We all know the story of how Jacob was deceived under the wedding canopy. The heavily veiled woman he married was Leah, not his beloved, not the object of his heart’s devotion. The treachery was justified by social customs and quickly normalized by all concerned–an illegitimate, but de facto betrayal, to which he capitulated.

An alternative version:

“But, a bargain is a bargain, and a promise is a promise!” cried Jacob, standing his ground even though he was vastly outnumbered. Laban, Leah, and Rachel smiled tolerantly as if they were dealing with a small and babbling child. Jacob saw in an instant that they had no intention of honoring the contract. He mounted his camel, rode it hard toward the horizon, and did not look back.

But even this ending is problematic. Where did Jacob go? Did he simply withdraw and swallow his indignation? Or something else?