Introduction

Greetings, everyone! Let's delve into the twenty-ninth chapter of Genesis, a chapter that has profoundly impacted me. Its depth lies in the fact that God is with Jacob, yet we don't see that religious affectation in Jacob. There used to be a brother in our church who appeared very spiritual on the surface. During a meal, someone cracked a joke, and everyone burst into laughter. He then chimed in with, "Thank the Lord!" We were all wondering what he was thanking the Lord for. And then we laughed again. The first laugh was for the joke, the second was because it had nothing to do with "Thank the Lord."

I felt compelled to share this: those who have God's presence, especially Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph in Genesis, do you ever see these people constantly saying "Thank the Lord," "Amen," "Hallelujah"? No! Is that what it means to have God's presence? Many people say "Hallelujah," "Thank the Lord" until they "thank" God away.

The absence of religious affectation has had a profound impact on me. Chinese Mingding Destiny has little religious affectation. Why does Chinese Mingding Destiny have little religious affectation? Because it comes from Genesis, how could it have much? Once, a brother came from afar with his two sick daughters and daughter-in-law, who were not only physically ill but also mentally unwell. They traveled a great distance in freezing weather, so I treated them to a meal and opened a bottle of wine. He said, "That won't do! That won't do!" I wondered, "Why not?" His expression was contorted.

He said, "If our elder were here, it would be terrible! That would be considered drunkenness." I said, "Is this wine poisonous? Even Jesus didn't have such strict and high demands as your elder! This is beyond Jesus." What kind of logic is this? I say that religious affectation is quite harmful!

Our theme is "God's Presence with Jacob." If you can't see it, then I'll tell you. Even if you can't see it, you must see it; this is called "God's Presence with Jacob." Is this God's presence? This is God's presence. Why did Moses write it this way? Moses was moved by the Spirit of God in that era and wrote this down. He conveyed a message: religious affectation is not God's presence; it's the absence of God's presence, just putting on a show. There are many who put on a show, but few who live authentically.

I really can't stand the full-blown religious air. Living in this generation, I have to endure it, but I don't want it. I don't want our brothers and sisters to be full of religious affectation. Let's be real. Can we become assets to society, consume fewer social resources, and create more value? To begin reacting to situations in the world like Jacob, that is called "God's Presence with Jacob."

No Religious Affectation

You don't see any religious affectation in Jacob. This Jacob is not the Jacob who wrote the Book of James, but the grandson of Abraham and the son of Isaac in Genesis. Yet, he truly has God's presence. The absence of religious affectation is having God's presence; having religious affectation is having the spirit of the Pharisees. Brothers and sisters, I'll tell you how to discern the presence of the spirit of the Pharisees: their minds and mouths are full of religious affectation; you can tell at a glance. You might ask, "How do you know?" Because those who crucified Jesus in the New Testament were all like that.

Therefore, religious affectation represents the absence of God's presence, and the absence of religious affectation represents the presence of God. You may agree or disagree, but I am sharing my one-sided view, and I may be wrong. What I'm saying is very interesting because I specifically study how not to let the church become a church of the Pharisees, how not to let our brothers and sisters fall into the leaven of the Pharisees. Over the past few years, I have dealt with religious affectation one by one.

There was a time when my prayers were so fervent that people could hear me three floors above and three floors below; the whole seven-story building could hear me. Before long, the police came knocking. It was earth-shattering, howling! It felt so good! Did you feel anything when you prayed with me? It felt amazing! Wow! So spiritual! You might ask, "Why is it gone now?" Now I understand; I didn't understand it back then.

Another sister came among us, and I happened to be the one who received her. During the reception, she shared something very interesting. What was interesting was that she was emotionally rich. She said that her former pastor told her to turn the volume of the speakers up to the maximum, and when the property management came knocking, she wouldn't open the door. Later, the property management used large wooden beams to ram the door, but she didn't care and just howled in the house. After hearing that, I thought it sounded like what I used to do! Just do it! Why? Because it felt so good! Do you all know that a group of people holding hands and praying in tongues loudly feels so good!

If you asked me to create that feeling today, I would definitely be an expert because I used to do it, and I did it quite well! On stage with a microphone, speakers, piano, drums, and guitarists. Wow! I was still good at leading worship. But that's all past history; the atmosphere was great. Blowing trumpets, waving flags, shouting! Do you all think that was good? Actually, it was good; it was exciting and felt good. But I changed it because I knew that was called religious affectation. Now that I've changed it, do you all feel a little regretful? Now you see me all refined; where's the "howling" stuff? It's gone! The history has turned a page.

