1: give birth. He finally laid down, ready to slip blissfully
Speaker 1: to sleep. However, his peace was interrupted by heavy footsteps
Speaker 1: approaching his tent. Rachel burst in and grabbed Jacob by
Speaker 1: the tunic. She kissed him violently and pressed against him aggressively.
Speaker 1: Jacob grabbed her shoulders to stop her.
Speaker 2: What on earth are you doing?
Speaker 7: Give me children now?
Speaker 1: She leaned in again with anger and aggression.
Speaker 2: It's not up to me, Rachel, Get off. You're not
Speaker 2: in your right mind.
Speaker 7: Ah. Are you calling me mad? Jacob? Are you calling
Speaker 7: me a mad woman?
Speaker 2: That's not what I said. Don't put words in my mouth.
Speaker 7: Give me a child, Jacob, Give me a child or
Speaker 7: I will die.
Speaker 2: Am I in the place of God. He's withheld the
Speaker 2: fruit of the womb from you, not me. You're coming
Speaker 2: to a sheep for eggs. I'm not the control of
Speaker 2: whether you can conceive or not.
Speaker 1: Rachel threw her fists against Jacob's chest and jumped off him.
Speaker 1: She paced back and forth, vibrating with jealousy and anger.
Speaker 2: What good am I?
Speaker 7: If I can't give you a child? How soon before
Speaker 7: you leave my side and find yourself to Leah.
Speaker 2: She's the one who's given you sons, Rachel, My love
Speaker 2: is for you and you alone. You know this, yes,
Speaker 2: But for how long?
Speaker 7: Jacob? How will we measure up when I am old
Speaker 7: and baron and Leah has given you a hundred sons?
Speaker 1: Jacob was silent, shifting his eyes down and to the side.
Speaker 1: Rachel's upper lip curled upward into a snarl. She was
Speaker 1: a shepherdess, not a prophetess, but she could see the future.
Speaker 1: In that moment, she could see Jacob and Leah side
Speaker 1: by side, advancing the call of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca.
Speaker 7: I won't lose you and my status to Leah. I refuse.
Speaker 2: What are we supposed to do? Rachel? I can't make
Speaker 2: you fertile anymore than I can make the sunrise.
Speaker 7: No, but there are other ways for me to give
Speaker 7: you children. Marry my half sister and maidservant, bil Ha.
Speaker 7: She can have children on my behalf.
Speaker 1: Jacob froze and peered at Rachel for a long while.
Speaker 7: Is is this a trap, No, Jacob, this is a
Speaker 7: way for me to seize control. Bill Ha is still young.
Speaker 7: She can give you more children on my behalf. We
Speaker 7: will exercise the ritual of fertility. I will stand over
Speaker 7: her when she gives birth, so that I too may
Speaker 7: become fertile. This way, you have a son in my honor,
Speaker 7: and my womb may be opened.
Speaker 1: Jacob knew about his grandfather's history. He knew about hagar
Speaker 1: Ishmael and the ensuing chaos after Abraham had taken a
Speaker 1: second wife. Yet for all this knowledge, Jacob couldn't see
Speaker 1: the trap door to chaos right before him. With the
Speaker 1: same clueless carnal decision making as Abraham, Jacob agreed.
Speaker 2: Ah very well, send bill Halen. The two of us
Speaker 2: will be bound in covenant, and she will give me
Speaker 2: sons on your behalf.
Speaker 7: Bill Ha, Yes, my lady, we have discussed this matter already.
Speaker 7: You will bear Jacob's sons on my behalf. Between the
Speaker 7: two of us, we will catch up to Leah. As
Speaker 7: you say, my lady, don't be so uptight now.
Speaker 1: Billah was brought to Jacob's side. Together, they consummated a
Speaker 1: marriage and bound her future children to Rachel's. It was
Speaker 1: an awkward and unsavory event. Rachel, warring with her own
Speaker 1: self worth, shared her husband with yet another Billa, conceived
Speaker 1: and bore a son. Rachel, in accordance with the rituals
Speaker 1: of the time, stood over her in an attempt to
Speaker 1: open up her womb. It was a vain attempt.
Speaker 7: What should his name be, my lady, His name will
Speaker 7: be Damn, For God has heard my voice and judged
Speaker 7: rightly that I should have a son.
