Bereshis 30:24

24 And she called shmo Yosef; and said, yosef (may He add), may Hashem add me ben acher (another son).

Bereshis 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.

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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.

Bereshis 30:24 In-Context

22 And Elohim remembered Rachel, and Elohim paid heed to her, and opened her rekhem (womb).

23 And she conceived, and bore ben; and said, Elohim hath taken away my cherpah (shame, disgrace, reproach);

24 And she called shmo Yosef; and said, yosef (may He add), may Hashem add me ben acher (another son).

25 And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Yosef, that Ya’akov said unto Lavan, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own makom (place, home) and to my eretz.

26 Give me my nashim and my yeladim, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my avodah which I have done thee.