Some people still feel a little regretful. In fact, sometimes when new brothers and sisters share, I still feel a little regretful that you missed that "era." Back then, we would each have a prayer mat and surround ourselves in a circle, praying loudly. It was so fun! But what was the point? I still haven't figured out what it could accomplish. It was just fun and exciting, nothing more. That kind of thing can easily be stirred up into a kind of religious fanaticism. Later, I found that it didn't solve any problems; it was like a pyramid scheme, so I got rid of it.

Because that's called religious affectation, and there's none of that in Genesis. Actually, that stuff is quite terrifying. How did I get rid of it? Because I found that it was of no use when fighting against Old Ma. Don't regret it; be proud that it's gone. What we once took pride in, we now know is useless. Today, we are walking the path of God's real presence with us, God's presence with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. This is the basis from the Bible, and we must begin to gradually understand it.

Jacob Knows How to Work

Knowing how to work and not knowing how to work are closely related to having religious affectation and not having religious affectation. If a person doesn't know how to work, what will he do? He'll focus on appearances. If he knows how to work, he'll just get the work done. If he doesn't know how to work, he'll just make a PPT to fool the boss. Jacob knows how to work. He walked to his uncle Laban's house, which was very tiring! Day after day. As he walked, he came to a well.

Seeing the shepherds lying beside the well, he wondered, "Why don't you people open the stone on the well? Feed the sheep water, and then take the sheep to graze for a while longer." They replied, "We can't do that now. We have to wait until all the flocks are gathered before we can open the stone and start watering the sheep." This created a difference. Jacob thought the sheep should be grazed this way, while those people thought the sheep should be grazed that way. Jacob knew that the sun was still high and it wasn't time for the flocks to gather, so it would be better to water the sheep first and then go graze for a while longer.

Jacob said, “Look, the day is still high; it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. Water the sheep and go, pasture them.” But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered and the stone is rolled from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.” (Genesis 29:7-8)

What do you think this is? This is laziness! Singaporeans call it "eating snake," and Chinese people call it "goofing off." That's how they worked; they weren't rigid. You might think, "It's so tiring to graze for a while longer!" It's better to sleep by the stone for a while and slack off! They had a legitimate excuse: wait until all the flocks are gathered. The sun is so high; why are you gathering? Wait until you gather, and then we can sleep by the well and slack off! Jacob's way was to work without slacking off, while these people's way was to slack off.

How did Jacob know these things? Because he was a professional shepherd. We can't say for sure today, but we later know that Jacob was a very capable worker. He really understood how the sheep should be grazed. They were supposed to graze the sheep for eight hours, but they only grazed them for four hours, and the rest of the time they waited by the well. That's how they did it. Those who slack off, eat snake, goof off, and muddy the waters can't mix out God's presence. If you slack off, goof off, and eat snake often, you'll mess up God's presence.

When I work, I put in my full effort and don't dawdle. If I can do 10, I won't do 8. Why? Because it's faster! If I can do 10, I'll do 10. Later, I found that if I could do 10, I could do 20. My output is higher than the average person. Why? I don't slack off. Slacking off can steal away God's presence. If I do more work for that job, then my boss will take advantage of me. He gives me 3,000 yuan, but I only do 2,000 yuan worth of work, so he earns 1,000 yuan. Is this calculation correct? It's wrong. Later, even the 2,000 yuan is gone. Who wants such a person? In the end, you're just a fool, and when it's time to graze your own sheep, you have nothing.

Someone once asked me, "Teacher, if I only have one sheep left at home, how do I offer a tenth? Do I cut off the sheep's butt or cut off the sheep's head?" I don't like the sound of this! I said, "You're amazing! You've managed to graze sheep until you only have one sheep left. How deep is your curse! Let's not talk about offering the sheep's head or the sheep's butt. Let's first solve your curse problem, okay? I think we should just forget about this sheep." This person is lazy!

If you are not faithful in someone else's wealth, how will God give you your own wealth? We must be faithful people. "Eating snake" and slacking off are not faithfulness, but we don't need to be competitive, work overtime, shout slogans, or talk nonsense. That's not how we do it. We must learn to work skillfully. If I have one sheep, I can graze it into two. If I have two sheep, I can graze them into four. If I have four sheep, I can graze them into sixteen. If I have sixteen sheep, I can graze them into one hundred and twenty-eight. If I am faithful in someone else's things, God will give me my own things. This is what the Bible says, and it says it very well.

