Genesis 29:16Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Leah and Rachel were daughters of Laban, a man associated with idol worship, as both the assembly of the Jews, descending from their ancestor the holy Abraham rooted in Hellenic lineage, and the younger assembly, which is the Church, emerged from the Gentiles.

What type of wives are these? Leah, the elder, symbolizes the assembly of the Jews, while Rachel, the younger and most esteemed, represents the Church of the Gentiles. She bore Joseph, whose name signifies 'the blessing of God.'