Genesis 30:12-22

12 peperit quoque Zelpha alterum
13 dixitque Lia hoc pro beatitudine mea beatam quippe me dicent mulieres propterea appellavit eum Aser
14 egressus autem Ruben tempore messis triticeae in agro repperit mandragoras quos matri Liae detulit dixitque Rahel da mihi partem de mandragoris filii tui
15 illa respondit parumne tibi videtur quod praeripueris maritum mihi nisi etiam mandragoras filii mei tuleris ait Rahel dormiat tecum hac nocte pro mandragoris filii tui
16 redeuntique ad vesperam de agro Iacob egressa est in occursum Lia et ad me inquit intrabis quia mercede conduxi te pro mandragoris filii mei dormivit cum ea nocte illa
17 et exaudivit Deus preces eius concepitque et peperit filium quintum
18 et ait dedit Deus mercedem mihi quia dedi ancillam meam viro meo appellavitque nomen illius Isachar
19 rursum Lia concipiens peperit sextum filium
20 et ait ditavit me Deus dote bona etiam hac vice mecum erit maritus meus eo quod genuerim ei sex filios et idcirco appellavit nomen eius Zabulon
21 post quem peperit filiam nomine Dinam
22 recordatus quoque Dominus Rahelis exaudivit eam et aperuit vulvam illius

Genesis 30:12-22 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.