Genesis 30 - Introduction

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 30

This chapter gives an account of Rachel's envy of her sister for her fruitfulness, and of her earnest desire of having children, which she expressed to Jacob in an unbecoming manner, for which he reproved her,

Genesis 30:1, of her giving her maid Bilhah to Jacob, by whom he had two sons, Dan and Naphtali, Genesis 30:3; and of Leah's giving her maid Zilpah to him, by whom he had two other sons, Gad and Asher,

Genesis 30:9; and of Reuben's mandrakes he found in the field, and the agreement made between Rachel and Leah about them, Genesis 30:14; and of Leah's bearing Jacob two more sons and one daughter, Genesis 30:17, and of Rachel's also bearing him a son, whose name was Joseph,

Genesis 30:22; upon which he desires leave of Laban to depart into his own country, his time of servitude being up, Genesis 30:25; which brought on a new agreement between him and Laban, that for the future he should have all the speckled, spotted, and brown cattle for his service, Genesis 30:27; and the chapter is concluded with an account of a cunning scheme of Jacob's to increase that sort of cattle, which succeeded, and by which he became rich, Genesis 30:37.