Jacob 40 Years in Haran

Genesis 31:41 Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

God wrote this verse to allow the impression of only 20 years spent in Haran. But a more careful reading shows it was actually 40 years in Haran. Jacob spent 20 years in Laban's house. And served 14 years for his daughters-and finally 6 years for his wages. So the total is:

20 + 14 + 6 = 40 years in Haran

The Idea of Jacob Staying 20 Years in Haran is Proven Incorrect

If the stay was 20 years – we know the following:

The first 7 years Jacob served he had no wife and no children. Also, we know that the final contract of 6 years wherein Jacob was to work for wages occurred after Joseph (the 11th son) was born. This means no other children were born in Haran during the last 6 years of Jacob's stay.

That means 11 sons had to be born to Jacob over a 7 year period-really 6 years and 3 months – because after a full 7 years Jacob marries Leah and let's say she is immediately with child, which means the first son (Reuben) was not born until 7 years and 9 months had passed-leaving only 6 years and 3 months remaining for his wives to bear the remaining 10 sons. There is no information in the historical account that indicates premature birth at any time. And in those days it would have been difficult for a premature child (if seriously premature) to survive. So we will calculate the number of months as a normal 9 month period.

Typically a woman who has given birth needs a little while to recuperate before resuming marital relations and expecting another child. In Leviticus 12:1-5 God lays out a period of 40 days for a male child (and 80 days for a female) as days of purifying.

So I think we can safely say that Leah would not have resumed marital relations for at least 1 or 2 months after the birth of her son. Let's go with the shortest amount of time and say 1 month later Leah is again with child. So she is now expecting with 6 years and 2 months remaining of the 7 year period. 9 months later she gives birth to her second child (Simeon). This second son would have been born with 5 years 5 months remaining of the 7 year period.

Again, one month later (5 years and 4 months) Leah conceives and is with her third child. 9 months after this the third son (Levi) is born. This third son would have been born with 4 years and 7 months remaining of the overall 7 year period.

One month later (4 years 6 months) Leah conceives and is with her fourth child. 9 months after this the fourth son (Judah is born). This fourth son would have been born with 3 years and 9 months remaining of the overall 7 year period.

But now the Bible informs us (Genesis 29:35) that Leah left bearing. How long a period of time was this? We are not told. But certainly it would have had to have been several months at least-or even longer than that. But once again we will take a low estimate on this time when Leah had left bearing children and say it was for 6 months. So, we subtract 6 months from our remaining 3 years and 9 months-leaving us 3 years and 3 months until the overall 7 year period expires.

Once Leah has left bearing we find that Rachel – envious of her sister's fruitfulness-pleads with Jacob to give her children. And of course, Jacob points out that he is not God to be able to give her children (Genesis 30:1,2). But Rachel then brings up the idea of going in to her hand maid Bilhah. She reasons she will have children by her.

Apparently Bilhah quickly conceives and is with child by Jacob. So Jacob's 5th son is born 9 months later. We minus 9 months from the 3 years and 3 months mark. This means the 5th son (Dan) was born with 2 years and 6 months remaining of the overall 7 year period.

We will allow 1 month to pass leaving 2 years and 5 months. And then Rachel's maid Bilhah conceived another son – Jacob's 6th son (Naphtali). This 6th son was born 9 months later with 1 year and 8 months to go in the overall 7 year period of time.

Leah, again said to have left bearing (Genesis 30:9) yet saw what Rachel had done by giving her handmaid Bilhah to Jacob-not to be outdone in this rivalry Leah then gave her own handmaid Zilpah to Jacob as a wife.

We'll say it was at the 1 year 8 month mark that Zilpah conceived Jacob's 7th son. Jacob's 7th son (Gad) was born 9 months later. This means that the 7th son was born with only 11 months remaining of the overall 7 year period of time.

With a 1 month recuperation – and only 10 months remaining Zilpah bore another son to Jacob, his 8th son. Jacob's 8th son (Asher) is born with 1 month remaining of the overall 7 year period of time.

Following this we find some explanation for why Leah "left bearing" at (in all probability) such a young age. Rachel contracts out Jacob to her sister Leah for some of Leah's son Reuben's mandrakes. Apparently Rachel had forbid Jacob from lying with Leah.

So, following this contract between the two sisters Leah rejoices in having her 5th son-Jacob's 9th son named Issachar. This 9 month pregnancy exceeds the 7 year period of time-the 9th son is born at 7 years and 8 months.

Leah rests 1 month. And then is blessed by God with a 6th son and overall 10th son of Jacob who is named Zebulun. 1 month in between means the child is conceived at the 7 years and 9 months mark – then 9 months later is born in the 8 year and 6 month mark.

Now before the birth of the 11th son (Joseph) God inserts the fact that Leah bore another child-a girl named Dinah. Again, same process. One month of time is added (8 months 7 months) then we add 9 months until Dinah is born and then the total length of time is 9 years 4 months.

Finally, Rachel is said to conceive and bare a son. So, 9 months from the 9 year and 4 month mark would be 10 years and 1 month when the 11th son (Joseph) of Jacob is born.

As you can see – even with giving low time estimates for intervals in between pregnancies – we are still 3+ years over the allotted time of 7 years.

Therefore, the only conclusion we can come to is that the idea of Jacob spending 20 years in Haran is incorrect.

All of This Had to Happen in Only 7 Years

People read Genesis 31:41 carelessly without thinking it through and quickly conclude that Jacob was 20 years in Haran. But if more thought would be put into it they would realize that all of the following events had to have happened in a space of only 7 years:

1. Leah has 4 sons one after the other.

Keep in mind a woman giving birth isn't an assembly line producing products. After one birth there needs to be some time for recuperation before conceiving another child.

2. The Bible tells us Leah leaves bearing children (which must have been for some length of time at least)

3. Then Rachel gives her handmaid Bilhah to Jacob and Bilhah bears Jacob 2 sons.

Again – some space is necessary between the two births.

4. Then Leah gives her handmaid Zilpah to Jacob and she also bears 2 sons.

Give some space between children.

5. Leah resumes marital relations with Jacob and bears 2 more sons.

Give some space between the births.

6. Leah gives birth to a daughter (Dinah).

7. Rachel finally conceives and Joseph is born.

There is no way all of this took place in a single 7 year period of time.