Genesis 35

Rachel was the favorite wife of Jacob, but she was also the only patriarchal wife not buried in the family tomb.

God generally blesses the first marriage of someone; in fact, it's hard to think of a case in which that's not true. (Remember that just because something's in the Bible doesn't mean that God approves of it.) The only exception I can think of is David and Bathsheba, and I admit I haven't figured that one out yet.

Regardless, Leah was Jacob's first wife, and it was her fourth son, Judah, who would be the many-times-great grandfather of both King David and Jesus the Christ. We saw in the last chapter why Simeon and Levi, the second and third sons, were skipped over, but what about the eldest, Reuben?

This chapter provides the answer. Reuben slept with his father's concubine, which in that culture was tantamount to claiming her as his own. He thought it was secret, but his father knew about it, and so did God.

Of course, God can choose whomever he likes. But there's usually a good reason when he breaks his own rules.