This notion, that the birth of sons is the one object of marriage, and the source of conjugal love, is so preponderant in the minds of these women that it crowds out all traces of monopoly or jealousy.  Leah and Rachel not only submit to Laban’s fraudulent substitution on the wedding-night, but each one meekly accepts her half of Jacob’s attentions.  The utter absence of jealousy is strikingly revealed in this passage: 

“And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and she said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.  And Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel:  and he said, Am I in God’s stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?  And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; that she may bear upon my knees, and I also may obtain children by her.  And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife:  and Jacob went in unto her.  And Bilhah conceived and bare Jacob a son....  And Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid, conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son....  When Leah saw she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her handmaid, and gave her to Jacob to wife.  And Zilpah Leah’s handmaid bare Jacob a son....  And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob a fifth son.  And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I gave my handmaid to my husband.”

Thus polygamy and concubinage are treated not only as a matter of course, but as a cause for divine reward!  It might be said that there does exist a sort of jealousy between Leah and Rachel:  a rivalry as to which of the two shall bear their husband the more sons, either by herself or by proxy.  But how utterly different this rivalry is from the jealousy of a modern Christian wife, the very essence of which lies in the imperative insistence on the exclusive affection and chaste fidelity of her husband!  And as modern Christian jealousy differs from ancient Hebrew jealousy, so does modern romantic love in general differ from Hebrew love.  There is not a line in the story of Jacob and Rachel indicating the existence of monopoly, jealousy, coyness, hyperbole, mixed moods, pride, sympathy, gallantry, self-sacrifice, adoration, purity.  Of the thirteen essential ingredients of romantic love only two are implied—­individual preference and admiration of personal beauty.  Jacob preferred Rachel to Leah, and this preference was based on her bodily charms:  she was “beautiful and well-favored.”  Of the higher mental phases of personal beauty not a word is said.

In the case of the women, not even their individual preference is hinted at, and this is eminently characteristic of the ancient Hebrew notions and practices in regard to marriage.  Did Rachel and Leah marry Jacob because they preferred him to all other men they knew?  To Laban and his contemporaries such a question would have seemed absurd.  They knew nothing of marriage as a union of souls.  The woman was not considered at all.  The object of marriage, as in India, was to raise sons, in order that there might be someone to represent the departed father.  Being chiefly for the father’s benefit, the marriage was naturally arranged by him.  As a matter of fact, even Jacob did not select his own wife!