Genesis 30:1-7

1 cernens autem Rahel quod infecunda esset invidit sorori et ait marito suo da mihi liberos alioquin moriar
2 cui iratus respondit Iacob num pro Deo ego sum qui privavit te fructu ventris tui
3 at illa habeo inquit famulam Balam ingredere ad eam ut pariat super genua mea et habeam ex ea filios
4 deditque illi Balam in coniugium quae
5 ingresso ad se viro concepit et peperit filium
6 dixitque Rahel iudicavit mihi Dominus et exaudivit vocem meam dans mihi filium et idcirco appellavit nomen illius Dan
7 rursumque Bala concipiens peperit alterum

Genesis 30:1-7 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.

The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.