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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>Genesis 30 ISV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/genesis/30.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/genesis/30-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">ISV</a> > Genesis 30</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../genesis/29.htm" title="Genesis 29">◄</a> Genesis 30 <a href="../genesis/31.htm" title="Genesis 31">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">International Standard Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/isv/esv/genesis/30.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="heading">Rachel’s Children by Bilhah</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>Rachel noticed that she was not bearing children for Jacob, so because she envied her sister Leah, she told Jacob, “If you don’t give me sons, I’m going to die!”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>That made Jacob angry with Rachel, so he asked her, “Can I take God’s place, who has not allowed you to conceive?”<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="30:2 Lit. has withheld from you fruit of the womb">a</a></span> </p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>Rachel<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="30:3 Lit. She">b</a></span> responded, “Here’s my handmaid Bilhah. Go have sex with her. She can bear children<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="30:3 Lit. them">c</a></span> on my knees so I can have children through her.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>So Rachel<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="30:4 Lit. she">d</a></span> gave Jacob<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="30:4 Lit. him">e</a></span> her woman servant Bilhah to be his wife, and Jacob had sex with her. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>Bilhah conceived and bore a son for Jacob. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me! He has heard my voice and has given me a son.” Therefore, she named him Dan.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="30:6 The Heb. name Dan means judge">f</a></span> </p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>Rachel’s servant conceived again and bore a second son for Jacob, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>so Rachel said, “I’ve been through a mighty struggle with my sister and won.” She named him Naphtali.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="30:8 The Heb. name Naphtali means my struggle">g</a></span> </p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing children, she took her woman servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>Leah’s servant Zilpah bore a son to Jacob, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>and Leah exclaimed, “How fortunate!” So she named him Gad.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="30:11 The Heb. name Gad means lucky">h</a></span> </p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>Later, Leah’s servant Zilpah bore a second son for Jacob. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>She said, “How happy I am, because women will call me happy!” So she named him Asher.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="30:13 The Heb. name Asher means happy">i</a></span> </p> <p class="heading">Jacob and the Mandrakes</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>Some time later, during the wheat harvest season, Reuben went out and found some mandrakes<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="30:14 i.e. a plant native to Canaan thought to facilitate procreation">j</a></span> in the field and brought them back for his mother Leah. Then Rachel<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="30:14 Lit. she">k</a></span> told Leah, “Please give me your son’s mandrakes.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>In response, Leah asked her, “Wasn’t it enough that you’ve taken away my husband? Now you also want to take my son’s mandrakes!”</p> <p class="reg">But Rachel replied, “Okay, let’s let Jacob sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>When Jacob came in from the field that evening, Leah went to meet him and told him, “You’re having sex with me tonight. I traded my son’s mandrakes for you!” So he slept with her that night.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>God heard what Leah had said, so she conceived and bore a fifth son for Jacob. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>Then Leah said, “God has paid me for giving my servant to my husband as his wife.” So she named him Issachar.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="30:18 The Heb. name Issachar means wages">l</a></span> </p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>Later, Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son for Jacob. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>Then Leah said, “God has given me a good gift. This time my husband will exalt me, because I’ve borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="30:20 The Heb. name Zebulun means exalted">m</a></span> </p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>After that, Leah conceived, bore a daughter, and named her Dinah.</p> <p class="heading">Rachel’s Son Joseph is Born</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>Then God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>so she conceived, bore a son, and remarked, “God has removed my shame.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>Because she had been asking, “May God give me another son,” she named him Joseph.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="30:24 The Heb. name Joseph means added">n</a></span> </p> <p class="heading">Jacob and Laban’s Livestock</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>After Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob told Laban, “Send me off so that I can go back to my place and country. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>Give me my wives and children for whom I’ve served you. Then I’ll leave, since you’re aware of my service to you.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>Then Laban responded, “If I’ve found favor in your sight, please stay with me, because I’ve learned through divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>Name your wage, and I’ll give it to you.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>But Jacob replied to Laban, “You know how I’ve served you and how your cattle thrived under my care. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>What you had previously was only a few head, but the herd has now multiplied, because the LORD has blessed you through my efforts.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="30:30 Lit. my foot">o</a></span> But now, when am I going to be able to provide for my own household?”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>“What do I have to give you?” Laban asked.</p> <p class="reg">Jacob responded, “You don’t have to give me anything. Just do this for me: Let me tend your flock again and watch over it. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>Let me walk among your flocks today and remove every speckled or spotted sheep, along with every black lamb, and let me do the same with the speckled and spotted goats. These will be my wages. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span>In the future, you’ll be able to verify my honesty because, when you come to check<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="30:33 The Heb. lacks check">p</a></span> what I’ve earned, if you find a goat that’s not speckled or spotted or a sheep that’s not black, then it will have been stolen by me.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span>“Okay,” Laban replied. “We’ll do it the way you’ve asked.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span>That very day, Laban<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="30:35 The Heb. lacks Laban">q</a></span> removed the male goats that were striped or spotted, all the female goats that were speckled or spotted—that is, every one that had white on them—and all the black lambs and placed them into the care<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="30:35 Lit. hand">r</a></span> of his sons. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-36.htm"><b>36</b></a></span>He sent them as far away from Jacob as a three days’ journey could take them.</p> <p class="reg">Meanwhile, Jacob kept tending the rest of Laban’s flock. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-37.htm"><b>37</b></a></span>Jacob took branches<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="30:37 The Heb. has rod">s</a></span> from white poplar trees, freshly cut almond trees, and some other trees,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="30:37 Or and plane trees; i.e. a species of trees that could readily be stripped of their bark">t</a></span> stripped off their bark to make white streaks, and uncovered the white part inside the branches. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-38.htm"><b>38</b></a></span>Then he placed the branches that he had stripped bare in all the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink. He placed the branches in front of the flock, and they went into heat as they came to drink. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-39.htm"><b>39</b></a></span>When the flocks mated in front of the branches, they would bear offspring<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="30:39 The Heb. lacks offspring">u</a></span> that were striped, speckled, or spotted.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-40.htm"><b>40</b></a></span>Jacob kept the lambs separate, facing the striped and entirely black ones that belonged to Laban’s flock. He set his own herd by itself and would not let them be with Laban’s flock. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-41.htm"><b>41</b></a></span>Whenever the more vigorous of the flock came into heat, Jacob would place the branches in the troughs in front of the flock to make them mate by the branches.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-42.htm"><b>42</b></a></span>But he didn’t put the branches in front of any of the feeble members of the flock. As a result, the feeble ones belonged to Laban, but the stronger ones belonged to Jacob. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/30-43.htm"><b>43</b></a></span>Therefore the man Jacob<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="30:43 The Heb. lacks Jacob">v</a></span> prospered so much that he had large flocks, female and male servants, as well as camels and donkeys.</p><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><A name="ftn"></a><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="fn1"><span class="fnb">a</span> 30:2 Lit. <i>has withheld from you fruit of the womb</i><br /><span class="fnb">b</span> 30:3 Lit. <i>She</i><br /><span class="fnb">c</span> 30:3 Lit. <i>them</i><br /><span class="fnb">d</span> 30:4 Lit. <i>she</i><br /><span class="fnb">e</span> 30:4 Lit. <i>him</i><br /><span class="fnb">f</span> 30:6 The Heb. name <i>Dan </i>means <i>judge</i><br /><span class="fnb">g</span> 30:8 The Heb. name <i>Naphtali </i>means <i>my struggle</i><br /><span class="fnb">h</span> 30:11 The Heb. name <i>Gad </i>means <i>lucky</i><br /><span class="fnb">i</span> 30:13 The Heb. name <i>Asher </i>means <i>happy</i><br /><span class="fnb">j</span> 30:14 i.e. a plant native to Canaan thought to facilitate procreation<br /><span class="fnb">k</span> 30:14 Lit. <i>she</i><br /><span class="fnb">l</span> 30:18 The Heb. name <i>Issachar </i>means <i>wages</i><br /><span class="fnb">m</span> 30:20 The Heb. name <i>Zebulun </i>means <i>exalted</i><br /><span class="fnb">n</span> 30:24 The Heb. name <i>Joseph </i>means <i>added</i><br /><span class="fnb">o</span> 30:30 Lit.<i> my foot</i><br /><span class="fnb">p</span> 30:33 The Heb. lacks <i>check</i><br /><span class="fnb">q</span> 30:35 The Heb. lacks <i>Laban</i><br /><span class="fnb">r</span> 30:35 Lit. <i>hand</i><br /><span class="fnb">s</span> 30:37 The Heb. has <i>rod</i><br /><span class="fnb">t</span> 30:37 Or <i>and plane trees</i>; i.e. a species of trees that could readily be stripped of their bark<br /><span class="fnb">u</span> 30:39 The Heb. lacks <i>offspring</i><br /><span class="fnb">v</span> 30:43 The Heb. lacks <i>Jacob</i><br /></span><br><br><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><div align="center"><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1<br />Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation<br />ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../genesis/29.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Genesis 29"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Genesis 29" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../genesis/31.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Genesis 31"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Genesis 31" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="rightbox"><div class="padright"><div id="pic"><iframe width="100%" height="860" scrolling="no" src="//biblescan.com/mpc/genesis/30-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></div></div><div id="rightbox4"><div class="padright2"><div id="spons1"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td class="sp1"><iframe width="122" height="860" scrolling="no" src="../sidemenu.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="bot"><div align="center" style="background-color:#F2FAFF"><br /><br /><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="6710025936" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></td></tr></table><br /><br /><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="6710025936" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /> </div><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="//biblehu.com/botmenubhnm2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe><div align="center"><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span></div></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>