Genesis 30:15 kjv

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.

Genesis 30:15 nkjv

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."

Genesis 30:15 niv

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."

Genesis 30:15 esv

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."

Genesis 30:15 nlt

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."

Genesis 30 verses

Genesis 30 15 Meaning

Genesis 30:15 describes a pivotal and highly strained negotiation between Rachel and Leah concerning access to their shared husband, Jacob. Leah confronts Rachel for taking her son's mandrakes. In response, Rachel bargains with Leah, offering Jacob to her for the night in exchange for these mandrakes, which were believed to aid fertility. This transaction underscores the intense rivalry and desperation for children within Jacob's household.

Genesis 30 15 Context

Genesis chapter 30 details the intense fertility rivalry between Jacob's wives, Leah and Rachel, and their handmaids, Bilhah and Zilpah. Jacob's family life is marred by deep-seated jealousy, competition for his affection and the coveted status of bearing his children. Leah, unloved by Jacob but initially fertile, stops bearing children after giving birth to four sons. Rachel, loved by Jacob but barren, uses her maid Bilhah to bear children on her behalf, followed by Leah doing the same with her maid Zilpah.The mandrakes, duda'im (Hebrew for "love apples"), are found by Leah's firstborn son, Reuben, in the field. These plants (likely Mandragora officinarum) were widely believed in ancient Near Eastern cultures to possess aphrodisiac properties or to enhance fertility. Leah's desire for them is likely rooted in this cultural belief, hoping they would aid her in having more children and thus gain more standing and Jacob's favor. The verse marks a nadir in the relationship between Rachel and Leah, as even Jacob, the husband, becomes an object of transaction in their bitter struggle for offspring.

Genesis 30 15 Word analysis

• And she said to her (wa-tōʾmer 'ēlēhā - וַתֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ): This simple phrase highlights direct, intense communication. "She" refers to Leah, "her" to Rachel. It signifies a face-to-face confrontation, emphasizing the deep personal nature of their conflict.

• Is it a small matter (Ha-qālīl - הַקָּלִיל): This is a rhetorical question from Leah, expressing her indignation and strong feeling that Rachel's actions are significant and deeply offensive. "Small matter" translates to something light, trifling, or inconsequential. Leah implies Rachel has acted severely.

• that thou hast taken my husband? (laqaḥat ʾīšī - לָקַחַת אִישִׁי): Leah's accusation of Rachel having "taken" or "monopolized" Jacob, her husband. The verb laqahat means 'to take', 'to seize', or 'to acquire'. Leah, as Jacob's first wife by custom (even if by trickery), feels Rachel has unjustly claimed the favored place with him, a deep slight compounded by Rachel's consistent monopoly on Jacob's affection.

• and wouldest thou take away (wə-lāqaḥt - וְלָקַחְתְּ): Repetition of the root for "take." This repetition emphasizes Leah's sense of being repeatedly deprived or robbed by Rachel. It heightens the sense of injustice and greed in Rachel's perceived actions.

• my son's mandrakes also? (gam dûdāʾê bənī - גַּם דּוּדָאֵי בְּנִי):

  • Mandrakes (duda'im - דּוּדָאִים): These plants were common in the ancient Near East and associated with fertility and love due to their scent, root shape, and mild narcotic properties. They were sought after for their perceived ability to induce conception or enhance desire. This reflects a reliance on folk remedies rather than sole trust in divine provision for children.
  • My son's: The mandrakes belong to Reuben, Leah's son. This gives Leah a stronger claim and frames Rachel's desire as not just personal gain, but an infringement on her son's property.

• And Rachel said, Therefore (wa-tōʾmer Raḥēl lākēn - וַתֹּאמֶר רָחֵל לָכֵן): "Therefore" (laken) signals a consequence or direct proposal in response to Leah's outburst. Rachel, typically reserved, is spurred to negotiate under duress.

• he shall lie with thee to night (yīškav ʾittāk hā-laylāh - יִשְׁכַּב עִמָּךְ הַלַּיְלָה): Rachel offers Jacob as a commodity, making him a pawn in their transaction. This illustrates the dehumanizing effect of polygamy and intense rivalry, where personal relationships are sacrificed for desired outcomes, specifically fertility. The phrasing "lie with thee" directly refers to sexual intimacy.

• for thy son's mandrakes (bə-'ēllâh dûdāʾê vənêk - בְּאֵלֶּה דּוּדָאֵי בְנֵךְ): This clause specifies the quid pro quo. Rachel trades something highly personal (access to their shared husband and his conjugal affection) for something physical yet culturally symbolic (the mandrakes), highlighting the value placed on perceived fertility aids in their desperate struggle to bear children. The mandrakes symbolize the hopes of children, not just their physical property.

Genesis 30 15 Bonus section

The entire episode concerning the mandrakes underscores a deeper spiritual truth often overlooked: human attempts to control or force outcomes often lead to greater dysfunction and pain. While Leah hoped for more children through mandrakes, and Rachel sought them out of desperation, children are ultimately "an heritage of the Lord" (Psa 127:3). God's divine sovereignty over the womb is demonstrated not long after this episode when God "remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb" (Gen 30:22). The mandrakes, human devices, ultimately proved futile for Rachel, as her eventual pregnancy came only through God's intervention, not through this earthy bargaining. This highlights the futility of relying on superstition or human schemes when the true source of blessing is God.

Genesis 30 15 Commentary

Genesis 30:15 unveils the intense desperation and rivalry within Jacob's household, driven by the patriarchal emphasis on progeny and the consequences of polygamy. Leah's emotional outburst "Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband?" highlights the profound pain and perceived injustice she suffers, not only in being less loved but also feeling her legitimate conjugal rights usurped by Rachel. The subsequent plea over her son's mandrakes is less about the plant itself and more about a symbolic item representing hope for further fertility and therefore, an elevated status in the family.

Rachel's pragmatic, almost cynical, offer of "he shall lie with thee to night for thy son's mandrakes" transforms Jacob, the husband, into a transactional item. This exchange exemplifies the brokenness and materialism that permeated their relationships. It was a trade of Jacob's presence for a supposed fertility charm, exposing how far removed the family was from simple faith in God's providence. Instead of turning to the Giver of life, both women relied on superstitious practices and desperate schemes, reflecting the societal pressures of barrenness and the lack of a loving, equitable foundation in Jacob's household due to his initial deception by Laban and his favoritism towards Rachel. This exchange, far from solving their deeper issues, merely intensified the ongoing "baby race," creating a further fractured family dynamic built on jealousy, manipulation, and the commodification of human relationships.