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Genesis 30
Expanded Bible
Genesis 30
Expanded Bible
30 When Rachel saw that she was not having children for Jacob, she ·envied [was jealous of] her sister Leah. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!” 2 Jacob became angry with her and said, “·Can I do what only God can do [L Am I in the place of God]? He ·is the one who has kept you from having children [L has withheld the fruit of your womb].”
3 Then Rachel said, “Here is my slave girl Bilhah. ·Have sexual relations with [L Go to] her so she can ·give birth to a child for me [L bear a child on my knees]. Then I can ·have my own family [L be built up] through her.”
4 So Rachel gave Bilhah, her slave girl, to Jacob as a ·wife [or concubine], and he ·had sexual relations with [L went to] her. 5 Bilhah ·became pregnant [conceived] and gave Jacob a son. 6 Rachel said, “God has ·judged me innocent [vindicated me]. He has listened to my prayer and has given me a son,” so she named him Dan [C sounds like “he has judged” in Hebrew].
7 Bilhah ·became pregnant [conceived] again and gave Jacob a second son. 8 Rachel said, “I have ·struggled [or wrestled] hard with my sister, and I have won.” So she named that son Naphtali [C sounds like “my struggle/wrestling” in Hebrew].
9 Leah saw that she had stopped having children, so she gave her slave girl Zilpah to Jacob as a ·wife [or concubine]. 10 When Zilpah, the slave girl of Leah, ·got pregnant [conceived] and had a son, 11 Leah said, “·I am lucky [Good fortune],” so she named him Gad [C sounds like “lucky” in Hebrew]. 12 Zilpah, the slave girl of Leah, gave birth to another son, 13 and Leah said, “I am very ·happy [or blessed]! Now women will call me ·happy [or blessed],” so she named him Asher [C sounds like “happy/blessed” in Hebrew].
14 During the wheat harvest Reuben went into the field and found some mandrake plants [C an aphrodisiac, also thought to increase fertility] and brought them to his mother Leah. But Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”
15 Leah answered, “·You have already [L Is it a minor matter that you have] taken away my husband, and now you are trying to take away my son’s mandrakes.”
But Rachel answered, “If you will give me your son’s mandrakes, you may ·sleep [L lie] with Jacob tonight.”
16 When Jacob came in from the field ·that night [in the evening], Leah went out to meet him. She said, “You will ·have sexual relations with [L come to] me tonight because I have ·paid for [bought; hired] you with my son’s mandrakes.” So Jacob ·slept [L lay] with her that night.
17 Then God ·answered Leah’s prayer [L heard Leah], and she ·became pregnant [L conceived] again. She gave birth to a fifth son 18 and said, “God has given me what I ·paid for [bought; hired], because I gave my slave girl to my husband.” So Leah named her son Issachar [C sounds like “paid for” in Hebrew].
19 Leah ·became pregnant [conceived] again and gave birth to a sixth son. 20 ·She [L Leah] said, “God has given me a fine ·gift [dowry]. Now surely Jacob will ·honor [exalt] me, because I have given him six sons,” so she named him Zebulun [C sounds like “honor” in Hebrew]. 21 Later Leah gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah [ch. 34].
22 Then God remembered Rachel and ·answered her prayer [L heard her], ·making it possible for her to have children [L and opened her womb]. 23 When she ·became pregnant [conceived] and gave birth to a son, she said, “God has taken away my ·shame [reproach],” 24 and she named him Joseph [C sounds like “he adds” in Hebrew]. Rachel said, “I wish the Lord would ·give [L add to] me another son.”
Jacob Tricks Laban
25 ·After the birth of [At the time that Rachel gave birth to] Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Now ·let me [L send me away that I might] go to my own home and country. 26 Give me my wives and my children and let me go. I have earned them by working for you, and you know that I have served you well.”
27 Laban said to him, “If I have ·pleased you [L found grace in your eyes], please stay. I ·know [or have learned by divination that] the Lord has blessed me because of you. 28 ·Tell me what I should pay you [Name your price], and I will give it to you.”
