Genesis 30 summary meaning ai explained commentary

Genesis 30 meaning explained in AI Summary

Rachel is barren, while Leah bears Jacob several sons. Rachel becomes jealous and gives Jacob her maidservant, Bilhah, as a concubine. Bilhah bears Jacob two sons, Dan and Naphtali. Leah also gives Jacob two sons, Gad and Asher, through her maidservant, Zilpah. Rachel finally conceives and bears a son, Joseph.

Jacob's family continues to grow, but not without rivalry and manipulation.

1. The Battle for Children (v. 1-24):

Rachel, still childless, becomes increasingly jealous of Leah's growing family. She pressures Jacob to impregnate her, blaming him for her infertility.
Desperate, Rachel offers her maidservant Bilhah as a surrogate. Jacob agrees, and Bilhah bears him two sons: Dan and Naphtali.
Not to be outdone, Leah offers her maidservant Zilpah. Zilpah gives birth to Gad and Asher.
Leah continues to bear children, giving birth to Issachar, Zebulun, and finally, a daughter named Dinah.
God finally remembers Rachel and opens her womb. She gives birth to Joseph, bringing great joy to Jacob.

2. Jacob's Deal and Departure (v. 25-43):

With Joseph's birth, Jacob desires to return to his homeland. However, Laban, recognizing Jacob's value in tending his flocks, convinces him to stay.
Jacob proposes a deal: He will continue working for Laban, but any speckled or spotted sheep and goats born will be his wages.
Laban, thinking this will result in few animals for Jacob, agrees. However, Jacob uses his knowledge of animal husbandry to increase the number of speckled and spotted offspring, greatly increasing his wealth.
Laban's sons grow resentful of Jacob's prosperity. Sensing the growing tension and following God's instruction, Jacob secretly prepares to leave with his family and possessions.

Key Themes:

Jealousy and rivalry: The competition between Rachel and Leah drives much of the chapter's events, highlighting the destructive nature of envy.
God's sovereignty: Despite human scheming, God ultimately controls fertility and blesses according to His plan. He remembers Rachel and opens her womb.
The theme of inheritance: The birth of Jacob's sons lays the foundation for the twelve tribes of Israel.
Deception and cunning: Both Jacob and Laban engage in manipulative tactics, reflecting the complex family dynamics at play.

Chapter 30 sets the stage for the eventual separation of Jacob and Laban, foreshadowing the future conflict between their descendants. It also highlights the ongoing theme of God's faithfulness to His promises, particularly in fulfilling His covenant with Abraham through Jacob's growing family.

Genesis 30 bible study ai commentary

Genesis 30 details the intense rivalry between Rachel and Leah, where human desperation, schemes, and folk beliefs clash with the unstoppable, sovereign fulfillment of God's covenant promises. The "baby wars" via handmaids and the mandrake incident reveal the painful dysfunction within Jacob's family, yet God continues to build the promised nation. The second half shifts to Jacob's conflict with Laban, where Jacob's shrewdness is shown to be the vehicle, but God's direct intervention is the true cause of his prosperity, demonstrating God's faithfulness and justice.

Genesis 30 Context

The chapter is set in Haran, where Jacob is serving his uncle Laban. The cultural backdrop is critical: In the Ancient Near East (ANE), a woman's primary value was often tied to her ability to produce male heirs. Barrenness was a source of profound shame and insecurity. Polygamy, while common, created intense rivalries within households, as seen here. The use of a handmaid as a surrogate was a recognized legal and social practice (also seen in the earlier Code of Hammurabi) to secure an heir for a barren wife. The story also operates within a world of folk beliefs, such as aphrodisiacs (mandrakes) and sympathetic magic (peeled rods influencing livestock), which the narrative uses to contrast human efforts with divine power.

Genesis 30:1

When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!”

In-depth-analysis

Rachel's cry mirrors the deep cultural shame of barrenness. Her identity and worth are wrapped up in childbearing.
Her demand, "Give me children," is aimed at Jacob, but it's a cry of anguish against her circumstances and, implicitly, against God. It echoes the human tendency to blame the nearest person for a problem that is ultimately in God's hands.
The phrase "or I shall die" is hyperbolic but conveys her extreme emotional distress. Life without children felt like a living death or, in some views, a curse.

