L. Genesis 29:29 – And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.
§ Bilhah - בלהה Bilhah, "troubled"
M. Genesis 29:30 – And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.
§ Imagine Leah, here she is married to a man who wanted her sister and the only reason he’s married to her is due in part to her deception. Her self-confidence had to be rather low.
§ Here we can see he was given Rachel and then he worked the seven years, he didn’t have to work the seven years first.
N. Genesis 29:31 – And when the LORD saw that Leah [was] hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel [was] barren.
§ God looks upon our circumstances and accommodates in unusual ways
§ Hated – loved less
§ We can see here the problems with polygamy. We find Leah unloved and hoping to win the affection of her husband with the delivery of each new son
§ Rachel who is loved by her husband is jealous of the fact that her sister can have children,
§ No one seems happy and this is all due to Laban’s deceit
O. Genesis 29:32 – And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.
§ LORD - יהוה Yĕhovah, Leah invokes the covenant name for each of her sons, and Rachel invokes it for Joseph
§ Reuben - ראובן Rĕ'uwben, "behold a son"
§ Apparent from Leah’s statement theat the Lord has looked upon her “affliction” that she is living in misery
P. Genesis 29:33 – And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I [was] hated, he hath therefore given me this [son] also: and she called his name Simeon.
§ LORD - יהוה Yĕhovah
§ Simeon - שמעון Shim`own, "heard"
§ Another son, another statement of anguish; however, even though Jacob may not love her as much as Rachel, he is apparently spending some time with her. More evidence that a marriage should be according to God’s perfect Will between one man and one woman.
Q. Genesis 29:34 – And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.
§ LORD - יהוה Yĕhovah
§ Levi – לוי Leviy, "joined to"
§ Leah cannot be blamed for wanting to be joined to her husband exclusively, however, she does not seem to consider the circumstances surrounding her predicament. Jacob loved Rachel from the start, its not like he ever loved Leah she usurped her sisters rightful place and now she laments her situation.
R. Genesis 29:35 – And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah
§ LORD - יהוה Yĕhovah
§ Judah
§ Leah finally surrenders to God, rather than making a negative statement about her personal relationship with her husband, she has grown to a point where she is fully dependent upon God. She therefore makes a positive statement, praising the Lord and naming her son “the Lord be praised”.
Chapter 30
I. Jacob’s Family is Growing (Genesis 30:1-25)
A. Genesis 30:1 – 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 lashes out and blames Jacob for something that he clearly has no control over. Rather than seek God to grant her children, she blames and hurts the one that loves her the most.
§ What motivates these feelings within Rachel? Envy of her sister. Not necessarily her inability to have children as much as it is her sister’s ability too have children. Even though she has something her sister doesn’t have (Jacob’s love) she is not content with that. Is it wrong for her to want children of her own? Of course not, but that does not seem to be the motivating factor.
o Isaiah 54:1 - Sing, O barren, thou [that] didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou [that] didst not travail with child: for more [are] the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.
§ Other women who are barren that end up having prominent children include:
o Sarah – Genesis 11:30
o Rebekah – Genesis 25:21
o Manoah’s wife (Samson’s mother) – Judges 13:2
o Elizabeth Luke 1:7
o Hannah – 1 Samuel Chapter 1
- Hannah’s situation is very similar to that of Rachel, yet Hannah behaves entirely different.
- Compare/Contrast Hannah with Rachel
RACHEL | HANNAH |
One of two wives, the other was fruitful she was barren | One of two wives, the other was fruitful she was barren |
Was preferred by her husband | Was preferred by her husband |
Provoked by the other wife | Provoked by the other wife |
Envious of her sister’s ability to birth children | Wept and fasted to have children |
Went to her husband with a sense of entitlement | Prayed to the Lord in humility (“poured out my soul before the Lord”) |
Wanted Children | Wanted a Child |
Demanding | Submissive |
Wants the child as a power piece | Wants to give the child to the Lord |
Wanted children more than her husband’s love, to the extent that she gave him to another woman | Was comforted by her husband when he said “am I not better to thee than ten sons?” |
Named her firstborn son Joseph meaning the Lord has taken away my reproach and shall add to me another. This is an indication that she needed a child to validate her and is already looking forward to the next child and not exhibiting thanksgiving for the one she just gave birth to. | Named her firstborn son Samuel meaning “asked of God” acknowledging that he was the son she had asked for and God granted her request. |
These are Hannah’s words after she gave up Samuel to the service of the Lord: “My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, Mine horn is exalted in the Lord: My mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; Because I rejoice in Thy salvation. There is none holy as the Lord: For there is none beside Thee: Neither is there any rock like our God…” | |
Rachel gave her handmaid to Jacob a second time producing Naphtali, and eventually had two sons of her own in Joseph and Benjamin | Hannah gave birth to three more sons and two daughters |
§ 2 Peter 1:8 - For if these things be in you, and abound, they make [you that ye shall] neither [be] barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
