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Genesis 29:31-30:24
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.(A) 32 Leah conceived and bore a son, and she named him Reuben,[a] for she said, “Because the Lord has looked on my affliction, surely now my husband will love me.”(B) 33 She conceived again and bore a son and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also,” and she named him Simeon.[b] 34 Again she conceived and bore a son and said, “Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons”; therefore he was named Levi.[c](C) 35 She conceived again and bore a son and said, “This time I will praise the Lord,” therefore she named him Judah;[d] then she ceased bearing.(D)

30 When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister, and she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!”(E) 2 Jacob became very angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?”(F) 3 Then she said, “Here is my maid Bilhah; go in to her, that she may bear upon my knees and that I too may have children through her.”(G) 4 So she gave him her maid Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her.(H) 5 And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. 6 Then Rachel said, “God has judged me and has also heard my voice and given me a son”; therefore she named him Dan.[e](I) 7 Rachel’s maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Then Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed,” so she named him Naphtali.[f](J)

9 When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her maid Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife.(K) 10 Then Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 And Leah said, “Good fortune!” So she named him Gad.[g] 12 Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 And Leah said, “Happy am I! For the women will call me happy,” so she named him Asher.[h](L)

14 In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”(M) 15 But she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes also?” Rachel said, “Then he may lie with you tonight for your son’s mandrakes.”(N) 16 When Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he lay with her that night. 17 And God heeded Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Leah said, “God has given me my hire because I gave my maid to my husband,” so she named him Issachar.[i] 19 And Leah conceived again, and she bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good gift; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons,” so she named him Zebulun.[j](O) 21 Afterwards she bore a daughter and named her Dinah.

22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God heeded her and opened her womb.(P) 23 She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach,”(Q) 24 and she named him Joseph,[k] saying, “May the Lord add to me another son!”(R)

Footnotes

  1. 29.32 That is, see, a son
  2. 29.33 In Heb Simeon resembles the verb for has heard
  3. 29.34 In Heb Levi resembles the verb for will be joined
  4. 29.35 In Heb Judah resembles the verb for I will praise
  5. 30.6 That is, he judged
  6. 30.8 In Heb Naphtali resembles the verb for I have wrestled
  7. 30.11 That is, fortune
  8. 30.13 That is, happy
  9. 30.18 In Heb Issachar resembles the word for my hire
  10. 30.20 In Heb Zebulun resembles the verb for honor
  11. 30.24 That is, he adds
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Genesis 29:31-30:24
Common English Bible

Jacob’s sons are born

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb; but Rachel was unable to have children. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben[a] because she said, “The Lord saw my harsh treatment, and now my husband will love me.” 33 She became pregnant again and gave birth to a son. She said, “The Lord heard that I was unloved, so he gave me this son too,” and she named him Simeon.[b] 34 She became pregnant again and gave birth to a son. She said, “Now, this time my husband will embrace me,[c] since I have given birth to three sons for him.” So she named him Levi.[d] 35 She became pregnant again and gave birth to a son. She said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah.[e] Then she stopped bearing children.

30 When Rachel realized that she could bear Jacob no children, Rachel became jealous of her sister and said to Jacob, “Give me children! If you don’t, I may as well be dead.”

2 Jacob was angry at Rachel and said, “Do you think I’m God? God alone has kept you from giving birth!”

3 She said, “Here’s my servant Bilhah. Sleep with her, and she will give birth for me. Because of her, I will also have children.” 4 So Rachel gave her servant Bilhah to Jacob as his wife, and he slept with her. 5 Bilhah became pregnant and gave birth to a son for Jacob. 6 Rachel said, “God has judged in my favor, heard my voice, and given me a son.” So she named him Dan.[f] 7 Rachel’s servant Bilhah became pregnant again and gave birth to a second son for Jacob. 8 Rachel said, “I’ve competed fiercely with my sister, and now I’ve won.” So she named him Naphtali.[g]

9 When Leah realized that she had stopped bearing children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as his wife. 10 Leah’s servant Zilpah gave birth to a son for Jacob, 11 and Leah said, “What good luck!” So she named him Gad.[h] 12 Leah’s servant Zilpah gave birth to a second son for Jacob, 13 and Leah said, “I’m happy now because women call me happy.” So she named him Asher.[i]

14 During the wheat harvest, Reuben found some erotic herbs[j] in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, “Give me your son’s erotic herbs.”

15 Leah replied, “Isn’t it enough that you’ve taken my husband? Now you want to take my son’s erotic herbs too?”

Rachel said, “For your son’s erotic herbs, Jacob[k] may sleep with you tonight.”