Bible references

Gen 16:1-2: Sarai, being barren, also took matters into her own hands by giving Hagar to Abram, creating similar strife. (Human solution to barrenness)
1 Sam 1:6-7: Hannah was provoked by her rival Peninnah "because the LORD had closed her womb," showing a similar dynamic of rivalry and despair over barrenness. (Rivalry and barrenness)
Prov 30:15-16: '...Three things are never satisfied... the barren womb...' (Biblical understanding of the intense desire for children)

Cross references

Gen 25:21 (Isaac prayed for barren Rebekah); Luke 1:25 (Elizabeth speaks of her reproach being taken away); Prov 14:30 (envy rots the bones).

Genesis 30:2

Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?”

In-depth-analysis

Jacob's response is theologically correct but harsh and lacking in empathy. He rightly identifies God as the one who opens and closes the womb.
His question, "Am I in the place of God?" is rhetorical and deflects Rachel's misplaced demand. It underscores a core theme of Genesis: God, not man, is sovereign over life and blessing.
This exchange highlights the deep fracture in their marriage, fueled by jealousy and unmet expectations.

Bible references

Gen 50:19: Joseph asks his fearful brothers a similar question, "Am I in the place of God?" but uses it to offer grace, not as a sharp rebuke. (Contrast in motive)
Deut 32:39: 'See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal...' (God's sovereignty over life and death)
Ps 127:3: 'Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.' (Children as a divine gift)

Cross references

1 Sam 2:6 (Lord kills and makes alive); Job 5:18 (He wounds and binds up); Hosea 6:1 (He has torn and will heal).

Genesis 30:3-8

She said, “Here is my servant Bilhah; go in to her, so that she may give birth on my knees, that I too may have children through her.”... And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son... Then Rachel said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan. Rachel's servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. Then Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and have prevailed.” So she called his name Naphtali.

In-depth-analysis

On my knees: This phrase likely signifies a formal act of adoption; the child born to the surrogate would legally belong to Rachel.
Dan (דָּן - dan): Means "judge." Rachel sees this birth as God vindicating or "judging" her case against Leah's fruitfulness. She attributes the event to God, despite initiating the human means.
Naphtali (נַפְתָּלִי - naphtali): From the root meaning "to wrestle." Rachel names the child after her intense, ongoing "wrestling" with Leah. She claims victory ("I have prevailed"), but it's a victory by proxy that only deepens the conflict.

Bible references

Gen 16:2: 'And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant...”' (Exact parallel for surrogate motherhood)
Gen 49:16: 'Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel.' (Prophetic fulfillment of his name)
Matt 4:13, 15: The land of "Naphtali" is mentioned as a region where Jesus began His ministry, bringing light to a place born of conflict. (NT fulfillment)

Cross references

Gen 49:17 (Dan as a serpent); Gen 49:21 (Naphtali is a doe let loose).

Polemics

The text doesn't explicitly condemn the surrogacy but presents its consequences: jealousy, rivalry, and claiming victory through human schemes. God works through these messy situations, but the narrative clearly portrays the pain they cause. This contrasts with any pagan idea that gods could be manipulated by human actions to grant children; here, Rachel's actions create conflict, and she can only interpret God's hand in it afterward.

Genesis 30:9-13

When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife... And Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. And Leah said, “Good fortune has come!” so she called his name Gad. Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. And Leah said, “Happy am I! For women have called me happy.” So she called his name Asher.

In-depth-analysis

The rivalry is now an arms race. Leah copies Rachel's strategy, demonstrating that the competition has overtaken any sense of sisterhood.
Gad (גָּד - gad): Can mean "good fortune" or "a troop." Leah sees this birth as a stroke of luck or a reinforcement (a troop) in her familial war with Rachel.
Asher (אָשֵׁר - asher): Means "happy" or "blessed." Leah's focus is on her social standing ("women have called me happy"), revealing that her desire is not just for sons, but for the honor and validation they bring.

