1. 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 nowincreased 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 suchshall 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, andevery 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.

1. And when Rachel saw that shee bare Iacob no children, Rachel enuied her sister, and said vnto Iacob, Giue mee children, or els I die.

2. And Iacobs anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, Am I in Gods stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the wombe?

3. And she said, Behold my mayde Bilhah: goe in vnto her, and she shall beare vpon my knees, that I may also have children by her.

4. And shee gaue him Bilhah her handmayd to wife: and Iacob went in vnto her.

5. And Bilhah conceiued and bare Iacob a sonne.

6. And Rachel said, God hath iudged me, and hath also heard my voyce, and hath giuen me a sonne; therefore called she his name Dan.

7. And Bilhah Rachels mayd conceiued againe, and bare Iacob a second sonne.

8. And Rachel saide, With great wrastlings haue I wrastled with my sister, and I haue preuailed: and she called his name Naphtali.

9. When Leah saw that she had left bearing, shee tooke Zilpah her mayde, and gaue her Iacob to wife.

10. And Zilpah Leahs mayde bare Iacob a sonne.

11. And Leah said, A troupe commeth: and she called his name Gad.

12. And Zilpah Leahs mayde bare Iacob a second sonne.

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 dayes of wheat haruest, & found Mandrakes in the field, and brought them vnto his mother Leah. Then Rachel saide to Leah, Giue me, I pray thee, of thy sonnes Mandrakes.

15. And shee said vnto her, Is it a small matter, that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldst thou take away my sonnes Mandrakes also? and Rachel said, Therefore hee shall lye with thee to night, for thy sonnes Mandrakes.

16. And Iacob came out of the field in the euening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in vnto mee: for surely I haue hired thee with my sonnes Mandrakes. And hee lay with her that night.

17. And God hearkened vnto Leah, and she conceiued, and bare Iacob the fift sonne.

18. And Leah said, God hath giuen mee my hire, because I haue giuen my mayden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar.

19. And Leah conceiued againe, and bare Iacob the sixth sonne.

20. And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry: Now will my husband dwel with me, because I haue borne him sixe sonnes: and shee called his name Zebulun.

21. And afterwardes shee bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah.

22. And God remembred Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her wombe.

23. And shee conceiued and bare a sonne, and said; God hath taken away my reproch:

24. And shee called his name Ioseph, and saide, The LORD shall adde to me another sonne.

25. And it came to passe when Rachel had borne Ioseph, that Iacob said vnto Laban, Send me away, that I may goe vnto mine owne place, and to my countrey.

26. Giue mee my wiues and my children, for whom I haue serued thee, and let me goe: for thou knowest my seruice which I haue done thee.

27. And Laban said vnto him, I pray thee, if I haue found fauour in thine eyes, tary: for I haue learned by experience, that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake.

28. And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will giue it.

29. And hee said vnto him, Thou knowest how I haue serued thee, and how thy cattell was with me.

30. For it was little which thou hadst before I came; and it is now increased vnto a multitude; and the LORD hath blessed thee since my comming: and now when shall I prouide for mine owne house also?

31. And hee said, what shall I giue thee? and Iacob said, Thou shalt not giue me any thing; if thou wilt doe this thing for mee, I will againe feed and keepe thy flocke.

32. I will passe through all thy flocke to day, remoouing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattell: and all the browne cattell among the sheepe, and the spotted and speckled among the goates, and of such shalbe my hire.

33. So shall my righteousnesse answere for mee in time to come, when it shall come for my hire, before thy face: euery one that is not speckled and spotted amongst the goates, and browne amongst the sheepe, that shalbe counted stollen with me.

34. And Laban saide, Beholde, I would it might bee according to thy word.

35. And he remoued that day the hee goates that were ring-straked, and spotted, and all the shee goats that were speckled and spotted, and euery one that had some white in it, and all the browne amongst the sheepe, and gaue them into the hand of his sonnes.

36. And hee set three dayes iourney betwixt himselfe and Iacob: and Iacob fed the rest of Labans flocks.

37. And Iacob tooke him rods of greene poplar, and of the hasel and chesnut tree, and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appeare which was in the rods.

38. And he set the rods which he had pilled, before the flockes in the gutters in the watering troughes when the flocks came to drinke, that they should conceiue when they came to drinke.

39. And the flockes conceiued before the rods, and brought forth cattell ringstraked, speckled and spotted.

40. And Iacob did separate the lambes, and set the faces of the flockes toward the ring-straked, and all the browne in the flocke of Laban: and he put his owne flocks by themselues, and put them not vnto Labans cattell.

41. And it came to passe whensoeuer the stronger cattell did conceiue, that Iacob layd the rods before the eyes of the cattell in the gutters, that they might conceiue among the rods.