Speaker 1: Jacob's growing family was marked with tension. Rachel and Leah,
Speaker 1: bound by blood and marriage, were forced to live in
Speaker 1: close proximity to each other, but their hatred boiled even
Speaker 1: deeper towards each other since Billah entered the fray.
Speaker 7: Oh isn't damn precious? He's going to be a strong boy.
Speaker 1: Rachel swooned over Billa's child loudly and in front of Lear.
Speaker 4: Yes, Bila must be happy to have such a healthy child.
Speaker 4: He's mine by right too, you know sure, Rachel, whatever
Speaker 4: brings you comfort.
Speaker 1: That night, Rachel gave Billa to Jacob again out of spite.
Speaker 1: Jacob was once again thrust into the middle of a
Speaker 1: war between sisters. In the moment, he enjoyed playing his part,
Speaker 1: but with each child born to him, things only seemed
Speaker 1: to get worse. Billa conceived and bore another son. Rachel
Speaker 1: laughed at the sight of him. She had a competitive
Speaker 1: fire in her against Leah.
Speaker 7: His name shall be neft Tully with mighty wrestling, I
Speaker 7: have struggled and warred with my sister and seized a victory.
Speaker 1: Leah paced back and forth, bouncing Judah on her hip.
Speaker 1: Zilpah was close by, weaving a basket for Reuben to
Speaker 1: take down to the stream for catching toads.
Speaker 4: Rachel so smug about these news children. The one thing
Speaker 4: I had over her was that I could bear children.
Speaker 4: But of course, clever, smart and talented Rachel finds a way.
Speaker 7: It's just like our childhood bill Has seems happy with
Speaker 7: the children I met, least glad she gets that.
Speaker 4: Joy don't take their side. Yes, my lady, I've tried
Speaker 4: many times to conceive another child, but I'm afraid I've
Speaker 4: dried up or something. At this rate, Rachel and Bila
Speaker 4: will catch up. And who's to say Rachel won't end
Speaker 4: up having children of her own.
Speaker 7: I think Jacob is content with having five healthy sons.
Speaker 7: My lady, do we need to press this further?
Speaker 4: Oh, you don't understand. This isn't about Jacob anymore. This
Speaker 4: is about me and Rachel. This is about who will
Speaker 4: sit as the matriarch of this family. This is about
Speaker 4: dominance Zilpah, This is about whose name will be etched
Speaker 4: next to Jacob's in history.
Speaker 7: Then what do we do, my lady. We can't open
Speaker 7: your womb to receive more children any more than we
Speaker 7: can close Bill has.
Speaker 4: Rachel has changed the rules of the game. We'll play
Speaker 4: by her rules. You'll marry Jacob as well and had
Speaker 4: children on my behalf. It would be an honor, my lady,
Speaker 4: Are you sure it must be done?
Speaker 1: Leah gave Zilpah to Jacob, another pawn in the war
Speaker 1: between Leah and Rachel. Leah spoke truly. It was no
Speaker 1: longer about love gained and love kept between Jacob and
Speaker 1: his wives. It had become a battle of dominance. The
Speaker 1: sons of Jacob were born from petty squabbles of favoritism
Speaker 1: and vice for power. Zilpah bore two sons, Goad, which
Speaker 1: means good fortune, and Asher, which means happy. They represented
Speaker 1: Lea's abundance and the growing confidence she had as a
Speaker 1: woman of prominence in Jacob's household. The heat of summer
Speaker 1: gave way to the chilly bite of four The morning,
Speaker 1: dew grew frosted, and the wheat crops were fresh and
Speaker 1: ready for harvest. Leah knew this was the perfect time
Speaker 1: to dig for mandrakes, often called love apples, they were
Speaker 1: well known to affect fertility. Leah sent Reuben out to
Speaker 1: dig for mandrakes. His hands bore through the cold earth,
Speaker 1: digging up as many roots as possible. When Rachel approached,
Speaker 1: he was carrying them back to his mother in a basket.
Speaker 7: You there, boy, come here, what do you have there?
Speaker 2: Mandrakes for my mother?
Speaker 7: Give some to me.
Speaker 2: I don't think I should.
Speaker 7: Come now. I'm your dear aunt, give me some of
Speaker 7: your man drakes.
Speaker 4: Stop harassing my son.
Speaker 1: Leah approached with the tenacity of a mother.
Speaker 7: Bear, give me some of your son's mandrakes.
Speaker 4: Huh. Not only have you taken my husband away for me,
Speaker 4: but now you want my son's mandrakes.