Bible references

Gen 49:19: 'Gad, a troop shall raid him, but he shall raid at their heel.' (Jacob's blessing plays on the "troop" meaning of Gad's name)
Deut 33:24: Of Asher, Moses says, 'Most blessed of sons be Asher; let him be the favorite of his brothers...' (Fulfillment of his "blessed" name)
Luke 1:48: Mary's Magnificat echoes Leah's sentiment: '...henceforth all generations will call me blessed.' (A godly version of being called blessed)

Cross references

Gen 49:20 (Asher's food shall be rich); Isa 65:11 (reference to the pagan deity of "Fortune," Gad).

Genesis 30:14-16

In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found 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.” 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.” 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.

In-depth-analysis

Mandrakes (דּוּדָאִים - duda'im): A plant believed in folk medicine to be an aphrodisiac and a cure for infertility. Its Hebrew name is related to the word for "love."
This scene marks a low point. Rachel, desperate, turns to superstition. Leah, bitter ("you have taken away my husband"), leverages the mandrakes to "hire" her own husband for a night.
The family dynamic has devolved into a transactional, bitter negotiation. Jacob is treated as a commodity to be traded.

Bible references

Song 7:13: 'The mandrakes give forth fragrance...' (Used in a context of love and desire)
Hosea 8:9: Israel is condemned for 'hiring lovers,' a metaphor for making pagan alliances, which echoes Leah's desperate language here. (Spiritual adultery)

Polemics

The narrative subtly critiques the belief in the mandrakes' power. Rachel, who sought them, remains barren. Leah, who gave them away, conceives. The text demonstrates that fertility is a gift from God, not a result of a magical plant. It's a polemic against the folk superstitions of the day, showing that Yahweh, not nature or magic, controls conception.

Genesis 30:17-21

And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. Leah said, “God has given me my wages, because I gave my servant to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar. And Leah conceived again, and she bore Jacob a sixth son. 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 Zebulun. Afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah.

In-depth-analysis

God listened to Leah: God, not the mandrakes, is the cause of her conception.
Issachar (יִשָּׂשׂכָר - yissaskar): Interpreted by Leah as "there is a reward" or related to sachar (wages/hire). She sees the son as a reward from God for the "hiring" arrangement and for giving her maid to Jacob. Her theology is still transactional.
Zebulun (זְבֻלוּן - zebulun): Means "honor" or "dwelling." Leah hopes that six sons will finally make her husband "dwell with" her in honor. Her longing for Jacob's love remains palpable.
Dinah (דִּינָה - dinah): Her name is the feminine form of Dan ("judgment"). Her inclusion is brief but ominous, setting the stage for the tragedy in Genesis 34.

Bible references

Gen 49:14-15: 'Issachar is a strong donkey... he bowed his shoulder to bear.' (Jacob's prophecy connects to the idea of labor/hire)
Gen 49:13: 'Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea; he shall become a haven for ships...' (Connects to the "dwelling" meaning)
Gen 34:1: 'Now Dinah the daughter of Leah... went out to see the women of the land.' (Foreshadowing of her tragic story)

Cross references

Deut 33:18-19 (Moses' blessing on Zebulun and Issachar); 1 Cor 7:3-5 (Mutual marital duties, a stark contrast to the bargaining here).

Genesis 30:22-24

Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” And she called his name Joseph, saying, “May the LORD add to me another son!”

In-depth-analysis

God remembered Rachel: A pivotal moment. In Hebrew thought, "remembering" is not about recalling something forgotten but about acting on a promise or commitment at the appointed time. God now acts on Rachel's behalf.
Joseph (יוֹסֵף - yoseph): Has a dual meaning. It comes from asaph ("to take away"), as in "God has taken away my reproach." It is also a play on yasaph ("to add"), as in her prayer, "May the LORD add to me another son." Both prove prophetic.
This birth is the climax of the narrative. The long-barren, favored wife finally has a son, who will become central to the entire story of Israel's preservation.

Bible references

Gen 8:1: 'But God remembered Noah and all the beasts...' (Signifies God acting to save)
1 Sam 1:19-20: '...and the LORD remembered her. And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son...' (Direct parallel of God "remembering" a barren woman)
Gen 37:3: 'Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age.' (This birth sets up the primary conflict of the next section of Genesis)

Cross references

Exod 2:24 (God remembered His covenant); Ps 105:42 (He remembered His holy promise); Luke 1:54, 72 (God's remembering His mercy and covenant in Christ).

