Genesis 30:1-21 ▼

1 And Rachel seeth that she hath not borne to Jacob, and Rachel is envious of her sister, and saith unto Jacob, 'Give me sons, and if there is none -- I die.'

2 And Jacob's anger burneth against Rachel, and he saith, 'Am I in stead of God who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?'

3 And she saith, 'Lo, my handmaid Bilhah, go in unto her, and she doth bear on my knees, and I am built up, even I, from her;'

4 and she giveth to him Bilhah her maid-servant for a wife, and Jacob goeth in unto her;

5 and Bilhah conceiveth, and beareth to Jacob a son,

6 and Rachel saith, 'God hath decided for me, and also hath hearkened to my voice, and giveth to me a son;' therefore hath she called his name Dan.

7 And Bilhah, Rachel's maid-servant, conceiveth again, and beareth a second son to Jacob,

8 and Rachel saith, 'With wrestlings of God I have wrestled with my sister, yea, I have prevailed;' and she calleth his name Napthali.

9 And Leah seeth that she hath ceased from bearing, and she taketh Zilpah her maid-servant, and giveth her to Jacob for a wife;

10 and Zilpah, Leah's maid-servant, beareth to Jacob a son,

11 and Leah saith, 'A troop is coming;' and she calleth his name Gad.

12 And Zilpah, Leah's maid-servant, beareth a second son to Jacob,

13 and Leah saith, 'Because of my happiness, for daughters have pronounced me happy;' and she calleth his name Asher.

14 And Reuben goeth in the days of wheat-harvest, and findeth love-apples in the field, and bringeth them in unto Leah, his mother, and Rachel saith unto Leah, 'Give to me, I pray thee, of the love-apples of thy son.'

15 And she saith to her, 'Is thy taking my husband a little thing, that thou hast taken also the love-apples of my son?' and Rachel saith, 'Therefore doth he lie with thee to-night, for thy son's love-apples.'

16 And Jacob cometh in from the field at evening; and Leah goeth to meet him, and saith, 'Unto me dost thou come in, for hiring I have hired thee with my son's love-apples;' and he lieth with her during that night.

17 And God hearkeneth unto Leah, and she conceiveth, and beareth to Jacob a son, a fifth,

18 and Leah saith, 'God hath given my hire, because I have given my maid-servant to my husband;' and she calleth his name Issachar.

19 And conceive again doth Leah, and she beareth a sixth son to Jacob,

20 and Leah saith, 'God hath endowed me -- a good dowry; this time doth my husband dwell with me, for I have borne to him six sons;' and she calleth his name Zebulun;

21 and afterwards hath she born a daughter, and calleth her name Dinah.