Rachel & Leah 12/9/2015

Genesis 30:1-13

30:1 When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!” 2 Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” 3 Then she said, “Here is my servant Bilhah; go in to her, so that she may give birth on my behalf,¹ that even I may have children² through her.” 4 So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her. 5 And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. 6 Then Rachel said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan.³ 7 Rachel’s servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Then Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings⁴ I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed.” So she called his name Naphtali.⁵

9 When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 Then Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 And Leah said, “Good fortune has come!” so she called his name Gad.⁶ 12 Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 And Leah said, “Happy am I! For women have called me happy.” So she called his name Asher.⁷

Footnotes

[1] 30:3 Hebrew on my knees

[2] 30:3 Hebrew be built up, which sounds like the Hebrew for children

[3] 30:6 Dan sounds like the Hebrew for judged

[4] 30:8 Hebrew With wrestlings of God

[5] 30:8 Naphtali sounds like the Hebrew for wrestling

[6] 30:11 Gad sounds like the Hebrew for good fortune

[7] 30:13 Asher sounds like the Hebrew for happy

(ESV)