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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"><title>Genesis 30</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/bsb/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="/bmc//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="/genesis/">Genesis</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 align="center" id="jump2"><a href="/niv/genesis/30.htm">NIV</a> • <a href="/nlt/genesis/30.htm">NLT</a> • <a href="/esv/genesis/30.htm">ESV</a> • <a href="/kjv/genesis/30.htm">KJV</a> • <a href="/nkjv/genesis/30.htm">NKJ</a> • <a href="/nasb/genesis/30.htm">NAS</a></div><br /><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="1%" valign="top">BSB</td><td width="99%" valign="top" align="right"><a href="/parallel/genesis/30.htm" style="font-weight:normal" title="Parallel Chapters">Parallel Chapters ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><A name="2"></a><p class="hdg">Dan and Naphtali<p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>When Rachel saw that she was not bearing any children for Jacob, she envied her sister. “Give me children, or I will die!” she said to Jacob. <A name="3"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?” <A name="4"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>Then she said, “Here is my maidservant Bilhah. Sleep with her, that she may bear children for me,<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">a</a></span> so that through her I too can build a family.” <A name="5"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>So Rachel gave Jacob her servant Bilhah as a wife, and he slept with her, <A name="6"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>and Bilhah conceived and bore him a son. <A name="7"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me; He has heard my plea and given me a son.” So she named him Dan.<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">b</a></span> <A name="8"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>And Rachel’s servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. <A name="9"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>Then Rachel said, “In my great struggles, I have wrestled with my sister and won.” So she named him Naphtali.<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">c</a></span> <A name="10"></a><p class="hdg">Gad and Asher<p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she gave her servant Zilpah to Jacob as a wife. <A name="11"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>And Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. <A name="12"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>Then Leah said, “How fortunate!”<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">d</a></span> So she named him Gad.<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">e</a></span> <A name="13"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>When Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son, <A name="14"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>Leah said, “How happy I am! For the women call me happy.” So she named him Asher.<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">f</a></span> <A name="15"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>Now during the wheat harvest, Reuben went out and found some mandrakes in the field. When he brought them to his mother, Rachel begged Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” <A name="16"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>But Leah replied, “Is it not enough that you have taken away my husband? Now you want to take my son’s mandrakes as well?” <p class="reg">“Very well,” said Rachel, “he may sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.” <A name="17"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>When Jacob came in from the field that evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come with me, for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he slept with her that night. <A name="18"></a><p class="hdg">Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah<p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore a fifth son to Jacob. <A name="19"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>Then Leah said, “God has rewarded me for giving my maidservant to my husband.” So she named him Issachar.<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">g</a></span> <A name="20"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>Again Leah conceived and bore a sixth son to Jacob. <A name="21"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>“God has given me a good gift,” she said. “This time my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” And she named him Zebulun.<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">h</a></span> <A name="22"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>After that, Leah gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah. <A name="23"></a><p class="hdg">Joseph<p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>Then God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb, <A name="24"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>and she conceived and gave birth to a son. “God has taken away my shame,” she said. <A name="25"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>She named him Joseph,<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">i</a></span> and said, “May the LORD add to me another son.” <A name="26"></a><p class="hdg">Jacob Prospers<p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>Now after Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me on my way so I can return to my homeland. <A name="27"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>Give me my wives and children for whom I have served you, that I may go on my way. You know how hard I have worked for