Jacob married Leah first because Laban deceived him on the wedding night.
Jacob had agreed to serve Laban seven years for Rachel, but Laban brought Leah, the older daughter, to him instead. Jacob did not discover it was Leah until the morning, at which point Laban explained that the younger daughter could not be given before the firstborn.
Genesis 29:23-25 — This passage records the wedding night switch and Jacob's discovery that he had married Leah instead of Rachel.
In Genesis 29, the Bible records that Jacob came to Haran, fell in love with Rachel, and agreed to serve Laban seven years for her. On the wedding night, Laban took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob went in unto her. It was not until the morning that Jacob realized he had been given Leah, not Rachel. Jacob confronted Laban, saying, "did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?" Laban answered that the custom of the country required the younger daughter not be given before the firstborn. Laban then told Jacob to fulfill Leah's week and promised Rachel also, for seven more years of service. Jacob did so, and Scripture says he loved Rachel more than Leah.
In the provided clips, Les does not walk through the wedding-night switch itself. Instead, he gives surrounding teaching that frames Jacob's marriage history. Les describes Jacob as "the deceiver, the supplanter" and "always one step ahead" in a sharp deal, yet notes that Jacob gained his wives while working for Laban. Les also points out that Laban was the man from whom Jacob worked to earn both Rachel and Leah, and he emphasizes how human these Bible characters were, with Laban immediately noticing wealth when he met Abraham's servant. Les repeatedly stresses that God had sovereignly chosen Jacob before he was born, so that Jacob's entire story, including his marriages, rests in the sovereign plan of God.
After Jacob confronted him, Laban did not deny the deception. He explained that local custom required the firstborn to marry before the younger sister: "It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn." So the reason given in Scripture is Laban's appeal to cultural practice.
Laban offered Rachel after Leah's wedding week was completed, but only in exchange for another seven years of service. Scripture says Jacob fulfilled the week and received Rachel, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. Les confirms the arrangement by saying Jacob "worked to earn his two wives, Rachel and Leah" while serving Laban.
Les teaches that Jacob's position as the chosen younger son was mandated by God before the twins were born. He says we "can't fault them too much" because Jacob's rise was "in the sovereign plan of God in the first place." This provides the surrounding theological context for how Jacob ended up in Laban's household, even though the supplied clips do not directly comment on the Leah/Rachel switch.
From Deceiver to Prince: Jacob’s Struggle and God’s Unconditional Promise (Genesis 28-32)
And so all these words are so significant. Then in verse 20, he vowed a vowed saying that if God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then shall the Lord, what, be my God. Is he yet? No.
God's Sovereign Choice of Jacob
Les says Jacob's role as the chosen line was in the sovereign plan of God from the beginning, so the later events with Laban are framed by that plan.
Jacob the Supplanter Works for Wives
Les describes Jacob as the deceiver and supplanter who gained his wives while working for Laban, framing Jacob's marriage history in his human shrewdness.
Jacob & Esau: The Sovereignty of God in the Birthright & Blessing | Genesis 25-27
He came to his father, and he said, My father, and he said, Here am I, who art thou my son? And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn. Now we've got to stop a minute. We look at that, and I used to almost cringe at teaching this.
Jacob & Esau: The Sovereignty of God in the Birthright & Blessing | Genesis 25-27
So anyway, what Rebekah is doing here is taking that special designated cloak of Esau's, which showed that he was the eldest, and she puts it on the youngest. Now, do you see that? Again, in the energy of the flesh, but God doesn't stop it, because He had mandated in the beginning that this is the way it should be. And so we can't jump on Rebekah and Jacob too hard.
The Elder Serves the Younger
Les makes the point that the elder would serve the younger, so Jacob's position was mandated by God, not merely something Jacob schemed to obtain.
Jacob Worked to Earn Rachel and Leah
Les directly says it was Laban from whom Jacob worked to earn both Rachel and Leah, and he points out how human and wealth-oriented Laban was.
God's Foreknowledge of Esau and Jacob
Les teaches that God, in foreknowledge, knew Esau would be destitute of faith, which is why Jacob rather than Esau was the chosen son.
Genesis 25:23: And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
This verse shows God's sovereign choice of Jacob before his birth, which Les emphasizes in his teaching.
Genesis 29:20: And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.
This records Jacob's original agreement to serve Laban seven years for Rachel.
Genesis 29:23: And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.
This is the moment Laban brought Leah to Jacob on the wedding night instead of Rachel.
Genesis 29:25: And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?
This is Jacob's discovery and confrontation after Laban's deception.
Genesis 29:26: And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
This is Laban's stated reason for giving Leah rather than Rachel.
Genesis 29:27: Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
Laban promises Rachel after Leah's wedding week, requiring another seven years of service.
Genesis 29:28: And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.
Jacob fulfilled the week and received Rachel as his wife as well.
Genesis 29:30: And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.
This records Jacob's love for Rachel and the additional seven years of service.
No. Scripture says Jacob served seven years for Rachel and asked Laban for his wife, but Laban instead gave him Leah. Jacob did not discover the switch until the morning, when he confronted Laban. Les's provided clips do not discuss the switch directly, but the biblical account is explicit.
Laban told Jacob, "It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn." He was invoking the custom that the elder daughter should be married before the younger daughter.
Jacob originally agreed to serve seven years for Rachel. After the switch, Laban required another seven years in order to give Rachel as well. So Jacob served fourteen years total for Leah and Rachel.
Scripture says Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah. The provided Les clips do not address his feelings toward Leah directly.