Speaker 7: Enough of that nonsense about me stealing your husband. It's childish. Besides,
Speaker 7: I need those mandrakes more than you do.
Speaker 4: Yet they're mine to give or keep as I please.
Speaker 7: Come, Reuben, I'll I'll let you lie with Jacob if
Speaker 7: you give me those mandrakes.
Speaker 1: Lea's ears perked up. Jacob had been denying Lea ever
Speaker 1: since she stopped bearing him children. An arrogant smile flashed
Speaker 1: across Rachel's face. Leah claimed that Jacob was her husband,
Speaker 1: yet here Rachel was a gatekeeper for his bed. She
Speaker 1: had the real power. Lea's mind went back to the
Speaker 1: beginning of this mess, when she was but a girl.
Speaker 1: Desperate for Jacob's affection. She longed to be close to
Speaker 1: him again. She drew a deep breath, nodded to Reuben,
Speaker 1: and said, give her.
Speaker 4: The man drakes.
Speaker 7: You say I stole your husband, fine, but he's mine
Speaker 7: to give now, don't forget it.
Speaker 1: Through the agreement struck with roots, Leah conceived two more sons,
Speaker 1: Hissakhah and Zebulen. She also bore him a daughter.
Speaker 4: Dinah, God has given me what's fair, since I've been generous.
Speaker 4: Now my husband has no choice but to honor me,
Speaker 4: since I've given him six sons.
Speaker 2: And a daughter.
Speaker 1: Even so, after years of struggle and turmoil, God saw
Speaker 1: fit to open Rachael's womb. She and Jacob conceived out
Speaker 1: of love, and thus the grand spiral of love, favoritism,
Speaker 1: and hatred continued. The grassy plains of Canaan were glowing
Speaker 1: under the radiance of the stars. The heavens stretched out,
Speaker 1: bending like a bow across the wilds. Each star was
Speaker 1: a twinkling witness to Rachel's struggle. Her labored breaths rose
Speaker 1: with the fire warming her tenth.
Speaker 7: I can't do this. I'm not strong enough. I never
Speaker 7: imagined this was possible. I thought God had forgotten me.
Speaker 1: Oh oh.
Speaker 2: Ah, what's taking so long? What's wrong?
Speaker 1: Jacob was outside, forming a circle in the dirt with
Speaker 1: his constant pacing. Rachel lay there, looking up at the
Speaker 1: canvas above. Sweat beat down her brow and back. Jacob
Speaker 1: Jacob ran close to the canvas wall and placed his
Speaker 1: face beside it.
Speaker 2: I'm here, my love.
Speaker 1: Rachel closed her eyes and smiled. Having Jacob close helped.
Speaker 1: She had longed to give him a child since the
Speaker 1: first time they met. Now, after nearly a life together,
Speaker 1: here she was only moments away from her dream. She
Speaker 1: propped her head up and nodded to the midwife. She
Speaker 1: curled forward and pushed.
Speaker 2: With all her might. He was coming.
Speaker 1: She did it again with a high scream. Closer a
Speaker 1: third time, she clenched her fists and pushed. Her screams
Speaker 1: were suddenly replaced by the soft cries of a newborn child,
Speaker 1: a son, a pined after, precious miracle. The minute Jacob
Speaker 1: heard those cries from the other side of the tent,
Speaker 1: he ran in His son cried in Rachel's arms. He
Speaker 1: was the most beautiful thing Jacob had ever seen. Finally
Speaker 1: he had a child born from love. All other blessings
Speaker 1: in his life seemed to fade into the background as
Speaker 1: he gazed upon his miracle child. He held him in
Speaker 1: his arms. His beaming smile revealed his old and cracked face.
Speaker 2: My son, my son, I shall name you Joseph.
Speaker 1: He kissed his son's cheek and laid him in the
Speaker 1: arms of his mother. Out of all of his brothers,
Speaker 1: Joseph carried the favor of his father. The boy would
Speaker 1: grow up under the attentive wing of his parents and
Speaker 1: increase in knowledge, skill, and pride. Great would be his
Speaker 1: rise in his family, and great would be his fall.
Speaker 1: Jacob expanded his lineage larger than his forefathers could ever imagine,
Speaker 1: eleven sons to bear the promise given to Abraham and Isaac.
