Genesis 30:1-18 ▼

1 When Rachel (little lamb) saw that she was not bearing any children for Jacob (he grasps the heel), she envied her sister. “Give me children, or I will die!” she said to Jacob.

2 Jacob (he grasps the heel) became angry with Rachel (little lamb) and said, “Am I in the place of God {Elohim}, who has withheld children from you?”

3 Then she said, “Here is my maidservant Bilhah (troubled). Sleep with her, that she may bear children for me \bear children on my knees/, so that through her I too can build a family.”

4 So Rachel gave Jacob her servant Bilhah (troubled) as a wife, and he (he grasps the heel) slept with her,

5 and Bilhah (troubled) conceived and bore him (he grasps the heel) a son.

6 Then Rachel (little lamb) said, “God {Elohim} has vindicated me; He has heard my plea and given me a son.” So she named him Dan (He has judged).

7 And Rachel’s (little lamb) servant Bilhah (troubled) conceived again and bore Jacob (he grasps the heel) a second son.

8 Then Rachel (little lamb) said, “In my great struggles, I have wrestled with my sister and won.” So she named him Naphtali (wrestling).

9 When Leah (weary) saw that she had stopped having children, she gave her servant Zilpah (a trickling) to Jacob (he grasps the heel) as a wife.

10 And Leah’s (weary) servant Zilpah (a trickling) bore Jacob (he grasps the heel) a son.

11 Then Leah (weary) said, “How fortunate [A troop is coming]!” So she named him Gad (band of raiders).

12 When Leah’s (weary) servant Zilpah (a trickling) bore Jacob (he grasps the heel) a second son,

13 Leah (weary) said, “How happy I am! For the women call me happy.” So she named him Asher (happy).

14 Now during the wheat harvest, Reuben (behold a son) went out and found some mandrakes in the field. When he brought them to his mother, Rachel (little lamb) begged Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”

15 But Leah replied, “Is it not enough that you have taken away my husband? Now you want to take my son’s mandrakes as well?” “Very well,” said Rachel (little lamb), “he may sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.”

16 When Jacob (he grasps the heel) came in from the field that evening, Leah (weary) went out to meet him and said, “You must come with me, for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he slept with her that night.

17 And God {Elohim} listened to Leah (weary), and she conceived and bore a fifth son to Jacob (he grasps the heel).

18 Then Leah (weary) said, “God {Elohim} has rewarded me for giving my maidservant to my husband.” So she named him Issachar (reward).