Genesis 30:24

24 May the Lord give me another son"; so she named him Joseph.

Genesis 30:24 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 30:24

And she called his name Joseph
Which signifies "adding", or rather, "to be added"; or, "God shall add", giving this reason for it; and said, the Lord shall add to me another son:
which is expressive of strong faith; that as she had begun to bear children, she should bear another, as she did; though some read the words as a wish or prayer, "may the Lord", or, "and that the Lord would add" F8; but our version seems best: the name Joseph is composed of two words, one which signifies to gather or take away, used in ( Genesis 30:23 ) , and another which signifies to add; and so has respect to the Lord's taking away her reproach, and adding to her another son: Melo, an Heathen writer, makes mention of Joseph by name, as Polyhistor F9 relates, and makes him the twelfth and last son of Abraham, whereas he was the eleventh of Jacob. He was born, as the Jews say F11, the twenty seventh of Tammuz or June, and lived one hundred and ten years.


FOOTNOTES:

F8 (Poy) "addat", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
F9 Apud. Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 19. p. 421.
F11 Shalshal. ibid.

Genesis 30:24 In-Context

22 Then God remembered Rachel; he answered her prayer and made it possible for her to have children.
23 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She said, "God has taken away my disgrace by giving me a son.
24 May the Lord give me another son"; so she named him Joseph.
25 After the birth of Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, "Let me go, so that I can return home.
26 Give me my wives and children that I have earned by working for you, and I will leave. You know how well I have served you."

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. joseph: [This name sounds like the Hebrew for "may he give another" and "he has taken away."]
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.