Jacob's Children

Genesis 29

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was w hated, x he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, 1 for she said, "Because the Lord y has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me." 33 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also." And she called his name Simeon. 2 34 Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, "Now this time my husband will be z attached to me, because I have borne him three sons." Therefore his name was called Levi. 3 35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, "This time I will praise the Lord." Therefore she called his name a Judah. 4 Then she ceased bearing.

Genesis 30

1 When Rachel saw that b she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, "Give me children, or I shall die!" 2 Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, "Am I in the place of God, c who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?" 3 Then she said, "Here is my servant d Bilhah; go in to her, so that she may give birth e on my behalf, 5 that even I may have children 6 through her." 4 So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her. 5 And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. 6 Then Rachel said, "God has f judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son." Therefore she called his name Dan. 7 7 Rachel's servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Then Rachel said, "With mighty wrestlings 8 I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed." So she called his name g Naphtali. 9

9 When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her servant Zilpah and h gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 Then Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 And Leah said, i "Good fortune has come!" so she called his name i Gad. 10 12 Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 And Leah said, "Happy am I! For women j have called me happy." So she called his name Asher. 11

14 In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found k mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes." 15 But she said to her, "Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son's mandrakes also?" Rachel said, "Then he may lie with you tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes." 16 When Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, "You must come in to me, for I have hired you with my son's mandrakes." So 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 gave my servant to my husband." So she called his name Issachar. 12

19 And Leah conceived again, and she bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 Then Leah said, "God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons." So she called his name l Zebulun. 13 21 Afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah.

22 Then God m remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and n opened her womb. 23 She conceived and bore a son and said, "God has taken away o my reproach." 24 And she called his name Joseph, 14 saying, p "May the Lord add to me another son!"

  1. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 21:15
    If a man has two wives, the one loved and the other unloved, and both the loved and the unloved have borne him children, and if the firstborn son belongs to the unloved.
  2. Cross References
    Genesis 30:22
    Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.
  3. Cross References
    Genesis 31:42
    If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night.
    Exodus 3:7
    Then the Lord said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings.
    Exodus 4:31
    And the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped.
    Deuteronomy 26:7
    Then we cried to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression.
  4. Cross References
    Numbers 18:2
    And with you bring your brothers also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may join you and minister to you while you and your sons with you are before the tent of the testimony.
    Numbers 18:4
    They shall join you and keep guard over the tent of meeting for all the service of the tent, and no outsider shall come near you.
  5. Cross References
    Matthew 1:2
    Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.
    Genesis 49:8
    Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father's sons shall bow down before you.
  6. Cross References
    Genesis 29:31
    When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
  7. Cross References
    Genesis 16:2
    And Sarai said to Abram, "Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
    1 Samuel 1:5
    But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb.
  8. Cross References
    Genesis 29:29
    (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.)
  9. Cross References
    Genesis 50:23
    And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation. The children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were counted as Joseph's own.
  10. Cross References
    Genesis 49:16
    Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel.
  11. Cross References
    Matthew 4:13
    And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali.
  12. Cross References
    Genesis 30:4
    So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her.
    Genesis 29:24
    (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.)
  13. Cross References
    Genesis 49:19
    Raiders shall raid Gad, but he shall raid at their heels.
  14. Cross References
    Genesis 49:19
    Raiders shall raid Gad, but he shall raid at their heels.
  15. Cross References
    Luke 1:48
    For he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.
  16. Cross References
    Song of Solomon 7:13
    The mandrakes give forth fragrance, and beside our doors are all choice fruits, new as well as old, which I have laid up for you, O my beloved.
  17. Cross References
    Matthew 4:13
    And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali.
  18. Cross References
    Genesis 8:1
    But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided.
  19. Cross References
    Genesis 29:31
    When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
    Psalms 127:3
    Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.
  20. Cross References
    Luke 1:25
    "Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people."
    1 Samuel 1:6
    And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb.
    Isaiah 4:1
    And seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, "We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes, only let us be called by your name; take away our reproach.
  21. Cross References
    Genesis 35:17
    And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, "Do not fear, for you have another son.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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