B. Genesis 30:2 – 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?
§ One thing leads to another, Rachel hurts Jacob with her accusations, Jacob gets angry and lashes back. Even though what he said was truthful, it was probably not the right to say this to her out of anger.
o Deuteronomy 7:14 - Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle.
§ What did Rachel expect Jacob to do? Maybe she could have simply asked Jacob to pray that God would give her children, but instead we see what comes next seems to transpire out of sibling rivalry competing for the same husband.
o Psalm 127:3 - Lo, children [are] an heritage of the LORD: [and] the fruit of the womb [is his] reward.
C. Genesis 30:3 – And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.
§ Rachel appears hurt and desperate, rather than trust God she follows the example of Sarah, giving her hand maid to her husband
§ She would rather have children that were not hers biologically than to feel somehow beneath her sister.
o Her sisters sons would have been her nephews, but rather than demonstrate her love for them she wanted her own to use as power pieces in her struggle with her sister.
o This was in accordance with the code of Hammurabi:
§145- If a man takes a wife, and she bears him no children, and he intends to take another wife: if he take this second wife, and bring her into the house, this second wife shall not be allowed equality with his wife.
§146- If a man take a wife and she give this man a maid-servant as wife and she bear him children, and then this maid assume equality with the wife: because she has borne him children her master shall not sell her for money, but he may keep her as a slave, reckoning her among the maid-servants.
D. Genesis 30:4 – And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her.
§ Wife – אשה 'ishshah, woman, wife, female
E. Genesis 30:5 – And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son.
F. Genesis 30:6 – 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.
§ Note that Rachel names the son even though it is Bilhah’s. This clearly shows that even though Bilhah was given to Jacob for a “wife” she did not rise to the level of Rachel or Leah. (See Code of Hammurabi §145 above)
§ God - אלהים 'elohiym
§ Dan - דן Dan, "a judge"
o “God hath judged me” à “God has given sentence in my favor”
G. Genesis 30:7 – And Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son.
§ Conceived - הרה harah, to conceive, become pregnant, bear, be with child, be conceived, progenitor
o Conceived again would indicate two separate pregnancies and therefore two separate intimate moments with Jacob. We see from this that Rachel was willing to trade her husband’s affections for children that were not even her own.
§ So even though Rachel already had one son by way of Bilhah, that didn’t satisfy her envious thirst for equality with her sister.
§ No complaints from Jacob
H. Genesis 30:8 – And Rachel said, with great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.
§ No mention of God
§ Naphtali - נפתלי Naphtaliy, "wrestling"
o What a contentious home, Rachel is sowing seeds of strife in her children because of her jealousy of Leah
I. Genesis 30:9 – When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.
§ Leah, who had already bare Jacob 4 sons is now driven by her rivalry with Rachel to hand over her handmaid to Jacob.
§ This is an irrational decision by Leah, she has four sons of her own and for the sole purpose of competing with her sister she turns her handmaid over to Jacob.
o This actually seems to run counter to the intent of Hammurabi’s code in that a wife would normally turn her handmaid over to her husband unless she is barren, clearly Leah is not barren.
§ Still no complaints from Jacob
J. Genesis 30:10 – And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son.
K. Genesis 30:11 – And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.
§ Gad - גד Gad, "troop"
L. Genesis 30:12 – And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son.
§ Leah, who has been competing for Jacob’s affections makes her task even more difficult by bringing another woman into the marriage.
§ These decisions are not rational, and are motivated by sin, but God shows that He is able to bring good out of evil
§ Jacob has been a real sport throughout all of this ordeal, never once complaining about all of these demands that his wives have put on him.
§ Note that it doesn’t say she conceived again only that she bare him a second son, this may indicate that Gad and Asher were twins.
M. Genesis 30:13 – And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher.
§ Asher - אשר 'Asher, "happy"
§ Why is she suddenly happy? She says because the daughters will call her blessed. Wasn’t she already blessed with her own children, why does it take a son from the bondwoman to make her happy? Is her happiness rooted in maintaining an advantage over her sister?
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