Genesis 30:16

16 Ya`akov came from the field in the evening, and Le'ah went out to meet him, and said, "You must come in to me; for I have surely hired you with my son's dudaim." He lay with her that night.

Genesis 30:16 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 30:16

And Jacob came out of the field in the evening
From feeding his flocks; and Leah went out to meet him;
knowing full well the time he used to come home: and said, thou must come in unto me;
into her tent, for the women had separate tents from the men; as Sarah from Abraham; and so these wives of Jacob had not only tents separate from his, but from one another: for surely I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes:
that is, she had hired that night's lodging with him of Rachel, with the mandrakes her son Reuben had brought out of the field. Jacob made no objection to it; but consented, being willing to please both his wives, who he perceived had made this agreement between themselves: and he lay with her that night;
and that only, for the present: for, by the way of speaking, it looks as if he did not continue with her more nights together at that time, but went, as before that evening, to Rachel's tent.

Genesis 30:16 In-Context

14 Re'uven went in the days of wheat harvest, and found dudaim in the field, and brought them to his mother, Le'ah. Then Rachel said to Le'ah, "Please give me some of your son's dudaim."
15 She said to her, "Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son's dudaim, also?" Rachel said, "Therefore he will lie with you tonight for your son's dudaim."
16 Ya`akov came from the field in the evening, and Le'ah went out to meet him, and said, "You must come in to me; for I have surely hired you with my son's dudaim." He lay with her that night.
17 God listened to Le'ah, and she conceived, and bore Ya`akov a fifth son.
18 Le'ah said, "God has given me my hire, because I gave my handmaid to my husband." She named him Yissakhar.
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.