Genesis 30

Rachel’s Frustration and Bilhah’s Sons

1 Rachel saw she could not have kids, and she got mad jealous of Leah. She told Jacob, ‘Give me kids, or I am going to die!’

2 Jacob got heated and said, ‘Am I God, He is the one keeping you from having kids!’

3 Rachel said, ‘Alright, take my servant Bilhah. Sleep with her, so she can have kids, and I will claim them as mine.’

4 Jacob agreed, and he slept with Bilhah.

5 Bilhah got pregnant and had a son.

6 Rachel said, ‘God heard me and gave me a son.’ So she named him Dan.

7 Bilhah got pregnant again and had another son.

8 Rachel said, ‘I have been in a wrestling match with my sister, and I am winning!’ She named him Naphtali.

Leah’s Response and Zilpah’s Sons

9 When Leah saw she was not getting pregnant anymore, she gave her servant Zilpah to Jacob.

10 Zilpah had a son.

11 Leah said, ‘What good fortune!’ So she named him Gad.

12 Zilpah had another son.

13 Leah said, ‘I am so happy! The women will call me blessed.’ She named him Asher.

The Mandrake Drama

14 During the wheat harvest, Reuben found some mandrakes in the field and brought them to Leah. Rachel said, ‘Sis, give me some of those mandrakes.’

15 Leah said, ‘Hold up. You already took my man, and now you want my mandrakes too,’ Rachel said, ‘Alright, you can have Jacob tonight if you give me the mandrakes.’

16 When Jacob came in from the field that evening, Leah said, ‘You are sleeping with me tonight. I paid for you with my son’s mandrakes.’ So Jacob stayed with Leah.

17 God listened to Leah, and she got pregnant and had a fifth son.

18 She said, ‘God rewarded me for giving my servant to Jacob.’ She named him Issachar.

19 Leah got pregnant again and had a sixth son.

20 She said, ‘God has blessed me with six sons. Now maybe my husband will honor me.’ She named him Zebulun.

21 Later, Leah had a daughter and named her Dinah.

Rachel Finally Has a Son

22 Then God remembered Rachel, listened to her, and let her have kids.

23 She got pregnant and had a son. She said, ‘God has taken away my disgrace.’

24 She named him Joseph, saying, ‘May the Lord give me another son.’

Jacob’s Deal with Laban

25 After Joseph was born, Jacob told Laban, ‘Let me go back to my homeland.’

26 ‘Give me my wives and kids, so I can leave. I have worked hard for you.’

27 Laban said, ‘Listen, do not leave! I know the Lord has blessed me because of you.’

28 ‘Tell me what you want, and I will pay it.’

29 Jacob said, ‘You know how hard I have worked and how your flocks have grown under me.’

30 ‘Before I came, you did not have much, but now you are rich because of the Lord’s blessing through me. But I need to start building for my own family.’

31 Laban said, ‘Alright, what do you want,’ Jacob said, ‘I do not want money. Just let me keep the speckled, spotted, and dark-colored sheep and goats.’

32 ‘That way, you will know I am not cheating, because any animal in my flock that is not speckled, spotted, or dark will belong to you.’

33 Laban said, ‘Deal.’

Jacob’s Hustle

34 Laban separated the speckled and spotted animals and put them under his sons’ care, three days’ journey away from Jacob.

35 Jacob stayed and took care of Laban’s remaining flock.

36 Jacob got clever. He cut branches, peeled stripes into them, and placed them in the watering troughs where the animals mated.

37 The animals had speckled and spotted babies because of the branches.

38 Jacob separated the strong animals for himself and let Laban keep the weaker ones.

39 Dude’s flock grew strong and healthy, while Laban’s was weak.

40 Jacob got rich with flocks, servants, camels, and donkeys.