Good evening to you, God bless you and welcome to tonight's study in Genesis chapter thirty. And so, asking for wisdom, knowledge and understanding from the Father in the name of Jesus Christ, let us begin.
Gen 30:1 And when Rachel7354 saw7200 that3588 she bore Jacob no children,3205, 3808, 3290 Rachel7354 envied7065 her sister;269 and said559 unto413 Jacob,3290 Give3051 me children,1121 or518 else369 I595 die.4191
As if it was his fault. One wife has children the other none, watch what Jacob has to say about it.
Gen 30:2 And Jacob's3290 anger639 was kindled2734 against Rachel:7354 and he said,559 Am I595 in God's430 stead,8478 who834 hath withheld4513 from4480 thee the fruit6529 of the womb?990
Go talk to God about it, it's NOT my fault.
Gen 30:3 And she said,559 Behold2009 my maid519 Bilhah,1090 go in935 unto413 her; and she shall bear3205 upon5921 my knees,1290 that I595 may also1571 have children1129 by4480 her.
Just like Abraham and Sarah.
Gen 30:4 And she gave5414 him (853) Bilhah1090 her handmaid8198 to wife:802 and Jacob3290 went in935 unto413 her.
Gen 30:5 And Bilhah1090 conceived,2029 and bore3205 Jacob3290 a son.1121
Gen 30:6 And Rachel7354 said,559 God430 hath judged1777 me, and hath also1571 heard8085 my voice,6963 and hath given5414 me a son:1121 therefore5921, 3651 called7121 she his name8034 Dan.1835
And Dan meaning "judge" from the Hebrew.
Gen 30:7 And Bilhah1090 Rachel's7354 maid8198 conceived2029 again,5750 and bore3205 Jacob3290 a second8145 son.1121
Gen 30:8 And Rachel7354 said,559 With great430 wrestlings5319 have I wrestled6617 with5973 my sister,269 and1571 I have prevailed:3201 and she called7121 his name8034 Naphtali.5321
We have to remember that at that time the maid having children by her husband was "as" the wife herself had the child.
Gen 30:9 When Leah3812 saw7200 that3588 she had left5975 bearing,4480, 3205 she took3947 (853) Zilpah2153 her maid,8198 and gave5414 her Jacob3290 to wife.802
Gen 30:10 And Zilpah2153 Leah's3812 maid8198 bore3205 Jacob3290 a son.1121
Gen 30:11 And Leah3812 said,559 A troop cometh:1413 and she called7121 (853) his name8034 Gad.1410
looks like these sisters are in a competition of sorts on the child bearing for Jacob.
Gen 30:12 And Zilpah2153 Leah's3812 maid8198 bore3205 Jacob3290 a second8145 son.1121
Gen 30:13 And Leah3812 said,559 Happy837 am I, for3588 the daughters1323 will call me blessed:833 and she called7121 (853) his name8034 Asher.836
Gen 30:14 And Reuben7205 went1980 in the days3117 of wheat2406 harvest,7105 and found4672 mandrakes1736 in the field,7704 and brought935 them unto413 his mother517 Leah.3812 Then Rachel7354 said559 to413 Leah,3812 Give5414 me, I pray thee,4994 of thy son's1121 mandrakes.4480, 1736
This boy is no longer an infant, so we can see that a good deal of time has passed by. Before we continue, lets look at this "mandrake".
H1736
דּוּדי
du^day
doo-dah'-ee
From H1731; a boiler or basket; also the mandrake (as aphrodisiac): - basket, mandrake.
Just something to think on.
Gen 30:15 And she said559 unto her, Is it a small matter4592 that thou hast taken3947 (853) my husband?376 and wouldest thou take away3947 (853) my son's1121 mandrakes1736 also?1571 And Rachel7354 said,559 Therefore3651 he shall lie7901 with5973 thee tonight3915 for8478 thy son's1121 mandrakes.1736
You took over my husband and now you want my sons mandrakes too. It's no big secret that Jacob lover you more.