you.” <A name="28"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>But Laban replied, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.” <A name="29"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>And he added, “Name your wages, and I will pay them.” <A name="30"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>Then Jacob answered, “You know how I have served you and how your livestock have thrived under my care. <A name="31"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>Indeed, you had very little before my arrival, but now your wealth has increased many times over. The LORD has blessed you wherever I set foot. But now, when may I also provide for my own household?” <A name="32"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>“What can I give you?” Laban asked. <p class="reg">“You do not need to give me anything,” Jacob replied. “If you do this one thing for me, I will keep on shepherding and keeping your flocks. <A name="33"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>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. These will be my wages. <A name="34"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span>So my honesty will testify for me when you come to check on my wages in the future. If I have any goats that are not speckled or spotted, or any lambs that are not dark-colored, they will be considered stolen.” <A name="35"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span>“Agreed,” said Laban. “Let it be as you have said.” <A name="36"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span>That very day Laban removed all the streaked or spotted male goats and every speckled or spotted female goat—every one that had any white on it—and every dark-colored lamb, and he placed them under the care of his sons. <A name="37"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-36.htm"><b>36</b></a></span>Then he put a three-day journey between himself and Jacob, while Jacob was shepherding the rest of Laban’s flocks. <A name="38"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-37.htm"><b>37</b></a></span>Jacob, however, took fresh branches of poplar, almond, and plane trees, and peeled the bark, exposing the white inner wood of the branches. <A name="39"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-38.htm"><b>38</b></a></span>Then he set the peeled branches in the watering troughs in front of the flocks coming in to drink. So when the flocks were in heat and came to drink, <A name="40"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-39.htm"><b>39</b></a></span>they mated in front of the branches. And they bore young that were streaked or speckled or spotted. <A name="41"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-40.htm"><b>40</b></a></span>Jacob set apart the young, but made the rest face the streaked dark-colored sheep in Laban’s flocks. Then he set his own stock apart and did not put them with Laban’s animals. <A name="42"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-41.htm"><b>41</b></a></span>Whenever the stronger females of the flock were in heat, Jacob would place the branches in the troughs, in full view of the animals, so that they would breed in front of the branches. <A name="43"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-42.htm"><b>42</b></a></span>But if the animals were weak, he did not set out the branches. So the weaker animals went to Laban and the stronger ones to Jacob. <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/30-43.htm"><b>43</b></a></span>Thus Jacob became exceedingly prosperous. He owned large flocks, maidservants and menservants, and camels and donkeys.</p><A name="fn"></a><div id="fnlink"><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:</b><br><br><span class="fnverse">3</span> <span class="footnotesbot">a</span> Literally <i>bear children on my knees</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><span class="fnverse">6</span> <span class="footnotesbot">b</span> <i>Dan</i><span class="thin"> </span> means <i>He has judged</i><span class="thin"> </span> or <i>He has vindicated</i><span class="thin"> </span>.<br><span class="fnverse">8</span> <span class="footnotesbot">c</span> <i>Naphtali</i><span class="thin"> </span> sounds like the Hebrew for <i>wrestling</i><span class="thin"> </span>.<br><span class="fnverse">11</span> <span class="footnotesbot">d</span> Alternate MT reading (see also LXX); the other alternate reads <i>“A troop is coming!”</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><span class="fnverse">11</span> <span class="footnotesbot">e</span> <i>Gad</i><span class="thin"> </span> sounds like the Hebrew for <i>good fortune</i><span class="thin"> </span>, or alternately for <i>band of raiders</i><span class="thin"> </span>.<br><span class="fnverse">13</span> <span class="footnotesbot">f</span> <i>Asher</i><span class="thin"> </span> means <i>happy</i><span class="thin"> </span>.<br><span class="fnverse">18</span> <span class="footnotesbot">g</span> <i>Issachar</i><span class="thin"> </span> sounds like the Hebrew for <i>wages</i><span class="thin"> </span> or <i>reward</i><span class="thin"> </span>.<br><span class="fnverse">20</span> <span class="footnotesbot">h</span> <i>Zebulun</i><span class="thin"> </span> sounds like the Hebrew for <i>honor</i><span class="thin"> </span>.<br><span class="fnverse">24</span> <span class="footnotesbot">i</span> <i>Joseph</i><span class="thin"> </span> means <i>may He add</i><span class="thin"> </span>.<br><br /></div><br /></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Berean Bible (<a href=http://berean.bible>www.Berean.Bible</a>) <a href=http://bereanbible.com>Berean Study Bible (BSB)</a> © 2016, 2020 by <a href=http://biblehub.com>Bible Hub</a> and <a href=http://berean.bible>Berean.Bible</a>. 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