Jacob’s Children

29:31-30:24

31 Now Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, so he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 Then Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, because she said, “Because Yahweh has looked on my misery, surely now my husband will love me.”

33 Then she conceived again and bore a son, and she said, “Because Yahweh heard that I am hated, then he gave to me this son also.” So she called his name Simeon.

34 Then she conceived again and bore a son, and she said, “This time now my husband will be joined to me, because I have born three sons for him.” For that reason he called his name Levi.

35 Then she conceived again and bore a son, and she said, “This time I will praise Yahweh.” For that reason she called his name Judah. Then she stopped bearing.

30 Now Rachel saw that she was not bearing children for Jacob, so Rachel envied her sister, and she said to Jacob, “Give me children, and if not, I will die!” 2 And Jacob’s anger burned against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has kept the fruit of the womb from you?” 3 Then she said, “Behold my slave woman Bilhah. Go to her so that she will bear children on my knees, and I also will be built up from her.” 4 And she gave to him Bilhah her maidservant as a wife, and Jacob went to her.

5 Then Bilhah conceived and bore a son for Jacob, 6 and Rachel said, “God has vindicated me, and indeed, he has listened to my voice and given to me a son!” For that reason she called his name Dan.

7 Then Bilhah the maidservant of Rachel conceived again and bore a second son for Jacob. 8 So Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister. Indeed I have prevailed!” And she called his name Naphtali.

9 Now Leah saw that she had ceased from bearing children, so she took Zilpah her maidservant and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 Then Zilpah the maidservant of Leah bore a son for Jacob, 11 and Leah said, “What good fortune!” So she called his name Gad.

12 Then Zilpah the maidservant of Leah bore a second son for Jacob, 13 and Leah said, “How blessed I am! For women will call me blessed.” So she called his name Asher.

14 Then in the days of the wheat harvest, Reuben went out and found mandrakes in the field, and he brought them to Leah his mother. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give to me some of your son’s mandrakes.” 15 But she said to her, “Is it a small matter you have taken my husband? And would you also take my son’s mandrakes?” Then Rachel said, “Therefore he may lie with you tonight for your son’s mandrakes.”

16 Then Jacob came from the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come to me, because I have surely hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he lay with her during that night, 17 and God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore a fifth son for Jacob. 18 Then Leah said, “God has given me my reward because I gave my maidservant to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar.

19 Then Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son for Jacob. 20 And Leah said, “God has presented me a good present. This time my husband will honor me because I have born six sons for him.” So she called his name Zebulun.

21 Then later she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah.

22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. 23 Then she conceived and bore a son, and she said, “God has taken away my disgrace!” 24 And she called his name Joseph, saying, “May Yahweh add another son to me.”