Genesis 29:17-28 is a historical account describing a turning point in Jacob's life. Jacob had gotten ahead by tricking other people, including his brother Esau and his father Isaac. Now Jacob is on the receiving end as Laban tricks him out of seven years of labor.

The name Jacob means "he deceives", and Jacob was a deceiver during the early part of his life. However, Genesis chapter 29 is the start of a change in his life as he starts to turn away from his self-centeredness and toward God.

There is nothing in these passages that say that this is how we are to live, or that what Jacob and Laban did was acceptable to God. Unlike Leviticus 18:22, which is a direct command from God, these passages only describe what happened.

This is what Genesis 29:16-28 says (from the New Living Translation):

"Now Laban had two daughters: Leah, who was the oldest, and her younger sister Rachel. Leah had pretty eyes, but Rachel was beautiful in every way, with a lovely face and shapely figure. Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he told her father, "I'll work for you seven years if you'll give me Rachel, your younger daughter, as my wife."

"Agreed!" Laban replied. "I'd rather give her to you then to someone outside the family."

So Jacob spend the next seven years working to pay for Rachel. But his love for her was so strong that it seemed to him but a few days. Finally, the time came for him to marry her. "I have fulfilled by contract," Jacob said to Laban, "Now give me my wife so we can be married."

So Laban invited everyone in the neighborhood to celebrate with Jacob at a wedding feast. That night, when it was dark, Laban took Leah to Jacob, and he slept with her. And Laban gave Leah a servant, Zilpah, to be here maid.

But when Jacob woke up in the morning--it was Leah! "What sort of trick is this?" Jacob raged at Laban. "I worked seven years for Rachel. What do you mean by this trickery?"

"It's not our custom to marry off a younger daughter ahead of the first born," Laban replied. "Wait until the bridal week is over, and you can have Rachel too--that is, if you promise to work another seven years for me."