Genesis 30:1–13

Jacob’s Children

30When Rachel saw that she could not bear children to Jacob, Rachel envied her sister. And she said to Jacob, “Give me children—if not, I will die!” ²And Jacob became angry^a with Rachel. And he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” ³Then she said, “Here is my servant girl Bilhah; go in to her that she may bear children as my surrogate.^b Then I will even have children^c by her.” ⁴Then she gave him Bilhah, her female slave, as a wife, and Jacob went in to her. ⁵And Bilhah conceived and gave birth to a son for Jacob. ⁶Then Rachel said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice, and has given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan. ⁷And Bilhah, Rachel’s female slave, conceived again and bore a second son to Jacob. ⁸And Rachel said, “I have struggled a mighty struggle with my sister and have prevailed.” And she called his name Naphtali. ⁹When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took Zilpah her female slave and gave her to Jacob as a wife. ¹⁰And Zilpah, the female slave of Leah, bore a son to Jacob. ¹¹Then Leah said, “Good fortune!” And she called his name Gad. ¹²And Zilpah, Leah’s female slave, bore a second son to Jacob. ¹³Then Leah said, “How happy am I! For women have called me happy.” So she called his name Asher.