If Jacob came to his uncle Laban's house and scrolled on his phone from morning to night, then just opened his mouth to eat and stretched out his hand for money, doing nothing, after a month, his uncle would probably kick him out because he didn't even pass the probation period, let alone marry his daughter. Looking at this kid, he's just fat and full of meat, good for nothing, can't do anything, but number one at eating. His uncle would say, "Oh, this nephew is no good. Get out! You can't live in my house because you're a nephew."

But Jacob wasn't like that. What does the Bible say? Laban said, "Indeed you are my bone and my flesh." And Jacob stayed with him for a month. If Jacob said, "Since I'm your bone and your flesh, then shouldn't I gnaw on you? Since we're close relatives, then I'll just eat, drink, and take for free." By the time he finished eating and drinking, he would be ruined. That's how people are, foolish.

As a result, Jacob's month was super productive! How do I know? If Jacob could be appreciated by his uncle Laban, he must have been very capable. If you go to a job and the boss sees you during the probation period and says, "Forget it, just let you work here for free. Just work for me." And he doesn't give you a salary, we should still learn well. There really is such a young man among us. The boss said to him, "I won't give you a salary, but I'll let you work here." What do you all think? Not good.

This young man said, "Boss, I'll leave when you hire someone." Do you all think this answer is wrong? If you are a talent, your boss won't not give you a salary. Not giving you a salary and letting you work for free is to give you an opportunity to learn, but you don't even learn. You still come at him with this attitude; it's annoying. Do you all understand? I just take such words as a joke. What kind of person was Laban? Laban saw, "Oh! This nephew is amazing, a real expert!" It just so happened that it was the month when the ewes were lambing, and he delivered the lambs very well. It just so happened that one of the sheep got sick, and Jacob fixed it!

Do you all know that having God's presence is pleasing, while having a demon's presence is displeasing. If many people dislike you, you need to know what happened. You need to know that you are not someone who can work together with. You can't do anything, but you're number one at eating. Who wouldn't dislike that? Having God's presence means you must be a capable worker! Having a demon's presence means you must be someone who slacks off and goofs off.

Jacob was appreciated by his uncle Laban, not only appreciated but also remembered! He thought to himself that he had to marry his daughter to him. I ask you, did Laban know about Jacob's experience? He knew. Because as soon as Jacob entered the house, he told him about his experience, how he got his father's blessing, and how he left home to seek refuge with his uncle. When Laban heard this, he thought, "My goodness! Back then, my sister wanted to marry Isaac, and Isaac was just like that. This person is my sister's son, and he really has God's presence! This kid will definitely bring great blessings. I have to find a way to keep him! How do I keep him? I'll marry my daughter to him and tie him down."

Do you have God's presence? Or do you have a demon's presence? I tell you, people must know how to work. Later, the facts proved that Jacob was a capable worker! It was because of Jacob's service in Laban's house that the number of camels, donkeys, and sheep in Laban's house increased many times over. Do you think Jacob is money? Jacob is money. I ask you, is God's presence valuable? It's valuable. Therefore, brothers and sisters, you must not slack off!

I really thank God's presence. My output is super high, I work super fast, and I do a pretty good job. Later, I came to a conclusion that some people may not know yet, so I'll make a small advertisement today. I am money! I am very valuable. Because God is with me. I'm not bragging. I wish all brothers and sisters could become people with God's presence.

Then you can tell others, "I am money!" Because you are an asset! You are an asset wherever you go, a money tree! This may not sound good, but you are really valuable. If you are valuable, will you care if people take this industry or that industry away? No. If Esau wants to take all of his father's property away, Jacob will say, "Take it if you want! Anyway, I am money."

Having That Kind of Patience and Persistence

Jacob is amazing. Having God's presence means you don't need to bring money when you go out, but this kind of thing requires patience and persistence. When Jacob came to Rachel and the flocks she was tending, he watered his uncle's flocks, kissed Rachel, and wept aloud!

Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. (Genesis 29:11)

What kind of person would weep aloud? A person who is tired at heart. He persevered day after day. This kind of character is trained in the environment. You must know that he has no one to tell about these things inside! A rich young master left his father's house without bringing much money, just a stick in his hand. It would be nice if he had a few gold chains, but he didn't. He walked and walked! Sometimes he was almost eaten by wolves, sometimes he was almost eaten by bears, sometimes he was almost swallowed by tigers. Finally, he made it through and met his uncle's daughter Rachel. As a result, he hugged his cousin and cried, crying his heart out.

