The Children of Jacob

31 When the Lord zsaw that Leah was 4unloved, He aopened her womb; but Rachel was barren. 32 So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name 5Reuben; for she said, “The Lord has surely blooked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.” 33 Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am 6unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” And she called his name 7Simeon. 34 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called 8Levi. 35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name cJudah. 9Then she stopped bearing.

30 Now when Rachel saw that ashe bore Jacob no children, Rachel benvied her sister, and said to Jacob, “Give me children, cor else I die!”

2 And Jacob’s anger was aroused against Rachel, and he said, d“Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?”

3 So she said, “Here is emy maid Bilhah; go in to her, fand she will bear a child on my knees, gthat I also may 1have children by her.” 4 Then she gave him Bilhah her maid has wife, and Jacob went in to her. 5 And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. 6 Then Rachel said, “God has ijudged my case; and He has also heard my voice and given me a son.” Therefore she called his name 2Dan. 7 And Rachel’s maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Then Rachel said, “With 3great wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and indeed I have prevailed.” So she called his name 4Naphtali.

9 When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing, she took Zilpah her maid and jgave her to Jacob as wife. 10 And Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 Then Leah said, 5“A troop comes!” So she called his name 6Gad. 12 And Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 Then Leah said, “I am happy, for the daughters kwill call me blessed.” So she called his name 7Asher.

14 Now Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, l“Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”

15 But she said to her, m“Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes also?”

And Rachel said, “Therefore he will lie with you tonight for your son’s mandrakes.”

16 When Jacob came out of the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have surely hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” And he lay with her that night.

17 And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Leah said, “God has given me my wages, because I have given my maid to my husband.” So she called his name 8Issachar. 19 Then Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 And Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she called his name 9Zebulun. 21 Afterward she bore a ndaughter, and called her name 1Dinah.

22 Then God oremembered Rachel, and God listened to her and popened her womb.