Genesi 30:1-9

1 E Rachele, veggendo che non faceva figliuoli a Giacobbe, portò invidia alla sua sorella; e disse a Giacobbe: Dammi de’ figliuoli; altrimenti io son morta.

2 E Giacobbe s’accesse in ira contro a Rachele, e disse: Sono io in luogo di Dio, il qual t’ha dinegato il frutto del ventre?

3 Ed ella disse: Ecco Bilha, mia serva; entra da lei ed ella partorirà sopra le mie ginocchia, ed io ancora avrò progenie da lei.

4 Ed ella diede a Giacobbe Bilha, sua serva, per moglie, ed egli entrò da lei.

5 E Bilha concepette, e partorì un figliuolo a Giacobbe.

6 E Rachele disse: Iddio mi ha fatto ragione, ed ha eziandio ascoltata la mia voce, e mi ha dato un figliuolo; perciò ella gli pose nome Dan.

7 E Bilha, serva di Rachele, concepette ancora, e partorì un secondo figliuolo a Giacobbe.

8 E Rachele disse: Io ho lottate le lotte di Dio con la mia sorella; ed anche ho vinto; perciò pose nome a quel figliuolo Neftali.

9 E Lea, veggendo ch’era restata di partorire, prese Zilpa, sua serva, e la diede a Giacobbe per moglie.

Genesi 30:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 30

This chapter gives an account of Rachel's envy of her sister for her fruitfulness, and of her earnest desire of having children, which she expressed to Jacob in an unbecoming manner, for which he reproved her, Ge 30:1,2, of her giving her maid Bilhah to Jacob, by whom he had two sons, Dan and Naphtali, Ge 30:3-8; and of Leah's giving her maid Zilpah to him, by whom he had two other sons, Gad and Asher, Ge 30:9-13; and of Reuben's mandrakes he found in the field, and the agreement made between Rachel and Leah about them, Ge 30:14-16; and of Leah's bearing Jacob two more sons and one daughter, Ge 30:17-21, and of Rachel's also bearing him a son, whose name was Joseph, Ge 30:22-24; upon which he desires leave of Laban to depart into his own country, his time of servitude being up, Ge 30:25,26; which brought on a new agreement between him and Laban, that for the future he should have all the speckled, spotted, and brown cattle for his service, Ge 30:27-36; and the chapter is concluded with an account of a cunning scheme of Jacob's to increase that sort of cattle, which succeeded, and by which he became rich, Ge 30:37-43.