Genesis 30:25-36

As soon as Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own home and country...” But Laban said to him, “...I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you...” ...[Jacob] said, “I will pass through all your flock today, removing from it every speckled and spotted sheep and every black lamb, and the spotted and speckled among the goats, and they shall be my wages...” ...But that day Laban removed the male goats that were striped and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted...and he put them in the charge of his sons, a three days' journey from Jacob.

In-depth-analysis

Joseph's birth is the catalyst for Jacob wanting to return home. His family is now substantial.
Laban admits Jacob is the source of his blessing, confirming God's promise in Gen 28:14, yet he resorts to "divination," showing his pagan worldview.
Jacob's wage proposal seems foolishly generous to Laban, as speckled and dark animals were rare.
Laban's deceit is immediate. He agrees to the terms and then removes all the animals that could produce Jacob's wages, stacking the deck completely against him.

Bible references

Gen 28:15: 'Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land.' (Jacob now seeks the fulfillment of this promise)
Gen 39:5: '...the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake...' (Parallel theme of a patriarch bringing blessing to a foreigner's house)
Prov 11:1: 'A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is his delight.' (Condemns Laban's deceptive business practices)

Cross references

Gen 12:2-3 (Blessing through Abraham's seed); Deut 24:14-15 (Laws on paying wages fairly).

Genesis 30:37-43

Then Jacob took fresh sticks of poplar and almond and plane trees, and peeled white streaks in them... He set the sticks that he had peeled in the troughs... in front of the flocks, and they mated when they came to drink. And the flocks mated in front of the sticks and so the flocks brought forth striped, speckled, and spotted. ...But when the feebler were mating, he did not set them there. So the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger were Jacob's. Thus the man increased exceedingly, and had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys.

In-depth-analysis

The Sticks: Jacob employs a form of sympathetic magic, an ancient belief that what an animal sees at the time of conception will influence its offspring.
Selective Breeding: Jacob also uses clever animal husbandry, ensuring the stronger animals breed for his flock, while the weaker ones breed for Laban's.
The Result: Jacob's success is described as "exceeding," showing God's blessing is overwhelming Laban's deception. The narrative here describes what Jacob did, without crediting the sticks for the success.
Polemics: This section serves as a masterful polemic. It appears Jacob is using folk magic. However, the true source of his success is revealed later by Jacob himself.

Bible references

Gen 31:10-12: 'In the breeding season of the flock I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream that the rams that leaped upon the flock were striped, spotted, and mottled. Then the angel of God said to me... "for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you."' (This is the key. God gave Jacob a dream revealing His direct intervention as an act of justice against Laban. The sticks were the human action; the dream was the divine cause.)
Prov 13:22: '...the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.' (A principle demonstrated in Jacob receiving Laban's wealth)
Ps 37:7: 'Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way...' (God eventually settles the score)

Cross references

Eph 6:5-8 (Work as unto the Lord, who repays); Col 3:23-24 (Promise of inheritance from the Lord).

Genesis chapter 30 analysis

Human Schemes vs. Divine Sovereignty: The central theme is the contrast between human striving and God's plan. Rachel and Leah scheme for sons, but God gives them when He chooses. Jacob uses folk methods with the livestock, but God reveals in a dream that He is the one orchestrating the outcome as an act of justice.
The Gospel in the Names: While not a direct acrostic like some have proposed for Genesis 5, the names of Jacob's sons form a narrative of the family's spiritual and emotional journey: Vindication (Dan) and Wrestling (Naphtali) lead to a sense of Fortune (Gad) and Happiness (Asher). This is followed by a painful transaction for Reward (Issachar) and a hope for Honor (Zebulun), culminating in God removing the Reproach and Adding (Joseph) the son of promise.
Theological Reframing: Genesis 30 presents Jacob's actions, while Genesis 31 provides the theological interpretation. Chapter 30 describes the mechanism (sticks), while Chapter 31 reveals the motor (God's sovereign justice). This narrative technique allows the reader to first see the events through a human/worldly lens before God reveals the true, supernatural cause.
Justice for Jacob: After 20 years of being deceived and exploited by Laban (Gen 29, 31:7), God orchestrates a great reversal. The deceiver (Jacob) who has been deceived now becomes the instrument of God's justice to acquire his rightful wages from his deceitful father-in-law.