29 Jacob answered, “You know that I have worked hard for you, and [L how] your ·flocks [herds; or cattle] have ·grown while I cared for them [L have done with me]. 30 When I came, you had little, but now you have ·much [L increased many times]. ·Every time I did something for you [Wherever I turned; L At my feet], the Lord blessed you. But when will I be able to do something for my own ·family [household; L house]?”
31 Laban asked, “Then what should I give you?”
Jacob answered, “I don’t want you to give me anything. Just do this one thing, and I will come back and ·take care of [L feed and watch] your flocks. 32 Today let me ·go [pass] through all your flocks. I will ·take [remove] every speckled or spotted sheep, every black lamb, and every spotted or speckled goat. That will be my ·pay [wage; hire]. 33 In the future ·you can easily see if I am honest [L my honesty/righteousness will answer for me]. When you come to look at my flocks, if I have any goat that isn’t speckled or spotted or any lamb that isn’t black, you will know I stole it.”
34 Laban answered, “Agreed! We will do what you ·ask [L say].” 35 But that day Laban ·took away [removed] all the male goats that had streaks or spots, all the speckled and spotted female goats (all those that had white on them), and all the black sheep. He told his sons to ·watch over [take charge of] them. 36 Then he took these animals to a place that was three days’ journey away from Jacob. Jacob ·took care of [pastured] all the flocks that were left.
37 So Jacob cut ·green [fresh] ·branches [rods] from poplar, almond, and plane trees and peeled off some of the bark so that the ·branches [rods] had white stripes on them. 38 He put the ·branches [rods] in front of the flocks at the watering ·places [troughs]. When the animals came to drink, they ·also mated there [L were in heat], 39 so the flocks mated in front of the branches [rods]. Then the young that were born were streaked, speckled, or spotted [C since nothing in Jacob’s strategy would have produced this result, God must have done it]. 40 Jacob separated the young animals from the others, and he made them face the streaked and dark animals in Laban’s flock. Jacob kept his animals separate from Laban’s. 41 When the stronger animals in the flock were ·mating [L in heat], Jacob put the ·branches [rods] before their eyes so they would mate near the branches. 42 But when the ·weaker [feebler] animals ·mated [L were in heat], Jacob did not put the ·branches [rods] there. So the animals born from the ·weaker [feebler] animals were Laban’s, and those born from the stronger animals were Jacob’s. 43 In this way ·Jacob [L the man] became very rich. He had large flocks, many male and female servants, camels, and donkeys.
Genesis 30
New International Version
Genesis 30
New International Version
30 When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children,(A) she became jealous of her sister.(B) So she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!”
2 Jacob became angry with her and said, “Am I in the place of God,(C) who has kept you from having children?”(D)
3 Then she said, “Here is Bilhah,(E) my servant.(F) Sleep with her so that she can bear children for me and I too can build a family through her.”(G)
4 So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife.(H) Jacob slept with her,(I) 5 and she became pregnant and bore him a son. 6 Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me;(J) he has listened to my plea and given me a son.”(K) Because of this she named him Dan.[a](L)
7 Rachel’s servant Bilhah(M) conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Then Rachel said, “I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.”(N) So she named him Naphtali.[b](O)
9 When Leah(P) saw that she had stopped having children,(Q) she took her servant Zilpah(R) and gave her to Jacob as a wife.(S) 10 Leah’s servant Zilpah(T) bore Jacob a son. 11 Then Leah said, “What good fortune!”[c] So she named him Gad.[d](U)
12 Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 Then Leah said, “How happy I am! The women will call me(V) happy.”(W) So she named him Asher.[e](X)
14 During wheat harvest,(Y) Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants,(Z) which he brought to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”
15 But she said to her, “Wasn’t it enough(AA) that you took away my husband? Will you take my son’s mandrakes too?”
“Very well,” Rachel said, “he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.”(AB)
16 So when Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. “You must sleep with me,” she said. “I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.”(AC) So he slept with her that night.