42. But when the cattel were feeble, hee put them not in: so the feebler were Labans, and the stronger Iacobs.

43. And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattell, and maydseruants, and men seruants, and camels, and asses

I == Gen 29:31 ; 37:11 ; Job 5:2

 

II == Gen 16:2 ; 1st Sam 1:5

 

 

III == Gen 16:2 ; 50:23 ; Jobe 3:12

 

IV == Gen 16:3 ; 35:22

 

 

VI == Ps 35:24 ; 43:1 ; Lam 3:59

 

 

VIII == Matt 4:13

 

 

 

 

IX == Gen 30:4

 

 

 

XI == Isa 65:11

 

 

 

XIII == Prov 31:28 ; Luke 1:48

XIV == Gen 25:30

 

 

 

XV == Num 16:9 , 13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XX == Matt 4:13

 

 

 

 

 

XXII == Gen 8:1 ; 29:31 ; 1st Sam 1:19

XXIII == 1st Sam 1:6 ; Isa 4:1 ; Luke 1:25

XXIV == Gen 35:17

 

XXV == Gen 18:33 ; 24:54 , 56 ; 31:55

 

XXVI == Gen 29:20 , 30

 

 

XXVII == Gen 26:24 ; 39:3 , 5

 

 

XXVIII == Gen 29:15

XXIX ==Gen 31:6 , 38-40 ; Matt 24:45 ; Titus 2:10

XXX == Gen 30:43 ; 1st Tim 5:8

XXXII == Gen 31:8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXXIII == Ex 13:14 ; Ps 37:6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXXVII == Gen 31:9-12

 

 

 

 

 

XLIII == Gen 13:2 ; 24:35 ; 26:13-14 ; 30:30

 

1 When Rachel saw that she failed to bear children to Jacob, she became envious of her sister. She said to Jacob, "Give me children or I shall die!"

2 In anger Jacob retorted, "Can I take the place of God, who has denied you the fruit of the womb?"

3 She replied, "Here is my maidservant Bilhah. Have intercourse with her, and let her give birth on my knees, so that I too may have offspring, at least through her."

4 So she gave him her maidservant Bilhah as a consort, and Jacob had intercourse with her.

5 When Bilhah conceived and bore a son,

6 Rachel said, "God has vindicated me; indeed he has heeded my plea and given me a son." Therefore she named him Dan.

7 Rachel's maidservant Bilhah conceived again and bore a second son,

8 and Rachel said, "I engaged in a fateful struggle with my sister, and I prevailed." So she named him Naphtali.

9 When Leah saw that she had ceased to bear children, she gave her maidservant Zilpah to Jacob as a consort.

10 So Jacob had intercourse with Zilpah, and she conceived and bore a son.

11 Leah then said, "What good luck!" So she named him Gad.

12 Then Leah's maidservant Zilpah bore a second son to Jacob;

13 and Leah said, "What good fortune!" - meaning, "Women call me fortunate." So she named him Asher

14 One day, during the wheat harvest, when Reuben was out in the field, he came upon some mandrakes which he brought home to his mother Leah. Rachel asked Leah, "Please let me have some of your son's mandrakes."

15 Leah replied, "Was it not enough for you to take away my husband, that you must now take my son's mandrakes too?" "Very well, then!" Rachel answered. "In exchange for your son's mandrakes, Jacob may lie with you tonight."

16 That evening, when Jacob came home from the fields, Leah went out to meet him. "You are now to come in with me," she told him, "because I have paid for you with my son's mandrakes." So that night he slept with her,

17 and God heard her prayer; she conceived and bore a fifth son to Jacob.

18 Leah then said, "God has given me my reward for having let my husband have my maidservant"; so she named him Issachar.

19 Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son to Jacob;

20 and she said, "God has brought me a precious gift. This time my husband will offer me presents, now that I have borne him six sons"; so she named him Zebulun.

21 Finally, she gave birth to a daughter, and she named her Dinah.

22 Then God remembered Rachel; he heard her prayer and made her fruitful.

23 She conceived and bore a son, and she said, "God has removed my disgrace."

24 So she named him Joseph, meaning, "May the LORD add another son to this one for me!"

25 After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban: "Give me leave to go to my homeland.

26 Let me have my wives, for whom I served you, and my children, too, that I may depart. You know very well the service that I have rendered you."

27 Laban answered him: "If you will please..."I have learned through divination that it is because of you that God has blessed me.

28 So," he continued, "state what wages you want from me, and I will pay them."

29 Jacob replied: "You know what work I did for you and how well your livestock fared under my care;

30 the little you had before I came has grown into very much, since the LORD'S blessings came upon you in my company. Therefore I should now do something for my own household as well."

