Abraham’s faithful servant had found a wife for Isaac, but Jacob had to find his own wife. God’s plans are different for each of us, and we must accept His will (Phil. 2:12–13).
亚伯拉罕忠心的仆人为以撒寻妻，但雅各必须自己寻找妻子。神对每个人的计划是不同的，而我们必须接受祂的旨意（腓2:12-13）。
The Guest 客人 (1–14).
God’s providence brought Jacob to the well just as Rachel was arriving. (See Gen. 24:27.) True to his scheming nature, Jacob tried to get rid of the shepherds so he could have her all to himself! It was love at first sight. That first month in Uncle Laban’s home must have been heaven on earth to Jacob, but it didn’t take long for things to change.
神定意把雅各和拉结都带到井边（创24:27）。但，诡计多端的雅各试图摆脱那群牧羊人，叫自己能独自与拉结共处！这可说是一见钟情。在舅舅拉班家的第一个月对雅各来说定是人间天堂，但不用多久，事情就开始改变了。
The Worker 工人 (15–30).
Jacob was not wealthy as Isaac was when he got his wife (Gen. 24:36, 53), so he had to work for his uncle to have the woman he loved. But love takes the burden out of work and makes time pass quickly. Jacob the schemer met his match in Laban and soon began to reap what he had sown. Jacob had deceived his father, and his father-in-law deceived him.
雅各不如以撒富裕（创24:36，53），所以为了自己心仪的女人不得不为伯父打工。不过，爱使工作变得轻松，也让时间过得很快。诡计多端的雅各却碰上对手拉班，最终自食其果。雅各欺骗了他的父亲，却被自己的岳父欺骗了他。
The Father 父亲 (31–35).
The building of Jacob’s family was vitally important to God’s plan of salvation, for God would use the nation of Israel to give the world the Bible and the Redeemer. Although Rachel had great beauty, she was unable to conceive, while Leah gave birth to four sons: Reuben (“see, a son!”), Simeon (“hearing”), Levi (“joined”), and Judah (“praise”). The Lord was in control and had a special purpose for each son (Ps. 139:14–16; Eccles. 3:2).
雅各家庭的建立对神救恩的计划极为重要，因为在神的计划里，救世主是从以色列而来的。虽然拉结美丽动人，但她无法生育，而利亚却生下了四个儿子：流便（“看，儿子！”）、西缅（“听见”）、利未（“联合”）和犹大（“赞美”）。神在掌管一切，并为每一个儿子都有特定的计划（诗139:14-16；传3:2）。
Praying the Scripture 用经文祷告
- Jacob didn’t have an easy life after he left his father’s house. Though God forgave his sins, he still suffered the consequences of his sins. We reap what we sow. Jacob had deceived Isaac, but he was deceived by his father-in-law Laban also. During the years he worked for Laban, Jacob endured many trials. The thing that kept him going when the going gets tough was his faith in the promises of God. Let’s pray that we cleave to God’s promises when life is tough.
离开父家后，雅各的生活并不如意。虽然神赦免了他的罪，他仍然需面对其后果。我们种的是什么，收的也是什么。雅各欺骗以撒，但他也被自己的岳父拉班欺骗。在为拉班打工的这些年，雅各也经历了许多的考验。但是，因他持守神的应许，这样的信心使他可以坚持下去。请祷告，叫我们在艰难的日子里也会坚守神的应许。
- It must have been painful for Leah to give herself to a husband who was only doing his duty and not sharing his affection. However her spiritual growth was clearly seen from how she named her sons. Leah named her firstborn Reuben, which means “see—a son!” she was certain that this baby would cause her husband to love her. However, she was wrong. Her second son was named Simeon which means “one who hears” and suggests that Leah had been praying to God about her misery. Levi was the name she gave her third son, and it means “attached”; for Leah was still hoping that Jacob would love her for the sons she had borne him. But the birth of her fourth son seemed to bring a new joy to her life, for she called him Judah, which comes from the Hebrew word meaning “praise.” Instead of complaining to the Lord about her unresponsive husband, she was now praising the Lord for His blessings (29:35).
嫁给一个只履行职责而不爱她的丈夫定是痛苦的。然而，从利亚如何为她的儿子起名，我们可以清楚看到她属灵上的成长。长子的名字“流便”，意思是“看，是一个儿子”；她以为丈夫会因为这孩子疼爱自己。但是，她错了。第二个儿子西缅，意思是 “听见”，表示利亚不断地向神祷告，诉说自己的痛苦。第三个儿子利未，意思是“联合”；利亚仍然希望因她为丈夫所生的儿子，雅各会爱她。但第四个儿子的出生似乎带给利亚新的喜悦，因为“犹大”的希伯来文意思是“赞美”。她不再向神抱怨对自己毫无爱意的丈夫，反赞美主对自己的祝福（29:35）。
