30:1 —if not, I will die Barrenness was viewed as a divine judgment (see 16:2; 30:6), so life without children was unbearable.

30:2 I in the place of God Jacob considers Rachel’s plea irrational since he views conception as the province of God. His response to Rachel’s barrenness differs sharply from his father’s response to Rebekah’s barrenness. Both men consider their wives’ ability to conceive to be within God’s purview, but Isaac petitions God for help, whereas Jacob deflects blame away from himself (compare 25:21).

30:3 my servant girl Like Sarah, Rachel resorts to offering Jacob her servant as a concubine so that she will have children to raise (see 16:2 and note).

30:4 as a wife Bilhah is referred to as a concubine in 35:22. Unlike wives, no bride price was paid for concubines (compare 24:53 and note).

30:6 Dan As Rachel indicates, this name is derived from the Hebrew word meaning “to judge,” “to vindicate,” or “to contend.” In the Hebrew text, Jacob later makes a similar wordplay as Rachel, but does so when speaking of Dan in unflattering terms (49:16–17). This negative reputation continues in later texts (see Judg 17:1–18:31; note on Rev 7:4).

30:8 Naphtali Rachel is making a wordplay in naming Naphtali; his name sounds like the Hebrew word niphtalti she uses in this verse to refer to her wrestling or struggling with Leah.

Symbolic Names of People in Hebrew Table

30:11 Gad The Hebrew word gad can mean “troop,” but it is also the word for luck or good fortune, as Leah uses it here. Though there was a god of good fortune in the ancient Near East (mentioned in Isa 65:11 with “Destiny”), Leah refers here to her good fortune, not the deity.

30:13 Asher Asher is also the Hebrew word for happiness—hence Leah’s remark in this verse.

30:14 in the days of the wheat harvest This corresponds roughly to the month of May.

mandrakes Mandrakes (duda'im in Hebrew) were believed in the ancient Near East to have magical fertility powers. The plant has no stalk, but it has large leaves with violet flowers and yellow fruit similar in size and shape to a tomato. It ripens in March or April.

30:16 I have hired you The Hebrew verb used here, sakhar, is a sound play on the name Issachar (yissakhar in Hebrew)—the son who results from the rendezvous between Leah and Jacob (v. 18).

30:18 Issachar See note on v. 16.

30:20 Zebulun The Hebrew name zevulun sounds similar to the Hebrew verb zaval, meaning “to honor”—hence Leah’s remark in this verse.

30:21 Dinah Unlike the sons named to this point, Dinah’s birth is not accompanied by an announcement or explanation of the name. She is likely only mentioned as a precursor to the events of ch. 34.

30:24 Joseph The name Joseph has two possible Hebrew derivations: the Hebrew word asaph (meaning “to take away”) and the Hebrew word yasaph (meaning “to add”). Rachel uses the word yasaph in this verse, suggesting that she viewed it as related to that word.

30:26 my wives and my children Jacob now has 11 sons and one daughter. A 12th son, Benjamin, will eventually be born to him (35:18). From these 12 sons of Jacob, whose name God will change to “Israel” (32:28), come the 12 tribes of Israel.

30:27 I have learned by divination Most translations understand the Hebrew verb used here as a reference to divination—discerning the will of a deity based on using an object, omen, or method. However in other occurrences in the ot, there is often an explanation of the divination procedure used, but one is not offered here (compare 44:15–17; Lev 16:8; Num 5).

because of you This seems to be a result of God’s promise to Abraham in Gen 12:3 (see 22:18; 26:4). Since God has blessed Jacob, via Abraham and his father Isaac, Jacob’s presence blesses others.

30:28 Name your wage Laban does not want Jacob to leave because Jacob has made him wealthy. Laban asked Jacob this question when he first arrived (29:15), but he has shown himself to be untrustworthy by giving Jacob Leah as a wife instead of Rachel (29:25). Laban will continue to be untrustworthy after he and Jacob agree on wages (vv. 32–36).

30:33 my righteousness The Hebrew word used here, tsedaqah, refers to what is right or fair (see note on 18:19). It is used elsewhere to describe righteousness (15:6). Ironically, Jacob, who is not known for honesty (27:25), appeals to his honesty here.