Persistence and patience are not pleasant things. If it's pleasant, you don't need to persist. If someone gives you a massage and it's very comfortable, do you need to persist for a while longer? No. It's very comfortable. What's there to persist in? Only hardship requires persistence. You might say, "How can there be hardship with God's presence?" Because having God's presence will give you a patient character, and this character is very important.

Our church's situation has been weathered through. Yesterday, I met a pastor who didn't weather through it. The church withered. When I saw him, I was filled with emotion! If I hadn't persevered, I would have been like him. If I said something unpleasant, I would have been like his lousy self, suffering! I really sympathize with such a situation. I said, "Whatever I can give you, I'll give you."

I don't even know how I persevered back then. Every day, I had to persist with faith. People persist blindly with faith, but I persist with faith and do things well. You might say, "How do you know you're doing things well?" Because I have accumulation. Let's take a good look. The Bible studies from ten years ago are still on the website. I have accumulated a lot of materials. I have planted spiritual food that has nourished many people! Many people have been nourished through the materials we have produced. As far as I know, several churches are using our materials.

We must cultivate a patient character well! Have you seen God's presence? No. Have you seen persistence and patience? Yes. That is called God's presence. You might say, "Why can't I see it?" Jacob saw God's presence with him in faith! If you don't have faith, then forget it.

No Complaints

His uncle said, "You can't keep working for me for nothing!" His uncle realised that a month had passed, then another. What if Jacob decided to work for the neighbours one day? That would be a disaster. His uncle thought, "I must tie him down!" One month of free labour is acceptable, but another? Even with Jacob's perseverance and patience, he might go work for the neighbours! That cannot happen." His uncle decided it was time to settle accounts. If you are truly capable, your boss will want to keep you, creating an environment to retain you, not kick you out.

As a result, Laban thought, "Jacob can't keep serving me for nothing! One month for free, then another? If the neighbours recognise his talent and poach him, I'll lose out." Laban thought, "No, I must pay him wages." So he called Jacob and said:

Laban said to Jacob, “Just because you are my relative, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.” (Genesis 29:15)

Do you know what Jacob was doing that month? Falling head over heels in love. Seeing Rachel, every gesture, every movement, was simply perfect. He couldn't get enough of her. So he performed well in their household every day. Perhaps his good behaviour that month was with a purpose, but his uncle finally spoke up.

Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.” Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.” (Genesis 29:18-19)

He worked for seven years, earning only food and drink. Before he knew it, he was over eighty years old, but he was not in a hurry, because he had to pay the full price to redeem her! Those seven years passed in a flash. For those who love to work, time flies. The lazy spend their days in agony, while those who love to work find time passing swiftly in joy. But when he married her, the next morning he saw it was the elder sister. The sparkling eyes he longed for were not there; instead, he had married someone with dull eyes, someone who seemed to lack the spirit of God. The younger sister had that spirit. So he worked another seven years.

When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?” Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one. Finish this daughter’s bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.” And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. (Genesis 29:25-28)

Rachel's price was seven years, but Leah's was not worth that. Three years would have been enough. You have to know how to calculate: seven years for the one with sparkling, lovely eyes, but for the one who is not lovely, whose eyes lack spirit, there should be a discount. But he worked another seven years. Jacob was not young, and he had no time to waste, yet he worked another seven years without complaint. Do you know why he didn't complain, even though he was deceived? Because a person who believes that God is with them knows that even if they are taken advantage of, it doesn't matter. It's not that he was happy about it, but he had the conviction that God is in control of all things! That's why Jacob rarely complained.

If a person often complains, it is likely that they have lost sight of God. Those who curse Jacob will be cursed, and those who bless Jacob will be blessed. Jacob is the later Israel, and there is no curse that can curse them. If you believe that God is with you, good things are good, and bad things are also good. But if you think that good things are good and bad things are bad, that is called the knowledge of good and evil. Seeing both good and bad as good is called faith.

Jacob's son Joseph was sold into Egypt, and he persevered through faith. It was God's arrangement, and that is the truth. Whether you accept it or not, a person with God's presence believes that God is in all things, that everything is a miraculous arrangement. If bad things happen, then thank God. You might say, "Oh, you are too religious!" But it's not like that, because Jacob truly thought this way in his heart, without any complaints.

Very Emotional

Our God is a God full of emotion. How do I know? When he saw Rachel, he embraced her and wept bitterly.