Gen 30:16 And Jacob3290 came935 out of4480 the field7704 in the evening,6153 and Leah3812 went out3318 to meet7125 him, and said,559 Thou must come in935 unto413 me; for3588 surely I have hired7936, 7936 thee with my son's1121 mandrakes.1736 And he lay7901 with5973 her that1931 night.3915
Gen 30:17 And God430 hearkened8085 unto413 Leah,3812 and she conceived,2029 and bore3205 Jacob3290 the fifth2549 son.1121
Gen 30:18 And Leah3812 said,559 God430 hath given5414 me my hire,7939 because834 I have given5414 my maiden8198 to my husband:376 and she called7121 his name8034 Issachar.3485
And Issachar meaning "He will bring a reward".
Gen 30:19 And Leah3812 conceived2029 again,5750 and bore3205 Jacob3290 the sixth8345 son.1121
Gen 30:20 And Leah3812 said,559 God430 hath endued2064 me with a good2896 dowry;2065 now6471 will my husband376 dwell with2082 me, because3588 I have born3205 him six8337 sons:1121 and she called7121 (853) his name8034 Zebulun.2074
Zebulun meaning "habitation".
Gen 30:21 And afterwards310 she bore3205 a daughter,1323 and called7121 (853) her name8034 Dinah.1783
And this daughter will be the reason for the destruction of an entire tribe very soon as we continue through this book of Genesis. Ironic, considering that "Dinah" is from the Hebrew:
H1783
דּינה
di^yna^h
dee-naw'
Feminine of H1779; justice; Dinah, the daughter of Jacob: - Dinah.
And truly, justice will be served on the one who defiles her when we get to Gen 34.
Gen 30:22 And God430 remembered2142 (853) Rachel,7354 and God430 hearkened8085 to413 her, and opened6605 (853) her womb.7358
Gen 30:23 And she conceived,2029 and bore3205 a son;1121 and said,559 God430 hath taken away622 (853) my reproach:2781
Gen 30:24 And she called7121 (853) his name8034 Joseph;3130 and said,559 The LORD3068 shall add3254 to me another312 son.1121
Joseph meaning "let him add", (Yo-safe). She is already trusting God to give her yet another son.
Gen 30:25 And it came to pass,1961 when834 Rachel7354 had born3205 (853) Joseph,3130 that Jacob3290 said559 unto413 Laban,3837 Send me away,7971 that I may go1980 unto413 mine own place,4725 and to my country.776
Now this is not gong to set well with Laban.
Gen 30:26 Give5414 me (853) my wives802 and my children,3206 for whom834, 2004 I have served5647 thee, and let me go:1980 for3588 thou859 knowest3045 (853) my service5656 which834 I have done5647 thee.
You know that I have done all that I agreed to do.
Gen 30:27 And Laban3837 said559 unto413 him, I pray thee,4994 if518 I have found4672 favor2580 in thine eyes,5869 tarry: for I have learned by experience5172 that the LORD3068 hath blessed1288 me for thy sake.1558
Laban doesn't want him to go, God is blessing Laban because of Jacob, and he knows it.
Gen 30:28 And he said,559 Appoint5344, 5921 me thy wages,7939 and I will give5414 it.
Any thing you ask, just don't leave yet.
Gen 30:29 And he said559 unto413 him, Thou859 knowest3045 (853) how834 I have served5647 thee, and how834 thy cattle4735 was1961 with854 me.
Gen 30:30 For3588 it was little4592 which834 thou hadst1961 before6440 I came, and it is now increased6555 unto a multitude;7230 and the LORD3068 hath blessed1288 thee since my coming:7272 and now6258 when4970 shall I595 provide6213 for mine own house1004 also?1571
God has made you Great because of me, what do I have to give my own family??
Gen 30:31 And he said,559 What4100 shall I give5414 thee? And Jacob3290 said,559 Thou shalt not3808 give5414 me any thing:3972 if518 thou wilt do6213 this2088 thing1697 for me, I will again7725 feed7462 and keep8104 thy flock:6629
Just let me raise my own wages from your herds and flocks.