Genesis 30 summary

The chapter documents the painful "baby wars" between Rachel and Leah, where four sons are born through surrogates in a bitter competition. After a superstitious bargain over mandrakes, Leah bears two more sons and a daughter. The section climaxes when God "remembers" Rachel, who gives birth to Joseph. Jacob then negotiates his wages with Laban and, through a combination of shrewd husbandry and divinely-blessed action, becomes exceedingly wealthy at Laban's expense, demonstrating God's faithfulness to His servant despite family dysfunction and an employer's deceit.

Genesis 29 AI Genesis 31 AI

Genesis 30 AI Image Audio and Video

Genesis chapter 30 kjv

¹ And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.
² And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?
³ And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.
⁴ And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her.
⁵ And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son.
⁶ And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan.
⁷ And Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son.
⁸ And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.
⁹ When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.
¹⁰ And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son.
¹¹ And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.
¹² And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son.
¹³ And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher.
¹⁴ And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's mandrakes.
¹⁵ And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son's mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son's mandrakes.
¹⁶ And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night.
¹⁷ And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son.
¹⁸ And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar.
¹⁹ And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son.
²⁰ And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun.
²¹ And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah.
²² And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.
²³ And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach:
²⁴ And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son.
²⁵ And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.
²⁶ Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee.
²⁷ And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favor in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake.
²⁸ And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.
²⁹ And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me.
³⁰ For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the LORD hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?
³¹ And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock.
³² I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.
³³ So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me.
³⁴ And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.
³⁵ And he removed that day the he goats that were ring-streaked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.
³⁶ And he set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.
³⁷ And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chestnut tree; and pilled white streaks in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.
³⁸ And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.
³⁹ And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ring-streaked, speckled, and spotted.
⁴⁰ And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ring-streaked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban's cattle.
⁴¹ And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.
⁴² But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's.
⁴³ And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.

Genesis chapter 30 nkjv

¹ Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, "Give me children, or else I die!"
² And Jacob's anger was aroused against Rachel, and he said, "Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?"
³ So she said, "Here is my maid Bilhah; go in to her, and she will bear a child on my knees, that I also may have children by her."
⁴ Then she gave him Bilhah her maid as wife, and Jacob went in to her.
⁵ And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son.
⁶ Then Rachel said, "God has judged my case; and He has also heard my voice and given me a son." Therefore she called his name Dan.
⁷ And Rachel's maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son.
⁸ Then Rachel said, "With great wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and indeed I have prevailed." So she called his name Naphtali.
⁹ When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing, she took Zilpah her maid and gave her to Jacob as wife.
¹⁰ And Leah's maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son.
¹¹ Then Leah said, "A troop comes!" So she called his name Gad.
¹² And Leah's maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son.
¹³ Then Leah said, "I am happy, for the daughters will call me blessed." So she called his name Asher.
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, "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?" 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 Issachar.
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 Zebulun.
²¹ Afterward she bore a daughter, and called her name Dinah.
²² Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.
²³ And she conceived and bore a son, and said, "God has taken away my reproach."
²⁴ So she called his name Joseph, and said, "The LORD shall add to me another son."
²⁵ And it came to pass, when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, "Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my country.
²⁶ Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go; for you know my service which I have done for you."
²⁷ And Laban said to him, "Please stay, if I have found favor in your eyes, for I have learned by experience that the LORD has blessed me for your sake."
²⁸ Then he said, "Name me your wages, and I will give it."
²⁹ So Jacob said to him, "You know how I have served you and how your livestock has been with me.
³⁰ For what you had before I came was little, and it has increased to a great amount; the LORD has blessed you since my coming. And now, when shall I also provide for my own house?"
³¹ So he said, "What shall I give you?" And Jacob said, "You shall not give me anything. If you will do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep your flocks:
³² Let me pass through all your flock today, removing from there all the speckled and spotted sheep, and all the brown ones among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and these shall be my wages.
³³ So my righteousness will answer for me in time to come, when the subject of my wages comes before you: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the lambs, will be considered stolen, if it is with me."
³⁴ And Laban said, "Oh, that it were according to your word!"
³⁵ So he removed that day the male goats that were speckled and spotted, all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had some white in it, and all the brown ones among the lambs, and gave them into the hand of his sons.
³⁶ Then he put three days' journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.
³⁷ Now Jacob took for himself rods of green poplar and of the almond and chestnut trees, peeled white strips in them, and exposed the white which was in the rods.
³⁸ And the rods which he had peeled, he set before the flocks in the gutters, in the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink, so that they should conceive when they came to drink.
³⁹ So the flocks conceived before the rods, and the flocks brought forth streaked, speckled, and spotted.
⁴⁰ Then Jacob separated the lambs, and made the flocks face toward the streaked and all the brown in the flock of Laban; but he put his own flocks by themselves and did not put them with Laban's flock.
⁴¹ And it came to pass, whenever the stronger livestock conceived, that Jacob placed the rods before the eyes of the livestock in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.
⁴² But when the flocks were feeble, he did not put them in; so the feebler were Laban's and the stronger Jacob's.
⁴³ Thus the man became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks, female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.