When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban’s sheep, he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep. Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud. (Genesis 29:10-11)

Why would a man in his seventies cry when he embraced a young woman? Because Jacob had finally persevered to his uncle Laban's house, and he expressed his true feelings. Do you have a problem with that? Men don't easily shed tears? Who said that? It's good to shed tears and express true feelings. A spiritual person, a person with God's presence, has very rich emotions. If a person's emotions are blocked, they are less likely to have God's presence. So don't think that men shouldn't cry easily; don't believe that. Don't kill your emotions; start learning to let them come alive.

Jacob loved Rachel very much, not that he didn't love Leah, but he loved her less. It's because Leah's eyes were not as bright. That was Jacob's true feeling. Don't think Jacob was being biased; who doesn't feel that way? Don't pretend, because everyone knows what you're thinking. These emotions are normal. Christians must have the idea of living life to the fullest, and emotions are an important part of living.

Get rid of this religious attitude. You will observe that people full of religious attitudes have blocked emotions. I want our brothers and sisters to know that Jacob had God's presence. It's not that having God's presence means you can say you are an angel; I think that's just rubbish. Don't talk nonsense like that; don't let religious attitudes replace true emotions.

Very Free

Did Jacob know that God was with him? Yes. Knowing that, why was he still biased? "I want to be biased, so I will be." Very real, very free. "I want to work, not because someone is forcing me, but because it's my choice, my freedom. I persevere and endure because I want to. I don't complain because I don't want to. It's normal for me to love Rachel; there's no problem." If you follow the thinking of someone full of religious attitudes, you might hear people say, "Jacob is biased, loving Rachel and not Leah. Leah is out of favour." Isn't it normal to be out of favour?

When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless. Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.” She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am not loved, he has given me this son also.” So she named him Simeon. Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi. She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children. (Genesis 29:31-35)

God is usually too busy to care about ordinary people, but in Jacob's household, when God saw that Leah was out of favour, he let her give birth to one son after another, boom, boom, boom, four sons. Whether you do this or that, it won't affect God's good will for you. Jacob was very clear that he had God's presence, that he had received God's blessing, that God was in control of everything, and that Leah received what she was supposed to receive. Do we have anyone named Leah among us? If someone is named Leah, that's good too; God knows what you need.

Let's start being free people, brothers and sisters. Don't think that if you do things right, something will happen, or if you do things wrong, something will happen. Those with Mingding Destiny are the same whether they do things right or wrong; they won't go too far wrong, because that's how God has determined it. If you are always thinking about what you haven't done right, how hard and unfree you will live. But don't freely love your neighbour's wife, because that will cause trouble. In the end, you'll create problems. Then you'll say, "I'm free!" We can't have that kind of freedom. That's not the freedom I'm talking about; that kind of freedom will cause problems.

Leah gave birth to four children, and each time she gave birth, she gave the child a name, like Judah, which means praising God. I won't share the story of naming these four children, but I am talking about God's presence with Jacob. If you encounter the same situation, you can refer to someone like Jacob and live out God's presence!

May God bless everyone!

Genesis 29

29:1 Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples.
29:2 There he saw a well in the open country, with three flocks of sheep lying near it because the flocks were watered from that well. The stone over the mouth of the well was large.
29:3 When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone away from the well’s mouth and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.
29:4 Jacob asked the shepherds, “My friends, where are you from?” “We’re from Harran,” they replied.
29:5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s grandson?” “Yes, we know him,” they answered.
29:6 Then Jacob asked them, “Is he well?” “Yes, he is well,” they said, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.”
29:7 “Look,” said Jacob, “the sun is still high; it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.”
29:8 “We can’t,” they replied, “until all the flocks are gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep.”
29:9 While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherd.
29:10 When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban’s sheep, he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep.
29:11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud.
29:12 He had told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and a son of Rebekah. So she ran and told her father.
29:13 As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, and Jacob told him all these things.
29:14 Then Laban said to him, “You are my own flesh and blood.” After Jacob had stayed with him for a month,
29:15 Laban said to him, “Just because you are my relative, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”
29:16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
29:17 Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was lovely in form and beautiful.
29:18 Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”
29:19 Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.”
29:20 So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.
29:21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.”
29:22 So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast.
29:23 But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her.
29:24 And Laban gave his servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her attendant.
29:25 When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?”
29:26 Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one.
29:27 Finish this daughter’s bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.”
29:28 And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.
29:29 Laban gave his servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her attendant.
29:30 Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.
29:31 When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless.
29:32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.”
29:33 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am not loved, he has given me this son also.” So she named him Simeon.
29:34 Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.
29:35 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.