Genesis 30
Rachel, in grief for her barrenness, giveth Bilhah her maid unto Jacob.
Genesis 30:1 And Rachel seeing herself without children, envied her sister, and said to her husband: Give me children, otherwise I shall die. Genesis 30:2 And Jacob being angry with her, answered: Am I as God, who hath deprived thee of the fruit of thy womb? Genesis 30:3 But she said: I have here my servant Bala: go in unto her, that she may bear upon my knees, and I may have children by her. Genesis 30:4 And she gave him Bala in marriage: who,
She beareth Dan and Naphtali.
Genesis 30:5 When her husband had gone in unto her, conceived and bore a son. Genesis 30:6 And Rachel said: The Lord hath judged for me, and hath heard my voice, giving me a son; and therefore she called his name Dan. Genesis 30:7 And again Bala conceived, and bore another, Genesis 30:8 For whom Rachel said: God hath compared me with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called him Nephthali.
Leah giveth Zilpah her maid, who beareth Gad and Asher.
Genesis 30:9 Lia perceiving that she had left of bearing, gave Zelpha, her handmaid, to her husband. Genesis 30:10 And when she had conceived, and brought forth a son, Genesis 30:11 She said: Happily. And therefore called his name Gad. Genesis 30:12 Zelpha also bore another. Genesis 30:13 And Lia said: This is for my happiness: for women will call me blessed. Therefore she called him Aser.
Reuben findeth mandrakes, with which Leah buyeth her husband of Rachel.
Genesis 30:14 And Ruben going out in the time of the wheat harvest into the field, found mandrakes: which he brought to his mother Lia. And Rachel said: Give me part of thy son's mandrakes. Genesis 30:15 She answered: Dost thou think it a small matter, that thou hast taken my husband from me, unless thou take also my son's mandrakes? Rachel said: He shall sleep with thee this night, for thy son's mandrakes. Genesis 30:16 And when Jacob returned at even from the field, Lia went out to meet him, and said: Thou shalt come in unto me, because I have hired thee for my son's mandrakes. And he slept with her that night.
Leah beareth Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah.
Genesis 30:17 And God heard her prayers; and she conceived: and bore a fifth son: Genesis 30:18 And said: God hath given me a reward, because I gave my handmaid to my husband. And she called his name Issachar. Genesis 30:19 And Lia conceived again, and bore the sixth son, Genesis 30:20 And said: God hath endowed me with a good dowry; this turn also my husband will be with me, because I have borne him six sons: and therefore she called his name Zabulon. Genesis 30:21 After whom she bore a daughter, named Dina.
Rachel beareth Joseph.
Genesis 30:22 The Lord also remembering Rachel, heard her, and opened her womb. Genesis 30:23 And she conceived, and bore a son, saying: God hath taken away my reproach. Genesis 30:24 And she called his name Joseph: saying: The Lord give me also another son.
Jacob desireth to depart.
Genesis 30:25 And when Joseph was born, Jacob said to his father in law: Send me away, that I may return into my country, and to my land. Genesis 30:26 Give me my wives, and my children, for whom I have served thee, that I may depart: thou knowest the service that I have rendered thee.
Laban stayeth him on a new covenant.
Genesis 30:27 Laban said to him: Let me find favour in thy sight: I have learned, by experience, that God hath blessed me for thy sake. Genesis 30:28 Appoint thy wages which I shall give thee. Genesis 30:29 But he answered: Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how great thy possession hath been in my hands. Genesis 30:30 Thou hadst but little before I came to thee, and now thou art become rich: and the Lord hath blessed thee at my coming. It is reasonable, therefore, that I should now provide also for my own house. Genesis 30:31 And Laban said: What shall I give thee? But he said: I require nothing; but if thou wilt do what I demand, I will feed and keep thy sheep again. Genesis 30:32 Go round through all thy flocks, and separate all the sheep of divers colours, and speckled; and all that is brown and spotted, and of divers colours, as well among the sheep as among the goats, shall be my wages. Genesis 30:33 And my justice shall answer for me tomorrow before thee, when the time of the bargain shall come; and all that is not of divers colours, and spotted, and brown, as well among the sheep as among the goats, shall accuse me of theft. Genesis 30:34 And Laban said: I like well what thou demandest. Genesis 30:35 And he separated the same day the she goats, and the sheep, and the he goats, and the rams of divers colours, and spotted; and all the flock of one colour, that is, of white and black fleece, he delivered into the hands of his sons. Genesis 30:36 And he set the space of three days journey betwixt himself and his son in law, who fed the rest of his flock.
Jacob's policy, whereby he became rich.
Genesis 30:37 And Jacob took green rods of poplar, and of almond, and of plane-trees, and pilled them in part: so when the bark was taken off, in the parts that were pilled, there appeared whiteness: but the parts that were whole, remained green: and by this means the colour was divers. Genesis 30:38 And he put them in the troughs, where the water was poured out; that when the flocks should come to drink, they might have the rods before their eyes, and in the sight of them might conceive. Genesis 30:39 And it came to pass, that in the very heat of coition, the sheep beheld the rods, and brought forth spotted, and of divers colours, and speckled. Genesis 30:40 And Jacob separated the flock, and put the rods in the troughs before the eyes of the rams; and all the white and the black were Laban's, and the rest were Jacob's, when the flocks were separated one from the other. Genesis 30:41 So when the ewes went first to ram, Jacob put the rods in the troughs of water before the eyes of the rams, and of the ewes, that they might conceive while they were looking upon them. Genesis 30:42 But when the later coming was, and the last conceiving, he did not put them. And those that were lateward, became Laban's; and they of the first time, Jacob's. Genesis 30:43 And the man was enriched exceedingly, and he had many flocks, maidservants and menservants, camels and asses.
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