Genesis chapter 30 niv

¹ When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister. So she said to Jacob, "Give me children, or I'll die!"
² Jacob became angry with her and said, "Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?"
³ Then she said, "Here is Bilhah, my servant. Sleep with her so that she can bear children for me and I too can build a family through her."
⁴ So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife. Jacob slept with her,
⁵ and she became pregnant and bore him a son.
⁶ Then Rachel said, "God has vindicated me; he has listened to my plea and given me a son." Because of this she named him Dan.
⁷ Rachel's servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son.
⁸ Then Rachel said, "I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won." So she named him Naphtali.
⁹ When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife.
¹⁰ Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son.
¹¹ Then Leah said, "What good fortune!" So she named him Gad.
¹² Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son.
¹³ Then Leah said, "How happy I am! The women will call me happy." So she named him Asher.
¹⁴ During wheat harvest, Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants, which he brought to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes."
¹⁵ But she said to her, "Wasn't it enough that you took away my husband? Will you take my son's mandrakes too?" "Very well," Rachel said, "he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son's mandrakes."
¹⁶ So when Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. "You must sleep with me," she said. "I have hired you with my son's mandrakes." So he slept with her that night.
¹⁷ God listened to Leah, and she became pregnant and bore Jacob a fifth son.
¹⁸ Then Leah said, "God has rewarded me for giving my servant to my husband." So she named him Issachar.
¹⁹ Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son.
²⁰ Then Leah said, "God has presented me with a precious gift. This time my husband will treat me with honor, because I have borne him six sons." So she named him Zebulun.
²¹ Some time later she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.
²² Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and enabled her to conceive.
²³ She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, "God has taken away my disgrace."
²⁴ She named him Joseph, and said, "May the LORD add to me another son."
²⁵ After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, "Send me on my way so I can go back to my own homeland.
²⁶ Give me my wives and children, for whom I have served you, and I will be on my way. You know how much work I've done for you."
²⁷ But Laban said to him, "If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you."
²⁸ He added, "Name your wages, and I will pay them."
²⁹ Jacob said to him, "You know how I have worked for you and how your livestock has fared under my care.
³⁰ The little you had before I came has increased greatly, and the LORD has blessed you wherever I have been. But now, when may I do something for my own household?"
³¹ "What shall I give you?" he asked. "Don't give me anything," Jacob replied. "But if you will do this one thing for me, I will go on tending your flocks and watching over them:
³² Let me go through all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb and every spotted or speckled goat. They will be my wages.
³³ And my honesty will testify for me in the future, whenever you check on the wages you have paid me. Any goat in my possession that is not speckled or spotted, or any lamb that is not dark-colored, will be considered stolen."
³⁴ "Agreed," said Laban. "Let it be as you have said."
³⁵ That same day he removed all the male goats that were streaked or spotted, and all the speckled or spotted female goats (all that had white on them) and all the dark-colored lambs, and he placed them in the care of his sons.
³⁶ Then he put a three-day journey between himself and Jacob, while Jacob continued to tend the rest of Laban's flocks.
³⁷ Jacob, however, took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond and plane trees and made white stripes on them by peeling the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches.
³⁸ Then he placed the peeled branches in all the watering troughs, so that they would be directly in front of the flocks when they came to drink. When the flocks were in heat and came to drink,
³⁹ they mated in front of the branches. And they bore young that were streaked or speckled or spotted.
⁴⁰ Jacob set apart the young of the flock by themselves, but made the rest face the streaked and dark-colored animals that belonged to Laban. Thus he made separate flocks for himself and did not put them with Laban's animals.
⁴¹ Whenever the stronger females were in heat, Jacob would place the branches in the troughs in front of the animals so they would mate near the branches,
⁴² but if the animals were weak, he would not place them there. So the weak animals went to Laban and the strong ones to Jacob.
⁴³ In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.