17 God listened to Leah,(AD) and she became pregnant and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Then Leah said, “God has rewarded me for giving my servant to my husband.”(AE) So she named him Issachar.[f](AF)
19 Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 Then Leah said, “God has presented me with a precious gift. This time my husband will treat me with honor,(AG) because I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun.[g](AH)
21 Some time later she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.(AI)
22 Then God remembered Rachel;(AJ) he listened to her(AK) and enabled her to conceive.(AL) 23 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son(AM) and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.”(AN) 24 She named him Joseph,[h](AO) and said, “May the Lord add to me another son.”(AP)
Jacob’s Flocks Increase
25 After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me on my way(AQ) so I can go back to my own homeland.(AR) 26 Give me my wives and children, for whom I have served you,(AS) and I will be on my way. You know how much work I’ve done for you.”
27 But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes,(AT) please stay. I have learned by divination(AU) that the Lord has blessed me because of you.”(AV) 28 He added, “Name your wages,(AW) and I will pay them.”
29 Jacob said to him, “You know how I have worked for you(AX) and how your livestock has fared under my care.(AY) 30 The little you had before I came has increased greatly, and the Lord has blessed you wherever I have been.(AZ) But now, when may I do something for my own household?(BA)”
31 “What shall I give you?” he asked.
“Don’t give me anything,” Jacob replied. “But if you will do this one thing for me, I will go on tending your flocks and watching over them: 32 Let me go through all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb and every spotted or speckled goat.(BB) They will be my wages.(BC) 33 And my honesty will testify for me in the future, whenever you check on the wages you have paid me. Any goat in my possession that is not speckled or spotted, or any lamb that is not dark-colored,(BD) will be considered stolen.(BE)”
34 “Agreed,” said Laban. “Let it be as you have said.” 35 That same day he removed all the male goats that were streaked or spotted, and all the speckled or spotted female goats (all that had white on them) and all the dark-colored lambs,(BF) and he placed them in the care of his sons.(BG) 36 Then he put a three-day journey(BH) between himself and Jacob, while Jacob continued to tend the rest of Laban’s flocks.
37 Jacob, however, took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond(BI) and plane trees(BJ) and made white stripes on them by peeling the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches.(BK) 38 Then he placed the peeled branches(BL) in all the watering troughs,(BM) so that they would be directly in front of the flocks when they came to drink. When the flocks were in heat(BN) and came to drink, 39 they mated in front of the branches.(BO) And they bore young that were streaked or speckled or spotted.(BP) 40 Jacob set apart the young of the flock by themselves, but made the rest face the streaked and dark-colored animals(BQ) that belonged to Laban. Thus he made separate flocks for himself and did not put them with Laban’s animals. 41 Whenever the stronger females were in heat,(BR) Jacob would place the branches in the troughs in front of the animals so they would mate near the branches,(BS) 42 but if the animals were weak, he would not place them there. So the weak animals went to Laban and the strong ones to Jacob.(BT) 43 In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.(BU)
Footnotes
- Genesis 30:6 Dan here means he has vindicated.
- Genesis 30:8 Naphtali means my struggle.
- Genesis 30:11 Or “A troop is coming!”
- Genesis 30:11 Gad can mean good fortune or a troop.
- Genesis 30:13 Asher means happy.
- Genesis 30:18 Issachar sounds like the Hebrew for reward.
- Genesis 30:20 Zebulun probably means honor.
- Genesis 30:24 Joseph means may he add.
Genesis 30
King James Version
Genesis 30
King James Version
30 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.
2 And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?
3 And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.
4 And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her.
5 And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son.
6 And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan.
7 And Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son.
8 And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.
9 When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.
10 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son.
11 And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.
12 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son.
13 And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher.
14 And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's mandrakes.
15 And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son's mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son's mandrakes.
16 And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night.
17 And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son.
18 And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar.
19 And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son.
20 And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun.
21 And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah.
22 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.
23 And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach:
24 And she called his name Joseph; and said, The Lord shall add to me another son.
25 And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.
26 Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee.
27 And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake.
28 And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.
29 And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me.
30 For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the Lord hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?
31 And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock.
32 I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.
33 So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me.
34 And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.
35 And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.
36 And he set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.
37 And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.
38 And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.
39 And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted.
40 And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban's cattle.
41 And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.
42 But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's.
43 And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.
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