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When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she took her slave Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as his wife. 10 Leah’s slave Zilpah gave birth to a son for Jacob. 11 Leah said, “I’ve been lucky!” So she called him Gad [Luck].

12 Leah’s slave Zilpah gave birth to her second son for Jacob. 13 Leah said, “I’ve been blessed! Women will call me blessed.” So she named him Asher [Blessing].

14 During the wheat harvest Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrakes.[a] He brought them to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”

15 Leah replied, “Isn’t it enough that you took my husband? Are you also going to take my son’s mandrakes?”

Rachel said, “Very well, Jacob can go to bed with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.”

16 As Jacob was coming in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. “You are to sleep with me,” she said. “You are my reward for my son’s mandrakes.” So he went to bed with her that night. 17 Elohim answered Leah’s prayer. She became pregnant and gave birth to her fifth son for Jacob. 18 Leah said, “Elohim has given me my reward because I gave my slave to my husband.” So she named him Issachar [Reward].

19 She became pregnant again and gave birth to her sixth son for Jacob. 20 Leah said, “Elohim has presented me with a beautiful present. This time my husband will honor me because I have given him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun [Honor].

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 30:14 Mandrakes were considered a source of fertility for women.

When Leah(A) saw that she had stopped having children,(B) she took her servant Zilpah(C) and gave her to Jacob as a wife.(D) 10 Leah’s servant Zilpah(E) bore Jacob a son. 11 Then Leah said, “What good fortune!”[a] So she named him Gad.[b](F)

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

14 During wheat harvest,(J) Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants,(K) 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(L) 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.”(M)

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.”(N) So he slept with her that night.

17 God listened to Leah,(O) 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.”(P) So she named him Issachar.[d](Q)

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,(R) because I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun.[e](S)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 30:11 Or “A troop is coming!”
  2. Genesis 30:11 Gad can mean good fortune or a troop.
  3. Genesis 30:13 Asher means happy.
  4. Genesis 30:18 Issachar sounds like the Hebrew for reward.
  5. Genesis 30:20 Zebulun probably means honor.