Genesis chapter 30 esv

¹ When Rachel saw that 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, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?"
³ Then she said, "Here is my servant Bilhah; go in to her, so that she may give birth on my behalf, that even I may have children 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 judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son." Therefore she called his name Dan.
⁷ Rachel's servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son.
⁸ Then Rachel said, "With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed." So she called his name Naphtali.
⁹ When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife.
¹⁰ Then Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son.
¹¹ And Leah said, "Good fortune has come!" so she called his name Gad.
¹² Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son.
¹³ And Leah said, "Happy am I! For women have called me happy." So she called his name Asher.
¹⁴ In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found 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.
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 Zebulun.
²¹ Afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah.
²² Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.
²³ She conceived and bore a son and said, "God has taken away my reproach."
²⁴ And she called his name Joseph, saying, "May the LORD add to me another son!"
²⁵ As soon as Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, "Send me away, that I may go to my own home and country.
²⁶ Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, that I may go, for you know the service that I have given you."
²⁷ But Laban said to him, "If I have found favor in your sight, I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.
²⁸ Name your wages, and I will give it."
²⁹ Jacob said to him, "You yourself know how I have served you, and how your livestock has fared with me.
³⁰ For you had little before I came, and it has increased abundantly, and the LORD has blessed you wherever I turned. But now when shall I provide for my own household also?"
³¹ He said, "What shall I give you?" Jacob said, "You shall not give me anything. If you will do this for me, I will again pasture your flock and keep it:
³² let me pass through all your flock today, removing from it every speckled and spotted sheep and every black lamb, and the spotted and speckled among the goats, and they shall be my wages.
³³ So my honesty will answer for me later, when you come to look into my wages with you. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the lambs, if found with me, shall be counted stolen."
³⁴ Laban said, "Good! Let it be as you have said."
³⁵ But that day Laban removed the male goats that were striped and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white on it, and every lamb that was black, and put them in the charge of his sons.
³⁶ And he set a distance of three days' journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob pastured the rest of Laban's flock.
³⁷ Then Jacob took fresh sticks of poplar and almond and plane trees, and peeled white streaks in them, exposing the white of the sticks.
³⁸ He set the sticks that he had peeled in front of the flocks in the troughs, that is, the watering places, where the flocks came to drink. And since they bred when they came to drink,
³⁹ the flocks bred in front of the sticks and so the flocks brought forth striped, speckled, and spotted.
⁴⁰ And Jacob separated the lambs and set the faces of the flocks toward the striped and all the black in the flock of Laban. He put his own droves apart and did not put them with Laban's flock.
⁴¹ Whenever the stronger of the flock were breeding, Jacob would lay the sticks in the troughs before the eyes of the flock, that they might breed among the sticks,
⁴² but for the feebler of the flock he would not lay them there. So the feebler would be Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's.
⁴³ Thus the man increased greatly and had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys.

