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31 And Yahweh saw that Leah was [a]unloved, and He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 So Leah conceived and bore a son and named him [b]Reuben, for she said, “Because Yahweh has [c](A)seen my affliction; surely now my husband will love me.” 33 Then she conceived again and bore a son and said, “(B)Because Yahweh has [d]heard that I am [e]unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” So she named him Simeon. 34 And she conceived again and bore a son and said, “Now this time my husband will be [f]joined to me because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore he was named (C)Levi. 35 And she conceived again and bore a son and said, “This time I will [g]praise Yahweh.” Therefore she named him [h](D)Judah. Then she stopped bearing.

The Sons of Jacob

30 Then Rachel saw that (E)she bore Jacob no children, so [i]she became jealous of her sister; and she said to Jacob, “(F)Give me children, or else I die.” Then Jacob’s anger burned against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has (G)withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” And she said, “(H)Here is my maidservant Bilhah, go in to her that she may (I)bear on my knees, that [j](J)through her I too may obtain children.” So (K)she gave him her servant-woman Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her. And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. Then Rachel said, “God has [k](L)rendered justice to me and has indeed listened to my voice and has given me a son.” Therefore she named him [l]Dan. And Rachel’s servant-woman Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. So Rachel said, “With [m]mighty wrestlings I have [n]wrestled with my sister, and I have indeed prevailed.” And she named him Naphtali.

Then Leah saw that she had stopped bearing, so she took her servant-woman Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 And Leah’s servant-woman Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 Then Leah said, “[o]How fortunate!” So she named him [p]Gad. 12 And Leah’s servant-woman Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 Then Leah said, “[q]Happy am I! For women (M)will call me happy.” So she named him [r]Asher.

14 And in the days of the wheat harvest, Reuben went and found (N)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.” 15 But she said to her, “Is it a small matter for you to take my husband? And would you take my son’s mandrakes also?” So Rachel said, “Therefore he will lie with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.” 16 Then Jacob came in from the field in the evening. And Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have surely hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he lay with her that night. 17 And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 And Leah said, “God has given me my [s]wages because I gave my servant-woman to my husband.” So she named him Issachar. 19 Then Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son to Jacob. 20 And Leah said, “God has gifted me a good gift; this time my husband [t]will honor me because I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun. 21 Afterward she bore a daughter and named her Dinah.

22 Then (O)God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and (P)opened her womb. 23 So she conceived and bore a son and said, “God has (Q)taken away my reproach.” 24 And she named him Joseph, saying, “(R)May Yahweh [u]give me another son.”

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 29:31 Lit hated
  2. Genesis 29:32 Lit see, a son
  3. Genesis 29:32 Lit looked upon
  4. Genesis 29:33 Heb shama, related to Simeon
  5. Genesis 29:33 Lit hated
  6. Genesis 29:34 Heb lavah, related to Levi
  7. Genesis 29:35 Heb jadah, related to Judah
  8. Genesis 29:35 Heb Jehudah
  9. Genesis 30:1 Lit Rachel
  10. Genesis 30:3 Lit from her I too may be built
  11. Genesis 30:6 Lit judged
  12. Genesis 30:6 He judged
  13. Genesis 30:8 Lit wrestlings of God
  14. Genesis 30:8 Heb niphtal, related to Naphtali
  15. Genesis 30:11 Lit With fortune!; some versions Fortune has come
  16. Genesis 30:11 Fortune
  17. Genesis 30:13 Lit With my happiness!
  18. Genesis 30:13 Happy
  19. Genesis 30:18 Heb sachar, related to Issachar
  20. Genesis 30:20 Heb zabal, related to Zebulun
  21. Genesis 30:24 Lit add to me; Heb Joseph

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

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!” Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” Then she said, “Here is my maid Bilhah; go in to her, that she may bear upon my knees, and even I may have children through her.” So she gave him her maid Bilhah as a wife; and Jacob went in to her. And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. Then Rachel said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son”; therefore she called his name Dan.[e] Rachel’s maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. Then Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled[f] with my sister, and have prevailed”; so she called his name Naph′tali.

When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her maid Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 Then Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 And Leah said, “Good fortune!” so she called his name 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 called his name Asher.[h]

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, “Give me, I pray, some of your son’s mandrakes.” 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.” 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 hearkened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Leah said, “God has given me my hire[i] because I gave my maid to my husband”; so she called his name Is′sachar. 19 And Leah conceived again, and she bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good dowry; now my husband will honor[j] me, because I have borne him six sons”; so she called his name Zeb′ulun. 21 Afterwards she bore a daughter, and called her name Dinah. 22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her and opened her womb. 23 She conceived and bore a son, and said, “God has taken away my reproach”; 24 and she called his name Joseph,[k] saying, “May the Lord add to me another son!”

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 29:32 That is See, a son
  2. Genesis 29:33 Heb shama
  3. Genesis 29:34 Heb lawah
  4. Genesis 29:35 Heb hodah
  5. Genesis 30:6 That is He judged
  6. Genesis 30:8 Heb niphtal
  7. Genesis 30:11 That is Fortune
  8. Genesis 30:13 That is Happy
  9. Genesis 30:18 Heb sakar
  10. Genesis 30:20 Heb zabal
  11. Genesis 30:24 That is He adds