Genesis 30:24

24 and she called his name Joseph, and said, The Lord give to me another son. (and she said, May the Lord give me another son/The Lord hath given me another son, and she named him Joseph.)

Genesis 30:24 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 30:24

And she called his name Joseph
Which signifies "adding", or rather, "to be added"; or, "God shall add", giving this reason for it; and said, the Lord shall add to me another son:
which is expressive of strong faith; that as she had begun to bear children, she should bear another, as she did; though some read the words as a wish or prayer, "may the Lord", or, "and that the Lord would add" ^F8; but our version seems best: the name Joseph is composed of two words, one which signifies to gather or take away, used in ( Genesis 30:23 ) , and another which signifies to add; and so has respect to the Lord's taking away her reproach, and adding to her another son: Melo, an Heathen writer, makes mention of Joseph by name, as Polyhistor ^F9 relates, and makes him the twelfth and last son of Abraham, whereas he was the eleventh of Jacob. He was born, as the Jews say ^F11, the twenty seventh of Tammuz or June, and lived one hundred and ten years.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 (Poy) "addat", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
F9 Apud. Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 19. p. 421.
F11 Shalshal. ibid.

Genesis 30:24 In-Context

22 Also the Lord had mind on Rachel, and he heard her, and opened her womb. (And the Lord remembered Rachel, and he heard her prayers and pleadings, and opened her womb.)

23 And she conceived, and childed a son, and said, God hath (now) taken away my shame;

24 and she called his name Joseph, and said, The Lord give to me another son. (and she said, May the Lord give me another son/The Lord hath given me another son, and she named him Joseph.)

25 Soothly when Joseph was born, Jacob said to his wife's father, Deliver thou me, that I turn again to my country, and to my land. (And when Joseph was born, Jacob said to his wife's father, Let me go, so that I can return to my country, and my land.)

26 Give thou to me my wives, and my free children, for which I have served thee, that I go (Give thou to me my wives, and my children, for whom I have served thee, so that I can go); forsooth thou knowest the service by which I have served thee.