Genesis 30:2-12

2 And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, Am I in God's stead, who has withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?
3 And she said, Behold, there is my maid, Bilhah: go in to her, in order that she may bear on my knees, and I may also be built up by her.
4 And she gave him Bilhah her maidservant as wife, and Jacob went in to her.
5 And Bilhah conceived, and bore Jacob a son.
6 And Rachel said, God has done me justice, and has also heard my voice, and given me a son; therefore she called his name Dan.
7 And Bilhah Rachel's maidservant again conceived, and bore Jacob a second son.
8 And Rachel said, Wrestlings of God have I wrestled with my sister, and have prevailed; and she called his name Naphtali.
9 And when Leah saw that she had ceased to bear, she took Zilpah her maidservant and gave her to Jacob as wife.
10 And Zilpah Leah's maidservant bore Jacob a son.
11 And Leah said, Fortunately! and she called his name Gad.
12 And Zilpah Leah's maidservant bore Jacob a second son.

Genesis 30:2-12 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.

Footnotes 3

The Darby Translation is in the public domain.