31 Now the Lord saw that Leah was [a]unloved, and He opened her womb, but Rachel was unable to have children. 32 Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and named him [b]Reuben, for she said, “Because the Lord has [c](A)seen my affliction; surely now my husband will love me.” 33 Then she conceived again and gave birth to a son, and said, “(B)Because the Lord 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 gave birth to a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will become [f]attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore he was named (C)Levi. 35 And she conceived again and gave birth to a son, and said, “This time I will [g]praise the Lord.” Therefore she named him [h](D)Judah. Then she stopped having children.

The Sons of Jacob

30 Now when Rachel saw that (E)she had not borne Jacob any children, [i]she became jealous of her sister; and she said to Jacob, “(F)Give me children, or else I am going to 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?” Then she said, “(H)Here is my female slave Bilhah: have relations with her that she may (I)give birth [j]on my knees, so that [k](J)by her I too may obtain a child.” So (K)she gave him her slave Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob had relations with her. Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. Then Rachel said, “God has [l](L)vindicated me, and has indeed heard my voice and has given me a son.” Therefore she named him [m]Dan. And Rachel’s slave Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. So Rachel said, “With [n]mighty wrestling I have [o]wrestled with my sister, and I have indeed prevailed.” And she named him Naphtali.

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

14 Now in the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found (N)mandrake fruits 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 may sleep with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.” 16 When Jacob came in from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must have relations with me, for I have indeed hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he slept with her that night. 17 God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Then Leah said, “God has given me my [t]reward, because I gave my slave to my husband.” So she named him Issachar. 19 And Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son to Jacob. 20 Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good gift; finally my husband [u]will acknowledge me as his wife, because I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun. 21 Afterward she gave birth to 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 gave birth to a son, and said, “God has (Q)taken away my disgrace.” 24 And she named him Joseph, saying, “(R)May the Lord [v]give me another son.”

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 29:31 Lit hated
  2. Genesis 29:32 I.e., see, a son
  3. Genesis 29:32 Lit looked at
  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 I.e., Prob. referring to a ritual of adoption
  11. Genesis 30:3 Lit from her I too may be built
  12. Genesis 30:6 Lit judged
  13. Genesis 30:6 I.e., He judged
  14. Genesis 30:8 Lit wrestlings of God
  15. Genesis 30:8 Heb niphtal, related to Naphtali
  16. Genesis 30:11 Lit With fortune! Some ancient versions Fortune has come
  17. Genesis 30:11 I.e., Fortune
  18. Genesis 30:13 Lit With my happiness!
  19. Genesis 30:13 I.e., happy
  20. Genesis 30:18 Heb sachar, related to Issachar
  21. Genesis 30:20 Heb zabal, related to Zebulun
  22. Genesis 30:24 Lit add to me; Heb Joseph

31 And Jehovah saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren. 32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name [a]Reuben: for she said, Because Jehovah hath looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me. 33 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and said, Because Jehovah [b]hath heard that I am hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name [c]Simeon. 34 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be [d]joined unto me, because I have borne him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi. 35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, This time will I [e]praise Jehovah: therefore she called his name [f]Judah; and she left off bearing.

30 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and she said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. And Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God’s stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? And she said, Behold, my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; that she may bear upon my knees, and I also may [g]obtain children by her. And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her. And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son. And Rachel said, God hath [h]judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan. And Bilhah Rachel’s handmaid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son. And Rachel said, With [i]mighty wrestlings have I [j]wrestled with my sister, and have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.

When Leah saw that she had left off bearing, she took Zilpah her handmaid, and gave her to Jacob to wife. 10 And Zilpah Leah’s handmaid bare Jacob a son. 11 And Leah said, [k]Fortunate! and she called his name [l]Gad. 12 And Zilpah Leah’s handmaid bare Jacob a second son. 13 And Leah said, [m]Happy am I! for the daughters will call me happy: and she called his name [n]Asher.

14 And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found [o]mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son’s mandrakes. 15 And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken away my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son’s mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to-night for thy son’s mandrakes. 16 And Jacob came from the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for I have surely hired thee with my son’s mandrakes. And he lay with her that night. 17 And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob a fifth son. 18 And Leah said, God hath given me my [p]hire, because I gave my handmaid to my husband: and she called his name Issachar. 19 And Leah conceived again, and bare a sixth son to Jacob. 20 And Leah said, God hath endowed me with a good dowry; now will my husband [q]dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun. 21 And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah. 22 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. 23 And she conceived, and bare a son: and said, God hath taken away my reproach: 24 and she called his name Joseph, saying, Jehovah [r]add to me another son.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 29:32 That is, See, a son.
  2. Genesis 29:33 Hebrew shama.
  3. Genesis 29:33 Hebrew Shimeon.
  4. Genesis 29:34 From the root lavah.
  5. Genesis 29:35 From the Hebrew hodah.
  6. Genesis 29:35 Hebrew Jehudah.
  7. Genesis 30:3 Hebrew be builded by her.
  8. Genesis 30:6 Hebrew dan, he judged.
  9. Genesis 30:8 Hebrew wrestlings of God.
  10. Genesis 30:8 Hebrew niphtal, he wrestled.
  11. Genesis 30:11 Hebrew With fortune! Another reading is, Fortune is come.
  12. Genesis 30:11 That is, Fortune.
  13. Genesis 30:13 Hebrew With my happiness!
  14. Genesis 30:13 That is, Happy.
  15. Genesis 30:14 Or, love apples
  16. Genesis 30:18 Hebrew sachar.
  17. Genesis 30:20 Hebrew zabal, he dwelt.
  18. Genesis 30:24 Hebrew joseph.