Summary https://marksbiblejourney.blogspot.com/2019/10/genesis.html
"Rachel is distraught because she is barren. She envies her sister Leah, and she wants a son of her own. In a rash decision, Rachel tells Jacob to sleep with her slave, Bilhah, in order to have a child. Jacob sleeps with Bilhah, and she bears Jacob two sons: Dan and Naphtali. Leah also sees that she is no longer bearing children, so she gives Jacob her slave, Zilpah, to sleep with as a wife. Jacob and Zilpah have two sons: Gad and Asher. Rachel makes a deal with Leah. In exchange for some mandrakes that Reuben found, Leah can once again sleep with Jacob. Jacob and Leah sleep together again, and she bears him two more sons and a daughter: Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah. Also, God remembers Rachel and opens her womb. Rachel bears a son named Joseph. So far, Jacob with Rachel, Leah, Bilhah, and Zilpah have eleven sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, and Joseph. Jacob asks Laban to return to his homeland with his wives and children. Laban doesn't want to see Jacob leave because the Lord has blessed him with Jacob at his side. Laban tells Jacob he will increase his wages if he decides to stay. Jacob asks for the off-breeds of the cattle; the speckled, spotted, or dark-colored sheep and goats. For this Jacob will shepherd the rest of Laban's flock. Jacob becomes very rich, and he has many flocks, male and female slaves, camels, and donkeys."
Reading from the Amplified Bible (AMP) version..
- "When Rachel saw that she conceived no children for Jacob, she envied her sister, and said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I will die.” Then Jacob became furious with Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has denied you children?” She said, “Here, take my maid Bilhah and go in to her; and [when the baby comes] she shall deliver it [while sitting] on my knees, so that by her I may also have children [to count as my own].” v.1-3
- "Now when Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go back to my own place and to my own country. Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go; for you know the work which I have done for you.” But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, stay with me; for I have learned [from the omens in divination and by experience] that the Lord has blessed me because of you.” v.25-27
- "So Jacob became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks [of sheep and goats], and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys." v.43
My personal observations and reflections...
- SURROGATE. Leah had already 4 sons, and this made Rachel "depressed" and envious. So Rachel requested to Jacob to give her a child through her servant Bilhah, and she conceived two sons named Dan and Naphtali. I wonder how hard this (kind of) family mess was for everyone. Jacob dealing with two wives, who seems to be competing for his love and attention through their 'children'. I also wonder how hard it is to be a 'slave', nobody deserves to experience that. How does it feel to be a surrogate mother? I don't think I can bear that, to have a baby that you will not have a right to raise, to have a child that will go to your master/owner. I guess I just wonder how they all dealt with it all emotionally.
"With mighty wrestlings [in prayer to God] I have struggled with my sister and have prevailed.” So she named him Naphtali (my wrestlings)." v.8
* "On my knees refers to the custom where the husband impregnated the surrogate while the surrogate reclined on the lap of the wife, and how she might even recline on the wife as she gave birth. The symbolism clearly showed the child was legally the child of the mother, not the surrogate, who merely “stood in” for the wife both in conception and birth." –David Guzik https://dwellingintheword.wordpress.com/2014/10/13/1421-genesis-30/
- ANOTHER ONE! Jacob's family is growing! Leah seems discontented, and she wanted more children. Or was it also because her sister Rachel used her maid as a surrogate? Leah did the same and gave her servant Zilpah to Jacob; and she named her sons, Gad and Asher.
“I am happy! For women will call me happy.” So she named him Asher (happy)." v.13
- MANDRAKE STORY. As if to give more picture about Leah and Rachel's envy and competition with each other, we read a situation about a certain plant or herb named Mandrake. The eldest son Reuben gave mandrakes to his mom, and Rachel also asked for it. But Leah told her, “Is it a small thing that you have taken my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes also?” (v.15), as if to show Rachel that it's her fault she's unloved by Jacob, eventhough she's the first wife. I'm not sure how effective mandrake is, but it seems Rachel is desperate for it. She offered that Leah can sleep with Jacob in return for his son's mandrakes.
* Bible Footnotes: Genesis 30:14 A narcotic plant thought by ancient peoples to be an aphrodisiac or cure for infertility.
Through Zilpah, Leah had more children, who she named Issaachar, Zebulun and Dinah.
“God has given me my reward because I have given my maid to my husband.” So she named him Issachar." v.18
“God has endowed me with a good [marriage] gift [for my husband]; now he will live with me [regarding me with honor as his wife], because I have given birth to six sons.” So she named him Zebulun. Afterward she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah." v.20-21
- GOD OPENED RACHEL'S WOMB. Wow, God did it again! Just like what He did to old Sarah, God allowed Rachel to conceive sons with Jacob. She named the first one, Joseph. Now, I realized why Joseph is Jacob's favorite son. He is a miracle baby, and he comes from Rachel, the wife he loved more.
- JACOB FINALLY WANTS TO GO BACK TO HIS OWN COUNTRY. This gave me a throwback of Abraham and God's great covenant and promise! After SEVERAL YEARS of working for Laban, as well as growing his family/household, it's time to go back to the land that God promised! But Uncle Laban seems unwilling to let him go, because he witnessed how God prospers and favor Jacob with blessings. But Jacob insisted that it's about time that he provide and do something for his own family. As one last condition, Jacob offered to again pasture and keep Laban's flock.
- JACOB'S DEAL: “You don’t have to pay me a thing. But how about this? I will go back to pasture and care for your flocks. Go through your entire flock today and take out every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb, every spotted or speckled goat. They will be my wages. That way you can check on my honesty when you assess my wages. If you find any goat that’s not speckled or spotted or a sheep that’s not black, you will know that I stole it.” (The Message, v.31-33)
- LABAN CHEATS AGAIN. Laban was being a hindrance to God's grand, bigger plans.. God's ways are still higher than human's ways, no amount of fraud or crookedness can prevent it. Instead of just trusting God, Laban tried to keep the blessing using his own ways.
- GOD'S FAVOR AND INTERVENTION. We read a strange style from Jacob how he was able to mate and produce new flocks, as well as stronger ones, despite what Laban did. God blessed Jacob and did not leave him empty-handed. According to Bible Footnotes, "Genesis 30:39 The success of Jacob’s action was undoubtedly the answer to an unrecorded prayer. Later (31:7-12), Jacob gives God the credit for what happened, citing a special dream that he had from God."
Our Creator GOD IS AMAZING, FULL OF WISDOM! Indeed, all wisdom are His and everything belongs to Him. Even if someone will steal something from us, God is still our provider.
I also want to share a great, more expounded read about this: https://answersingenesis.org/genetics/animal-genetics/jacobs-odd-breeding-program-genesis-30/
Read the Bible here:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+30&version=AMP
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