Genesis 30:24 kjv
And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son.
Genesis 30:24 nkjv
So she called his name Joseph, and said, "The LORD shall add to me another son."
Genesis 30:24 niv
She named him Joseph, and said, "May the LORD add to me another son."
Genesis 30:24 esv
And she called his name Joseph, saying, "May the LORD add to me another son!"
Genesis 30:24 nlt
And she named him Joseph, for she said, "May the LORD add yet another son to my family."
Genesis 30 24 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 29:31 | But when the Lord saw that Leah was hated... Rachel was barren. | Rachel's long barrenness. |
| Gen 30:1 | When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children... Give me children, or I shall die! | Rachel's desperate plea for children. |
| Gen 30:23 | God has taken away my reproach. | Preceding verse, God remembering Rachel. |
| Gen 35:16-18 | ...she was having great difficulty. And as she was having great difficulty in childbirth, the midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for you have another son.” And as her soul was departing... she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin. | Rachel gives birth to Benjamin, fulfilling her desire for "another son," but dies. |
| Ex 1:7 | But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong... | God's promise to multiply descendants is fulfilled. |
| Deut 1:10 | The Lord your God has multiplied you, and behold, you are today as the stars of heaven in multitude. | Fulfilment of Abrahamic covenant. |
| 1 Sam 1:11 | "O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant... and will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord..." | Hannah's prayer for a son, similar to Rachel's longing. |
| 1 Sam 1:20 | And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.” | God hears and grants a son in response to prayer. |
| Psa 113:9 | He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. | God's power over barrenness. |
| Psa 127:3 | Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. | Children are a gift from God. |
| Psa 128:3 | Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house... | Blessing of children is from God. |
| Isa 7:14 | Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. | Significant names with divine meaning and prophecy. |
| Mt 1:21 | She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. | A God-given name reflecting His redemptive purpose. |
| Lk 1:13 | Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard... your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. | God hears prayers for a child, ending barrenness. |
| Rom 4:18 | In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations... | Abraham's faith in God's promise of numerous offspring despite his and Sarah's age. |
| Gen 12:2 | And I will make of you a great nation... | Covenant promise of many descendants. |
| Gen 13:16 | I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth... | Promise of multiplying offspring. |
| Gen 17:6 | I will make you exceedingly fruitful... | Promise of increasing descendants. |
| Gen 22:17 | I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring... | Emphasizing the multiplication promise. |
| Gen 28:14 | Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth... | God reiterates the promise to Jacob. |
| Gen 50:20 | As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. | God's providence and turning events for His good purpose, here exemplified in Joseph's life saving many. |
Genesis 30 verses
Genesis 30 24 Meaning
Genesis 30:24 records Rachel naming her firstborn son "Joseph." This name directly reflects her fervent desire and expectant faith that God (specifically "The Lord," YHWH) would "add" (יֹסֵף - yosef) another son to her. It encapsulates her shift from having her reproach "taken away" (referencing Gen 30:23) to an active prayer for future blessing and a larger family. The name "Joseph" thus becomes a declaration of hope for continued divine favor in procreation.
Genesis 30 24 Context
Genesis 30:24 is set amidst the intricate and often dramatic family dynamics of Jacob, his two wives (Leah and Rachel), and their two handmaids. The preceding chapters recount Rachel's deep anguish over her barrenness while her sister Leah consistently bears children to Jacob, leading to intense rivalry and a "womb war." In Genesis 30:22-23, after years of waiting, "God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb." Her first son, Joseph, is a miraculous answer to prayer, viewed as God "taking away" her shame (Gen 30:23). This verse, Gen 30:24, then presents Rachel's immediate future hope, expressing that Joseph's birth is not the end of God's blessing but an invitation for Him to "add" another son. This act of naming signifies a turning point in Rachel's personal journey of faith and forms a critical step in the formation of the twelve tribes of Israel, ultimately leading to Joseph's pivotal role in the future of the covenant people.
