Genesis 30:1-24 (New International Version)
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1
When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children,1 she became jealous of her sister.2 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,3 who has kept you from having children?"4
3
Then she said, "Here is Bilhah,5 my maidservant.6 Sleep with her so that she can bear children for me and that through her I too can build a family."7
4
So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife.8 Jacob slept with her,9
5
and she became pregnant and bore him a son.
6
Then Rachel said, "God has vindicated me;10 he has listened to my plea and given me a son."11 Because of this she named him Dan.a12
7
Rachel's servant Bilhah13 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."14 So she named him Naphtali.b15
9
When Leah16 saw that she had stopped having children,17 she took her maidservant Zilpah18 and gave her to Jacob as a wife.19
10
Leah's servant Zilpah20 bore Jacob a son.
11
Then Leah said, "What good fortune!"c So she named him Gad.d21
12
Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son.
13
Then Leah said, "How happy I am! The women will call me22 happy."23 So she named him Asher.e24
14
During wheat harvest,25 Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants,26 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 enough27 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."28
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."29 So he slept with her that night.
17
God listened to Leah,30 and she became pregnant and bore Jacob a fifth son.
18
Then Leah said, "God has rewarded me for giving my maidservant to my husband."31 So she named him Issachar.f32
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,33 because I have borne him six sons." So she named him Zebulun.g34
21
Some time later she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.35
22
Then God remembered Rachel;36 he listened to her37 and opened her womb.38
23
She became pregnant and gave birth to a son39 and said, "God has taken away my disgrace."40
24
She named him Joseph,h41 and said, "May the LORD add to me another son."42
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online)
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