Genesis 30:6

6 Rachel said, "God has judged in my favor. He has heard my prayer and has given me a son"; so she named him Dan.

Genesis 30:6 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 30:6

And Rachel said
As soon as she heard that Bilhah had bore a son: God hath judged me:
and hereby testified his approbation, as she understood it, of the step she had took in giving her maid to her husband, and she was justified in what she had done: and hath also heard my voice:
of prayer; she had prayed to God that her maid might have a child, or she have one by her: and hath given me a son;
whom she reckoned her own, Bilhah being her servant, and so her children born of her, hers; or whom she adopted and called her own, and therefore took upon her to give it a name, as follows: and here let it be observed, that she looked upon this child as a gift of God, as the fruit of prayer, and as in mercy to her, God dealing graciously with her, and taking her part, and judging righteous judgment: therefore called she his name Dan;
which signifies "judgment"; the reason of it lies in the first clause of the verse.

Genesis 30:6 In-Context

4 So she gave Bilhah to her husband, and he had intercourse with her.
5 Bilhah became pregnant and bore Jacob a son.
6 Rachel said, "God has judged in my favor. He has heard my prayer and has given me a son"; so she named him Dan.
7 Bilhah became pregnant again and bore Jacob a second son.
8 Rachel said, "I have fought a hard fight with my sister, but I have won"; so she named him Naphtali.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. dan: [This name sounds like the Hebrew for "judge in favor."]
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.