Bereshis 30:17

17 And Elohim paid heed unto Leah, and she conceived, and bore Ya’akov ben chamishi.

Bereshis 30:17 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 30:17

And God hearkened unto Leah
To the prayer of Leah, as the Targum of Jonathan, for more children: the desire of these good women for the company of their husband was not from lust, or an amorous desire in them, but for the sake of having many children, as appears by giving their maids to him; and the reason of this was, as Bishop Patrick well observes, that the promise made to Abraham of the multiplication of his seed, and of the Messiah springing from thence, might be fulfilled; and is the true reason of Moses's taking such particular notice of those things, which might seem below the dignity of such a sacred history: and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son;
the fifth he had by her, but the ninth in all, that were born unto him.

Bereshis 30:17 In-Context

15 And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my ish? And wouldest thou take away the duda’im of beni also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee halailah (tonight) for the duda’im of thy ben.

16 And Ya’akov came in from the sadeh ba’erev, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with duda’im of beni. And he lay with her that night.

17 And Elohim paid heed unto Leah, and she conceived, and bore Ya’akov ben chamishi.

18 And Leah said, Elohim hath given me my hire, because I have given my shifchah to my ish; and she called shmo Yissakhar.

19 And Leah conceived again, and bore Ya’akov ben shishi.