Genesis 30:16 kjv

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.

Genesis 30:16 nkjv

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.

Genesis 30:16 niv

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.

Genesis 30:16 esv

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.

Genesis 30:16 nlt

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.

Genesis 30 verses

Genesis 30 16 Meaning

Genesis 30:16 depicts a highly unusual domestic interaction within Jacob's household, highlighting the intense competition for Jacob's attention and children between his wives, Leah and Rachel. Leah intercepts Jacob upon his return, boldly asserting her claim to him for the night in exchange for the mandrakes her son Reuben found. This transaction underscores the deeply transactional nature of relationships driven by a fervent desire for fertility and standing within the patriarchal family structure. Ultimately, the verse illustrates human striving and manipulation within God's larger sovereign plan.

Genesis 30 16 Context

Genesis chapter 30 vividly portrays the intense rivalry between Jacob's wives, Leah and Rachel, centered around childbearing, which was paramount for women's status and purpose in ancient Near Eastern society. Rachel, initially Jacob's favored wife, was barren, while Leah, whom Jacob loved less, was fruitful. This chapter shows Rachel employing her servant Bilhah to bear children for Jacob (Dan and Naphtali) and Leah, in turn, using her servant Zilpah to bear children (Gad and Asher).

Leading up to verse 16, Reuben, Leah's eldest son, finds mandrakes (דוּדָאִים - dudā'îm), which were widely believed in the ancient world to be aphrodisiacs or fertility aids. Rachel, still barren and desperate for children, asks Leah for some of the mandrakes. Leah bitterly rebukes Rachel, accusing her of taking Jacob as well, demonstrating the raw emotional wounds from the marital competition. It is in this heated exchange that Rachel offers Leah an explicit trade: "Jacob may lie with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes" (Gen 30:15). Verse 16 then details the fulfillment of this pact. This highly transactional arrangement underscores the lengths to which these women would go, leveraging even ancient superstitions and family dynamics, to assert their claims within Jacob's household and secure their fertility.

Genesis 30 16 Word analysis

• So Jacob came in from the field: Indicates the customary return of a working man in the evening. There is no specific emotion implied in Jacob's arrival itself.
• in the evening: Ereb (עֶרֶב). The usual time for a man to return home and be with his family, setting the scene for domestic life.
• and Leah went out to meet him: Va-tetzé li-krato (וַתֵּצֵא לִקְרָאתוֹ). This is a strong and active verb, signifying Leah's deliberate and purposeful action to intercept Jacob. It reflects her agency and determination in a culture where women often had limited public roles, showcasing her taking control of the situation. This contrasts with a typical husband simply returning home and a wife being inside.
• and said: A straightforward conjunction leading to Leah's direct speech.
• 'You must come in to me': Elai tavo (אֵלַי תָּבוֹא). This is a strong, imperative demand or assertion. It is not an invitation or a request, but a clear directive, reflecting Leah's bold ownership of the evening with Jacob based on the agreement made with Rachel. It underlines the transactional nature.
• 'for I have hired you': Ki sākōr śekhartîkhā (כִּי שָׂכֹר שְׂכַרְתִּיךָ). This is a very significant phrase. The Hebrew verb śākar (שָׂכַר) means "to hire" or "to bargain for" a service or object for a fee. The repetition of the root ("sākhōr skhartikhā" - 'hiring, I have hired you') emphasizes the completeness and certainty of the transaction. This phrase is striking as it frames Jacob's presence in a transactional, almost commercial or contractual sense, reducing their marital intimacy to a commodity obtained through a bargain. It strips away romance and affection, exposing the stark reality of the household's power dynamics.
• 'with my son’s mandrakes': Be-dūdā'ê benî (בְּדּוּדָאֵי בְנִי). Dudā'îm (דּוּדָאִים) refers to mandrakes, a plant believed in antiquity to be a fertility aid or aphrodisiac, hence "love apples." The reference to "my son's mandrakes" is key: Reuben (Leah's eldest, benî) found them. This connects the exchange back to the mother's desire for children and for maintaining influence through her sons. The belief in mandrakes highlights a human reliance on perceived natural remedies, a theme often juxtaposed with divine sovereignty in Scripture (as God, not mandrakes, grants life).
• So he lay with her that night: Va-yishkav 'immah ba-lailah ha-hu (וַיִּשְׁכַּב עִמָּהּ בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא). This is a standard biblical idiom for sexual intimacy. The simplicity of the statement masks the complexity and awkwardness of the encounter, emphasizing that the bargain was indeed fulfilled. Jacob, after Leah's assertive declaration, simply complies.

Words-group Analysis:

• "Leah went out to meet him and said, 'You must come in to me, for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.' This entire declaration showcases Leah's unusual and bold initiative. She does not wait passively; she actively confronts Jacob and issues a direct command, laying claim to him based on a prior negotiation. This asserts her power and desire in a context of desperate competition. The public nature of "meeting him" and the directness of her demand emphasize her resolve. The phrase "I have hired you" starkly reveals the utilitarian aspect of their relationship in this instance.
• "with my son's mandrakes." This short phrase points to the currency of the bargain—mandrakes, culturally linked to fertility, are being used as leverage for sexual access. It ironically sets up the next verse (Gen 30:17), where God (not the mandrakes) intervenes to give Leah another child.

Genesis 30 16 Bonus Section

• Divine Irony: The episode is saturated with irony. Rachel, the one who is barren, desperately wants the mandrakes for fertility. Leah, who is already fruitful, is the one who benefits from the "deal" by having another night with Jacob and subsequently conceives. God gives Leah another child after this encounter (Issachar), underscoring that the mandrakes played no role in her fertility but divine grace did.
• Jacob's Passivity: Jacob is surprisingly passive in this intense domestic drama. He is "hired," accepting the terms without apparent protest, reflecting perhaps his entanglement in the domestic rivalries and his focus on Laban's affairs (later in the chapter). His limited agency highlights the assertive nature of Leah and Rachel.
• The Power of Childbearing: This verse, within its broader context, dramatically illustrates the paramount importance of children in ancient Hebrew society, particularly sons. A woman's worth, security, and identity were heavily tied to her ability to bear children. This cultural pressure drove the extreme actions seen here.

Genesis 30 16 Commentary

Genesis 30:16 captures a raw, unromantic moment in the family life of Jacob, laying bare the complexities and pains of polygamy, jealousy, and the societal pressure to bear children. Leah's decisive action—going out to meet Jacob and boldly stating her "claim" over him—reveals a woman seizing an opportunity born of desperation. Her blunt declaration, "I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes," exposes a transactional understanding of intimacy, a stark contrast to any notion of affection or marital unity. Jacob's seemingly passive compliance further highlights the strained nature of his relationships with his wives in this environment of constant rivalry.

The "mandrakes" serve as a potent symbol. While held in high regard for their supposed fertility properties in ancient times, the narrative subtly critiques such beliefs. Leah, already a mother, conceived after this night, and in verse 17, it is explicitly stated, "God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son." This points to divine sovereignty over fertility, demonstrating that God, not magical plants or human bargains, is the ultimate source of life. The story ultimately elevates God's power above human superstition and clever schemes, showing Him working through flawed human decisions to advance His greater plan of establishing Israel's twelve tribes.