_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._
Rachel envied her sister. The maternal relation confers a high degree
of honour in the East, and the want of that status is felt as a
stigma, and deplored as a grie... [ Continue Reading ]
_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?_
No JFB commentary on these verses.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND SHE GAVE HIM BILHAH HER HANDMAID TO WIFE: AND JACOB WENT IN UNTO
HER._
She gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife. Rachel, following the
example of Sarah with regard to Hagar, an example which is not seldom
imitated still, adopted the children of her maid.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND BILHAH CONCEIVED, AND BARE JACOB A SON._
No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._
Dan - i:e., judge.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND BILHAH RACHEL'S MAID CONCEIVED AGAIN, AND BARE JACOB A SECOND
SON._
No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND RACHEL SAID, WITH GREAT WRESTLINGS HAVE I WRESTLED WITH MY
SISTER, AND I HAVE PREVAILED: AND SHE CALLED HIS NAME NAPHTALI._
Naphtali - i:e., wrestling. In bestowing this name she had a
reference, in the opinion of some, to her bitter contentious and
rivalry with her sister, but in the judgment... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHEN LEAH SAW THAT SHE HAD LEFT BEARING, SHE TOOK ZILPAH HER MAID,
AND GAVE HER JACOB TO WIFE._
Leah ... took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife. Leah took
the same course as Rachel had done with her own maid, who bore a son;
and this child, being adopted by Leah, received the name of Gad... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND ZILPAH LEAH'S MAID BARE JACOB A SECOND SON._
No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND LEAH SAID, HAPPY AM I, FOR THE DAUGHTERS WILL CALL ME BLESSED:
AND SHE CALLED HIS NAME ASHER._
Asher - i:e., happy, blessed.... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._
Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes,
[Hebrew, _ DUWDAA'IYM_ (H1736); Septuagint,... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND GOD HEARKENED UNTO LEAH, AND SHE CONCEIVED, AND BARE JACOB THE
FIFTH SON._
No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND LEAH SAID, GOD HATH GIVEN ME MY HIRE, BECAUSE I HAVE GIVEN MY
MAIDEN TO MY HUSBAND: AND SHE CALLED HIS NAME ISSACHAR._
She called his name Issachar - [Hebrew, _ YISAASKAAR_ (H3485). The
constant Qeri', Yisaakaar, bought with a hire or reward. The Kethibh
may be read either _ YEESH_ (H3426) _ S... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND LEAH CONCEIVED AGAIN, AND BARE JACOB THE SIXTH SON._
No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._
Zebulun - [Hebrew, _ ZªBULUWN_ (H2074) or _ ZªBUWLUWN_ (H2074)
(habitation), either from _ ZªBUWL_ (H2073), dwells, or, as some
think, from ze... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND AFTERWARDS SHE BARE A DAUGHTER, AND CALLED HER NAME DINAH._
Afterwards ... a daughter, [Hebrew, _ DIYNAAH_ (H1783)] - i:e.,
judged, vindicated. The inferior value set on a daughter is displayed
in the bare announcement of the birth.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND GOD REMEMBERED RACHEL, AND GOD HEARKENED TO HER, AND OPENED HER
WOMB._
No JFB commentary on these verses.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND SHE CALLED HIS NAME JOSEPH; AND SAID, THE LORD SHALL ADD TO ME
ANOTHER SON._ JOSEPH - [Hebrew, _ YOWCEEP_ (H3130), may he add, from _
YAACAP_ (H3254), to add. But there is a paranomasia on this verb and _
'AACAP_ (H622), to take away, in the preceding clause, so that the
name presents the birth... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._
When Rachel had born Joseph. Shortly after the birth of this son,
Jacob's term of servitude expired, and, feeling anxious to establish
an independence... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ NO JFB
COMMENTARY ON THIS VERSE.... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._
Laban said ... I have learned. His selfish uncle was averse to a
separation, not from warmth of affection either for Jacob or his
daughte... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND HE SAID, APPOINT ME THY WAGES, AND I WILL GIVE IT._
Appoint me thy wages. The Eastern shepherds receive for their hire not
money, but a certain amount of the increase or produce of the flock;
but Laban would at the time have done anything to secure the continued
services of his nephew, and mak... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND HE SAID UNTO HIM, THOU KNOWEST HOW I HAVE SERVED THEE, AND HOW
THY CATTLE WAS WITH ME._
No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_FOR IT WAS LITTLE WHICH THOU HADST BEFORE I CAME, AND IT IS NOW
INCREASED UNTO A MULTITUDE; AND THE LORD HATH BLESSED THEE SINCE MY
COMING: AND NOW WHEN SHALL I PROVIDE FOR MINE OWN HOUSE ALSO?_
The Lord hath blessed thee since my coming - literally, in my
footsteps; i:e., has caused prosperity to... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._
Jacob said, Thou shalt not give ... A new agreement was made, the
substance of which was, that he was to receive remuneration in the
usua... [ Continue Reading ]
_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 SUCH SHALL
BE MY HIRE._
I will pass through ... - [Septuagint, parelthetoo panta ta probata
sou-let thy... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._
So shall my righteousness answer for me - rather, testify against m... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND LABAN SAID, BEHOLD, I WOULD IT MIGHT BE ACCORDING TO THY WORD._
No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND HE REMOVED THAT DAY THE HE GOATS THAT WERE RINGSTRAKED AND
SPOTTED, AND ALL THE SHE GOATS THAT WERE SPECKLED AND SPOTTED, AND
EVERY ONE THAT HAD SOME WHITE IN IT, AND ALL THE BROWN AMONG THE
SHEEP, AND GAVE THEM INTO THE HAND OF HIS SONS._
He removed ... the he-goats that were ringstraked - [H... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND HE SET THREE DAYS' JOURNEY BETWIXT HIMSELF AND JACOB: AND JACOB
FED THE REST OF LABAN'S FLOCKS._
He set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob. A day's journey
is reckoned in the East at the present day at four geographical miles,
which is probably about the same distance as is denoted... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._
Jacob took him rods (Hebrew, a rod) of green poplar, [Hebrew, _
LIBNEH_ (H3839), a poplar] - so called from the whitish colour of its
bark... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._
Watering troughs - usually a long stone block hollowed out, from which
several sheep could drink at once, but sometime... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THE FLOCKS CONCEIVED BEFORE THE RODS, AND BROUGHT FORTH CATTLE
RINGSTRAKED, SPECKLED, AND SPOTTED._
And the flocks conceived - literally, were in heat. The verb is in the
plural masculine, and the meaning is, that the rams and bucks rutted;
whereas in the preceding clause (end of Genesis 30:38... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._
Set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked ... in the flock of
Laban. This was... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._
Whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive. 'The sheep of those lands
yean twice a year. In the autumn, when they have... [ Continue Reading ]