Speaker 1: Yet the house of Jacob had a foundation built on pettiness, favoritism,
Speaker 1: and jealousy. Jacob did nothing to thwart the coiling weeds
Speaker 1: of discord, choking out the life of his wives and children.
Speaker 6: Jealousy in insidious whisper. That's so is discord and discontent.
Speaker 6: It lurks in the shadows of Leah and Rachel's story,
Speaker 6: two sisters, each longing for the love and approval that
Speaker 6: they see in the other. Competition, fears, and unrelenting the
Speaker 6: ache of unmet needs drives them to desperate measures. Rachel
Speaker 6: barren and beautiful, Leah fruitful but unloved, And amid all
Speaker 6: of this messy human strife, there's God he sees, he remembers.
Speaker 6: In the mess of their lives, God's mercy actually shines through.
Speaker 6: He opens wombs, blesses children, and hears the cries of
Speaker 6: the overlooked and the forgotten. What strikes me most is
Speaker 6: the humanity of it all. The Bible doesn't sugarcoat these stories.
Speaker 6: It presents them in all of their messiness, in their jealousy, competition,
Speaker 6: and pain. Leah and race Till are relatable. Their story
Speaker 6: is our story, flawed, fractured, and still filled with moments
Speaker 6: of divine intervention. God steps right into the middle of
Speaker 6: our mess, bringing us blessings and hope even when we
Speaker 6: don't realize it. So as I reflect on Leah and Rachel,
Speaker 6: I'm reminded of the beauty that can arise from our
Speaker 6: deepest wounds. I'm reminded of God's blessings in the darkness,
Speaker 6: and I'm thankful for them. When I was young, I,
Speaker 6: like most girls, dreamed of the day that I would
Speaker 6: hold my own children. But bringing life into this world
Speaker 6: is not a given. I had friends whose hearts ached
Speaker 6: with the burden of infertility, and friends who endured the
Speaker 6: silent sorrow of miscarriages. So when my husband and I
Speaker 6: were blessed with our first child, a healthy baby girl.
Speaker 6: My heart overflowed with gratitude. It was a miracle in
Speaker 6: every sense of the word, one that we didn't take
Speaker 6: for granted, because we understood that life is a gift,
Speaker 6: it's not a given. In this week's Biblical drama, we
Speaker 6: encounter Leah who gives birth to her fourth son and
Speaker 6: she names him Judah. In Hebrew, his name is Yehudah,
Speaker 6: and Yehudah means thankfulness. The Jewish sage is suggest that
Speaker 6: one of the qualities of the Chosen people is that
Speaker 6: of thankfulness. In fact, in Hebrew, the Jewish people are
Speaker 6: called Yehudeem, from the same root as Yehudah. We are
Speaker 6: called the people of Judah. Time and time again. The
Speaker 6: Bible teaches us how important it is to be thankful
Speaker 6: to God for everything that he gives us, and how
Speaker 6: important it is to be thankful when others help us,
Speaker 6: and so Leah's seemingly simple naming of her child Yehuda
Speaker 6: or Judah in English, has served as a reminder to
Speaker 6: generations of God's chosen people to always be thankful to Him,
Speaker 6: to always be thankful to our human beings, that even
Speaker 6: during hard times and darkness, we still need to hold
Speaker 6: on to even something little that we can.
Speaker 2: Be grateful for.
Speaker 6: But before Leah names her fourth son, Judah, the Bible
Speaker 6: tells us that she says something else. Leah gives birth
Speaker 6: to her son and declares, quote, this time, I will
Speaker 6: praise the Lord end quote. With this proclamation, Leiah became
Speaker 6: the first human to ever truly praise God.
Speaker 7: But how can that be?
Speaker 6: Hadn't one of these holy figures we've read about so
Speaker 6: far in the Bible already praised God. You'd think that Noah,
Speaker 6: who witness the flood and the Covenant of the Rainbow,
Speaker 6: would have praised God for those magnificent miracles, or that Abraham,
Speaker 6: given a son in his old age, would have praised
Speaker 6: God for that blessing. While others had indeed praised God,
Speaker 6: they'd done so in response to extraordinary, miraculous events, Leah's
Speaker 6: praise was different. She praised God for the every day miracles,
Speaker 6: the wonders that she and generations before her, maybe even
Speaker 6: us today, often overlook. She gave birth to a healthy child,
Speaker 6: and she recognized God's hand at work. It's easy to
Speaker 6: overlook his everyday miracles.
