Genesis 30:1-43

God’s Ancient People

Genesis

Alun Owen

Chapter 30

Jacob has 6 more sons

v1 Rachel saw that she produced no children for Jacob. And she was angry with her sister because her sister was successful. So she said to Jacob, ‘Give me children! If you do not give me children, I shall die!’ v2 Jacob was angry with Rachel. He said, ‘I do not have God’s power! I did not prevent you from producing children. God did that.’ v3 Then Rachel said, ‘Here is my maid Bilhah. Have sex with her. She shall produce a child on my knees. So I may have children by her help.’ v4 So Rachel gave her maid Bilhah to Jacob as a wife. And Jacob had sex with Bilhah. v5 So Bilhah became *pregnant and a son was born to her for Jacob. v6 Then Rachel said, ‘God has given his judgement for me. He has heard my voice and he has given me a son’. Therefore, she called him Dan.

v7 Rachel’s maid Bilhah became *pregnant again and a second son was born to her for Jacob. v8 Then Rachel said, ‘I have struggled fiercely against my sister and I have overcome.’ So she called him Naphtali.

v9 Leah saw that she produced no more children. So she gave her maid Zilpah to Jacob as a wife. v10 And Leah’s maid Zilpah produced a son for Jacob. v11 Leah said, ‘Fortunately!’ So she called him Gad. v12 And Leah’s maid Zilpah produced a second son for Jacob. v13 Leah said, ‘I am happy because all the women will call me happy.’ So she called him Asher.