Gen 30:32 I will pass through5674 all3605 thy flock6629 today,3117 removing5493 from thence4480, 8033 all3605 the speckled5348 and spotted2921 cattle,7716 and all3605 the brown2345 cattle7716 among the sheep,3775 and the spotted2921 and speckled5348 among the goats:5795 and of such shall be1961 my hire.7939
The way this is worded may be a bit confusing to some. The brown cattle among the sheep just don't make good sense. look for a minute at some Hebrew. This word for "cattle":
H7716
שׂי שׂה
s´eh s´e^y
seh, say
Probably from H7582 through the idea of pushing out to graze; a member of a flock, that is, a sheep or goat: - (lesser, small) cattle, ewe, lamb, sheep.
This is one of those words that can be translated either way sheep, goat or cattle. Now lets back up to the "flock":
H6629
צאון צאןo
tso^'n tse'o^n
tsone, tseh-one'
From an unused root meaning to migrate; a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats); also figuratively (of men): - (small) cattle, flock (+ -s), lamb (+ -s), sheep ([-cote, -fold, -shearer, -herds]).
Again, this can be goats, sheep or cattle, in a herd of flock. Our translators just didn't use proper grammar in this case. The words for Sheep and Goats mean just that.
Gen 30:33 So shall my righteousness6666 answer6030 for me in time3117 to come,4279 when3588 it shall come935 for5921 my hire7939 before thy face:6440 every one3605 that834 is not369 speckled5348 and spotted2921 among the goats,5795 and brown2345 among the sheep,3775 that1931 shall be counted stolen1589 with854 me.
In other words, I will not take any other than those we have agreed on.
Gen 30:34 And Laban3837 said,559 Behold,2005 I would3863 it might be1961 according to thy word.1697
Laban actually agrees this time. Seemingly with no cards up his sleeve.
Gen 30:35 And he removed5493 that1931 day3117 (853) the he goats8495 that were ringstreaked6124 and spotted,2921 and all3605 the she goats5795 that were speckled5348 and spotted,2921 and every one3605 that834 had some white3836 in it, and all3605 the brown2345 among the sheep,3775 and gave5414 them into the hand3027 of his sons.1121
Now the stage is set for the first documented case of selective breeding.
Gen 30:36 And he set7760 three7969 days'3117 journey1870 between996 himself and Jacob:3290 and Jacob3290 fed7462 (853) the rest3498 of Laban's3837 flocks.6629
Gen 30:37 And Jacob3290 took3947 him rods4731 of green3892 poplar,3839 and of the hazel3869 and chestnut tree;6196 and peeled6478 white3836 streaks6479 in them,2004 and made the white3836 appear4286 which834 was in5921 the rods.4731
Gen 30:38 And he set3322 (853) the rods4731 which834 he had peeled6478 before5227 the flocks6629 in the gutters7298 in the watering4325 troughs8268 when834 the flocks6629 came935 to drink,8354 that they should conceive3179 when they came935 to drink.8354
Gen 30:39 And the flocks6629 conceived3179 before413 the rods,4731 and brought forth3205 cattle6629 ringstreaked,6124 speckled,5348 and spotted.2921
Gen 30:40 And Jacob3290 did separate6504 the lambs,3775 and set5414 the faces6440 of the flocks6629 toward413 the ringstreaked,6124 and all3605 the brown2345 in the flock6629 of Laban;3837 and he put7896 his own flocks5739 by themselves,905 and put7896 them not3808 unto5921 Laban's3837 cattle.6629
Gen 30:41 And it came to pass,1961 whensoever3605 the stronger7194 cattle6629 did conceive,3179 that Jacob3290 laid7760 (853) the rods4731 before the eyes5869 of the cattle6629 in the gutters,7298 that they might conceive3179 among the rods.4731
Now what the rods had to do with it, I have not yet figured out, then again Moses will use a rod as well. God doesn't need it, but it is there none the less.
Gen 30:42 But when the cattle6629 were feeble,5848 he put7760 them not3808 in: so the feebler5848 were1961 Laban's,3837 and the stronger7194 Jacob's.3290
Keeping the stronger for himself.
Gen 30:43 And the man376 increased6555 exceedingly,3966, 3966 and had1961 much7227 cattle,6629 and maidservants,8198 and menservants,5650 and camels,1581 and asses.2543
God blessed him just as He has his for fathers. Learn a lesson from this family. If we live our lives like they did we will receive the blessings that they did.
And that will end our study for tonight, hope you have enjoyed it. May God bless you abundantly and remember;
Study to show thy self approved.