Speaker 2: Isn't it.
Speaker 6: We might miss the extraordinary in the seemingly ordinary. The
Speaker 6: glory of a sunrise, the brilliance of stars that shine
Speaker 6: in the night sky, the joy of speaking to a
Speaker 6: close friend, the satisfaction of eating a home cooked meal.
Speaker 6: I have to tell you, my friends, these are miracles,
Speaker 6: and sometimes all of us take them for granted. What
Speaker 6: I learn from Leah is that when we open up
Speaker 6: our eyes in our hearts, we will see God's everyday
Speaker 6: miracles all around us. Jealousy, competition, thankfulness. Through it all,
Speaker 6: God's promise to Abraham weaves through this tangled narrative. The
Speaker 6: birth of the Twelve Tribes is not a fairy tale.
Speaker 6: It's not usually easy. Actually, it's messy. It's human drama.
Speaker 6: It's a drama that reveels God's plan. The twelve tribes
Speaker 6: of Israel, each one of them, when you look at
Speaker 6: their story, is a testament to God's relentless faithfulness even
Speaker 6: in the hard times. Leah and Rachel's sons become the
Speaker 6: foundation of Israel, the nation through which God's promise to
Speaker 6: Abraham is fulfilled. God's plans aren't thwarted by our flaws. No,
Speaker 6: maybe he even needs our flaws in order to show
Speaker 6: his grace. And remember this, God's covenant isn't dependent on
Speaker 6: our perfection. He didn't create us to be perfect, but
Speaker 6: He did create us to turn our hearts to Him
Speaker 6: during the hard times. And that, my friends, is grace.
Speaker 6: In our daily Jewish prayers, we recite quote we.
Speaker 7: Give thanks to you.
Speaker 6: Your miracles are with us every day, and your wonders
Speaker 6: and your goodness are with us at all times.
Speaker 2: End quote.
Speaker 6: This prayer serves as a constant reminder to reflect on
Speaker 6: the miracles that we experience every day, to acknowledge the
Speaker 6: divine in our lives so that we never take these
Speaker 6: moments for granted. When we recognize God's hands in the
Speaker 6: little things like waking up in the morning, being able
Speaker 6: to speak, being able to breathe, being able to see.
Speaker 6: When we recognize God in those things, we experience his
Speaker 6: presence in the big things. And when we acknowledge God's
Speaker 6: everyday miracles, we open ourselves up to witnessing the greatest
Speaker 6: miracles of all God's revelations. So let's be inspired to
Speaker 6: be like Leah. Let's praise God not just for the
Speaker 6: grand and the extraordinary, but for his miracles that sustain
Speaker 6: us each and every day, because it's in the small
Speaker 6: and the simple that we find the wonder of His
Speaker 6: creation and the depth of his blessings. The blessing that
Speaker 6: I close with is very special to me. It's the
Speaker 6: priestly blessing from number six. And it's a blessing that
Speaker 6: my Abba, my father Rabbei fhil Ekstein of blessed memory,
Speaker 6: gave to me and my sisters. He blessed us with
Speaker 6: this blessing every Friday night an Shabbat, I'm the Sabbath,
Speaker 6: and it's the blessing that I leave you with today.
Speaker 6: Ivare Hashem vishmerechra ya heir hashempanave elera verra ye sa
Speaker 6: hashempanave lehra.
Speaker 2: Shalon.
Speaker 6: May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the
Speaker 6: Lord make his face shine upon you. May he be
Speaker 6: gracious to you. May the Lord turn his face towards
Speaker 6: you and give you peace.
Speaker 2: Amen.
Speaker 1: You can listen to the Chosen People with you. Isl
Speaker 1: Exstein add free by downloading and subscribing to the pray
Speaker 1: dot Com app today. This Pray your comproduction is only
Speaker 1: made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents, Steve Gattina,
Speaker 1: Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger and Ben Gammon are the executive
Speaker 1: producers of The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein. Edited by
Speaker 1: Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by
Speaker 1: Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold,
Speaker 1: Sylvia Zaradoc and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore.
Speaker 1: Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Bree Rosalie and
Speaker 1: Aaron Salvato. Special thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier, Robin van Ettin,
Speaker 1: Kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship
Speaker 1: of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot
Speaker 1: com productions on the Prey dot Com app, available on
Speaker 1: the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you
Speaker 1: enjoyed The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, please rate and
Speaker 1: leave a review.