16 When Jacob came back from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must sleep with me because I’ve paid for you with my son’s erotic herbs.” So he slept with her that night.

17 God responded to Leah. She became pregnant and gave birth to a fifth son for Jacob. 18 Leah said, “God gave me what I paid for, what I deserved for giving my servant to my husband.” So she named him Issachar.[l] 19 Leah became pregnant again and gave birth to a sixth son for Jacob, 20 and she said, “God has given me a wonderful gift. Now my husband will honor me since I’ve borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun.[m] 21 After this, she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.

22 Then God remembered Rachel, responded to her, and let her conceive. 23 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, “God has taken away my shame.” 24 She named him Joseph,[n] saying to herself, May the Lord give me another son.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 29:32 Or see, a son
  2. Genesis 29:33 Sounds like the Heb verb hear
  3. Genesis 29:34 Or be connected to me
  4. Genesis 29:34 Sounds like the Heb verb embrace, or connect
  5. Genesis 29:35 Sounds like the Heb verb praise
  6. Genesis 30:6 Or he judged
  7. Genesis 30:8 Or my competition or my wrestling
  8. Genesis 30:11 Or good fortune
  9. Genesis 30:13 Or happy
  10. Genesis 30:14 Or mandrakes
  11. Genesis 30:15 Or he
  12. Genesis 30:18 Or there is payment
  13. Genesis 30:20 Or honor
  14. Genesis 30:24 Or he adds
Listen to Genesis 29:31-30:24
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Genesis 29:31-30:24
New International Version

Jacob’s Children

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved,(A) he enabled her to conceive,(B) but Rachel remained childless. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.(C) She named him Reuben,[a](D) for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery.(E) Surely my husband will love me now.”

33 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved,(F) he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.[b](G)

34 Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me,(H) because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.[c](I)

35 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah.[d](J) Then she stopped having children.(K)

30 When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children,(L) she became jealous of her sister.(M) So she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!”

2 Jacob became angry with her and said, “Am I in the place of God,(N) who has kept you from having children?”(O)

3 Then she said, “Here is Bilhah,(P) my servant.(Q) Sleep with her so that she can bear children for me and I too can build a family through her.”(R)

4 So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife.(S) Jacob slept with her,(T) 5 and she became pregnant and bore him a son. 6 Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me;(U) he has listened to my plea and given me a son.”(V) Because of this she named him Dan.[e](W)

7 Rachel’s servant Bilhah(X) conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Then Rachel said, “I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.”(Y) So she named him Naphtali.[f](Z)

9 When Leah(AA) saw that she had stopped having children,(AB) she took her servant Zilpah(AC) and gave her to Jacob as a wife.(AD) 10 Leah’s servant Zilpah(AE) bore Jacob a son. 11 Then Leah said, “What good fortune!”[g] So she named him Gad.[h](AF)

12 Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 Then Leah said, “How happy I am! The women will call me(AG) happy.”(AH) So she named him Asher.[i](AI)

14 During wheat harvest,(AJ) Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants,(AK) which he brought to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”

15 But she said to her, “Wasn’t it enough(AL) that you took away my husband? Will you take my son’s mandrakes too?”

“Very well,” Rachel said, “he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.”(AM)

16 So when Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. “You must sleep with me,” she said. “I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.”(AN) So he slept with her that night.

17 God listened to Leah,(AO) and she became pregnant and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Then Leah said, “God has rewarded me for giving my servant to my husband.”(AP) So she named him Issachar.[j](AQ)

19 Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 Then Leah said, “God has presented me with a precious gift. This time my husband will treat me with honor,(AR) because I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun.[k](AS)

21 Some time later she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.(AT)

22 Then God remembered Rachel;(AU) he listened to her(AV) and enabled her to conceive.(AW) 23 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son(AX) and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.”(AY) 24 She named him Joseph,[l](AZ) and said, “May the Lord add to me another son.”(BA)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 29:32 Reuben sounds like the Hebrew for he has seen my misery; the name means see, a son.
  2. Genesis 29:33 Simeon probably means one who hears.
  3. Genesis 29:34 Levi sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for attached.
  4. Genesis 29:35 Judah sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for praise.
  5. Genesis 30:6 Dan here means he has vindicated.
  6. Genesis 30:8 Naphtali means my struggle.
  7. Genesis 30:11 Or “A troop is coming!”
  8. Genesis 30:11 Gad can mean good fortune or a troop.
  9. Genesis 30:13 Asher means happy.
  10. Genesis 30:18 Issachar sounds like the Hebrew for reward.
  11. Genesis 30:20 Zebulun probably means honor.
  12. Genesis 30:24 Joseph means may he add.
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