31 "What should I pay you?" Laban asked. Jacob answered: "You do not have to pay me anything outright. I will again pasture and tend your flock, if you do this one thing for me:

32 go through your whole flock today and remove from it every dark animal among the sheep and every spotted or speckled one among the goats. Only such animals shall be my wages.

33 In the future, whenever you check on these wages of mine, let my honesty testify against me: any animal in my possession that is not a speckled or spotted goat, or a dark sheep, got there by theft!"

34 "Very well," agreed Laban. "Let it be as you say."

35 That same day Laban removed the streaked and spotted he-goats and all the speckled and spotted she-goats, all those with some white on them, as well as the fully dark-colored sheep; these he left. . . in charge of his sons.

36 Then he put a three days' journey between himself and Jacob, while Jacob continued to pasture the rest of Laban's flock.

37 Jacob, however, got some fresh shoots of poplar, almond and plane trees, and he made white stripes in them by peeling off the bark down to the white core of the shoots.

38 The rods that he had thus peeled he then set upright in the watering troughs, so that they would be in front of the animals that drank from the troughs. When the animals were in heat as they came to drink,

39 the goats mated by the rods, and so they brought forth streaked, speckled and spotted kids.

40 The sheep, on the other hand, Jacob kept apart, and he set these animals to face the streaked or fully dark-colored animals of Laban. Thus he produced special flocks of his own, which he did not put with Laban's flock.

41 Moreover, whenever the hardier animals were in heat, Jacob would set the rods in the troughs in full view of these animals, so that they mated by the rods;

42 but with the weaker animals he would not put the rods there. So the feeble animals would go to Laban, but the sturdy ones to Jacob.

43 Thus the man grew increasingly prosperous, and he came to own not only large flocks but also male and female servants and camels and asses.

v 1,2. Jacob was angry that Rachel, in jealousy, blamed her childlessness on him.

v 3-5. This was the same custom used by Sarah to get Ishmael. This legal scheme bypassed God. Isaac and Rebekah had prayed for a child. Today we have surrogate mothers and other technical methods.

v 6. Dan “A judge”. Or, God is my judge, because he heard and answered.

v 7,8. Naphtali “Wrestling” Her jealous wrestling with Leah had been satisfied.

v 9-11. Gad “A troop” No longer bearing, Leah resorted to the same scheme to get far enough ahead of Rachel to consider her increasing offspring a troop.

v 12,13. Asher “Happy” She would be happy because women would envy her.

v 14-16. Mandrakes, or love apples, a narcotic plant harmful if used to excess. It is low growing with orange berry like fruit. Thought for centuries to be an aphrodisiac, or magic potion increasing sexual desire. Rachel wanted that bad enough to trade her husband off for the night. Jacob was like a pawn between these scheming women.

v 17,18. Issachar “Hire” Leah first gave her handmaid, then hired her husband.

v 19,20. Zebulun “Dwelling”. Surely her husband would dwell with her after seeing she had produced so many sons.

v 21. Dinah “Judgment” Similar to Dan, she felt God had now vindicated her.

v 22-24. Joseph “Adding” Rachel acknowledged it was God who gave her a child and finally took away her shame, not the mandrakes, and expressed faith that God would add another son.
v 25 to 26 Jacob acquires the Flocks of Labenv 25,26. Jacob had been working all those years for his wives and room and board. He had served well, was now old, and it was time to look after his own interests. He wanted to not only go back to parents, but to the land of promise.

v 27,28. The herds had prospered under Jacob’s hand, and Laban actually, or possibly in a heathen way, superstitiously believed this was of the Lord, Jacob’s God. He may have picked up like the modern cliché, “Lord Willing”, even among unsaved. The word “experience” can mean enchantments, so he may have used them with his observations

v 29,30. As the oriental haggling begins, Jacob emphasizes the great increase in Laban’s herds and the need to provide for his own family.

v 31-33. Jacob knew Laban would try to cheat him, so he asks only for offspring of a certain color, and puts his faith in the Lord to bring about the increase.

v 34-36. Laban quickly agreed, and as suggested, removed all who were likely to reproduce in Jacob’s favor so far away there could be no possibility of them mixing.

v 37-43. This was not cheating, but good herdsmanship as he knew it. We see in 31:10-12 that it was the Lord, not the method, that increased the color. My father was a horse breeder and if he wanted a red colt, he put out something red that could be seen at the time of breeding. However, he used a red stallion, the rest was just superstition. Many such superstitions prevailed into recent years, and many people thought if a pregnant woman saw a crippled animal, the child would be crippled etc. Some of my aunts rebuked me for allowing my wife to see a crippled chicken while she was pregnant. Jacob used selective breeding and after the initial separation, kept his flock away from Laban’s so selective breeding would be more effective.