Genesis 30 24 Word analysis
- And she called: The verb (וַתִּקְרָא - va-tik-ra) indicates a definite, active naming by Rachel, asserting her maternal role and desire in naming her son.
- his name: (שְׁמוֹ - sh'mo) Refers to the infant boy who would become a foundational patriarch.
- Joseph: (יוֹסֵף - Yosef) This Hebrew name is derived from the root יסף (yasaf), meaning "to add" or "to increase." While Gen 30:23 uses the similar-sounding root אסף ('asaf), meaning "to take away," the etymology here explicitly focuses on addition and future increase, reflecting Rachel's hope rather than just the removal of past disgrace. This double-meaning showcases a progression from relief to anticipation.
- saying: (לֵאמֹר - le'mor) This standard Hebrew introductory particle explains the reason or rationale behind the preceding action, in this case, Rachel's intention for the name.
- The Lord: (יְהוָה - YHWH) The Tetragrammaton, referring to the personal, covenantal God of Israel. Rachel's address to YHWH rather than the more generic Elohim (used in 30:23) signifies a deeper, more intimate understanding and reliance on the God who specifically hears prayers and acts in covenant faithfulness. This shows her spiritual maturation.
- shall add: (יֹסֵף - yosef) This is the imperfect tense of the verb יסף (yasaf), meaning "he will add" or "may he add." It functions as an expressing wish, a confident expectation, and even a prophetic declaration of God's continued action in her life. It directly connects the name Joseph to its meaning.
- to me: (לִי - li) A personal pronoun reflecting Rachel's profound personal desire and specific prayer. Her longing for progeny is central.
- another son: (בֵּן אַחֵר - ben aḥer) This phrase clearly articulates Rachel's ongoing and forward-looking hope. The birth of Joseph, though momentous, did not satiate her desire for children. This highlights the deep cultural and personal importance of bearing multiple male heirs in that period.
Genesis 30 24 Bonus section
The Hebrew root יסף (yasaf) holds significant theological weight beyond just simple addition. It often implies a continuation, repetition, or intensification of an action or state. Thus, Rachel's "shall add" suggests not just one more son, but God's ongoing, sustained blessing of fertility, turning her barrenness into a continued outpouring of life. This demonstrates a transition from God "taking away" (אסף - 'asaf, the nuance of Gen 30:23) Rachel's reproach to His active commitment to "adding" to her family. The shift to YHWH in her statement, after using the more general Elohim in the previous verse when acknowledging her son's birth, suggests an even deeper and more personal realization of God's involvement in her life and an appeal to His covenant promises of multitude to Abraham and his descendants. The birth of Joseph also signals a strategic shift in Jacob's household narrative, as he begins to focus on establishing his own separate household and returning to Canaan, seeing Joseph's birth as a divine signal and the complete establishment of his familial "strength" (Gen 30:25).
Genesis 30 24 Commentary
Genesis 30:24 is more than a mere record of a child's naming; it's a testament to Rachel's fervent faith and persistent hope in God. Having experienced God's grace in removing her disgrace through Joseph's birth (Gen 30:23), she immediately looks to the future with expectant prayer for more. The name "Joseph" encapsulates this anticipation, tying her past deliverance to future blessing. Her choice to address "The Lord" (YHWH) signifies a mature understanding of God's covenantal nature, distinguishing Him from any impersonal deity and affirming her trust in His personal engagement with her life. This verse also serves as a polemic against ancient fertility cults prevalent in the region; Rachel's hope is placed in the living God, YHWH, who sovereignly grants life, not through human ritual but through divine will. Rachel's prayer here foreshadows the birth of Benjamin in Gen 35:16-18, where her desire for "another son" is indeed fulfilled, albeit at the cost of her life. Joseph himself would later embody this concept of "adding" through his leadership, saving his family, and adding significantly to the numbers and strength of Israel in Egypt. The naming is thus an act of faith, a prayer, and a prophetic declaration that the God who blesses will continue to bless.