Genesis chapter 30 nlt

¹ When Rachel saw that she wasn't having any children for Jacob, she became jealous of her sister. She pleaded with Jacob, "Give me children, or I'll die!"
² Then Jacob became furious with Rachel. "Am I God?" he asked. "He's the one who has kept you from having children!"
³ Then Rachel told him, "Take my maid, Bilhah, and sleep with her. She will bear children for me, and through her I can have a family, too."
⁴ So Rachel gave her servant, Bilhah, to Jacob as a wife, and he slept with her.
⁵ Bilhah became pregnant and presented him with a son.
⁶ Rachel named him Dan, for she said, "God has vindicated me! He has heard my request and given me a son."
⁷ Then Bilhah became pregnant again and gave Jacob a second son.
⁸ Rachel named him Naphtali, for she said, "I have struggled hard with my sister, and I'm winning!"
⁹ Meanwhile, Leah realized that she wasn't getting pregnant anymore, so she took her servant, Zilpah, and gave her to Jacob as a wife.
¹⁰ Soon Zilpah presented him with a son.
¹¹ Leah named him Gad, for she said, "How fortunate I am!"
¹² Then Zilpah gave Jacob a second son.
¹³ And Leah named him Asher, for she said, "What joy is mine! Now the other women will celebrate with me."
¹⁴ One day during the wheat harvest, Reuben found some mandrakes growing in a field and brought them to his mother, Leah. Rachel begged Leah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes."
¹⁵ But Leah angrily replied, "Wasn't it enough that you stole my husband? Now will you steal my son's mandrakes, too?" Rachel answered, "I will let Jacob sleep with you tonight if you give me some of the mandrakes."
¹⁶ So that evening, as Jacob was coming home from the fields, Leah went out to meet him. "You must come and sleep with me tonight!" she said. "I have paid for you with some mandrakes that my son found." So that night he slept with Leah.
¹⁷ And God answered Leah's prayers. She became pregnant again and gave birth to a fifth son for Jacob.
¹⁸ She named him Issachar, for she said, "God has rewarded me for giving my servant to my husband as a wife."
¹⁹ Then Leah became pregnant again and gave birth to a sixth son for Jacob.
²⁰ She named him Zebulun, for she said, "God has given me a good reward. Now my husband will treat me with respect, for I have given him six sons."
²¹ Later she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.
²² Then God remembered Rachel's plight and answered her prayers by enabling her to have children.
²³ She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. "God has removed my disgrace," she said.
²⁴ And she named him Joseph, for she said, "May the LORD add yet another son to my family."
²⁵ Soon after Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, "Please release me so I can go home to my own country.
²⁶ Let me take my wives and children, for I have earned them by serving you, and let me be on my way. You certainly know how hard I have worked for you."
²⁷ "Please listen to me," Laban replied. "I have become wealthy, for the LORD has blessed me because of you.
²⁸ Tell me how much I owe you. Whatever it is, I'll pay it."
²⁹ Jacob replied, "You know how hard I've worked for you, and how your flocks and herds have grown under my care.
³⁰ You had little indeed before I came, but your wealth has increased enormously. The LORD has blessed you through everything I've done. But now, what about me? When can I start providing for my own family?"
³¹ "What wages do you want?" Laban asked again. Jacob replied, "Don't give me anything. Just do this one thing, and I'll continue to tend and watch over your flocks.
³² Let me inspect your flocks today and remove all the sheep and goats that are speckled or spotted, along with all the black sheep. Give these to me as my wages.
³³ In the future, when you check on the animals you have given me as my wages, you'll see that I have been honest. If you find in my flock any goats without speckles or spots, or any sheep that are not black, you will know that I have stolen them from you."
³⁴ "All right," Laban replied. "It will be as you say."
³⁵ But that very day Laban went out and removed the male goats that were streaked and spotted, all the female goats that were speckled and spotted or had white patches, and all the black sheep. He placed them in the care of his own sons,
³⁶ who took them a three-days' journey from where Jacob was. Meanwhile, Jacob stayed and cared for the rest of Laban's flock.
³⁷ Then Jacob took some fresh branches from poplar, almond, and plane trees and peeled off strips of bark, making white streaks on them.
³⁸ Then he placed these peeled branches in the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink, for that was where they mated.
³⁹ And when they mated in front of the white-streaked branches, they gave birth to young that were streaked, speckled, and spotted.
⁴⁰ Jacob separated those lambs from Laban's flock. And at mating time he turned the flock to face Laban's animals that were streaked or black. This is how he built his own flock instead of increasing Laban's.
⁴¹ Whenever the stronger females were ready to mate, Jacob would place the peeled branches in the watering troughs in front of them. Then they would mate in front of the branches.
⁴² But he didn't do this with the weaker ones, so the weaker lambs belonged to Laban, and the stronger ones were Jacob's.
⁴³ As a result, Jacob became very wealthy, with large flocks of sheep and goats, female and male servants, and many camels and donkeys.