30:1 Rachel began to struggle with the fact that she had not been able to conceive and her sister had. These moments in the Bible humanize the people we are reading about, give us the opportunity to relate to them. Rachel experiences some of the pain and envy that Jacob's grandmother Sarah experienced in the same situation.
Rachel laments to Jacob and remember that in this time and context, people were not aware of the science behind conception. Rachel was truly baffled by her inability to bear children. She was desperate enough even to beg Jacob to give her a child.
30:2 Jacob becomes frustrated. If we were to examine his frustration, we might think about what our own reactions in such a situation would be. Jacob would of course have wanted to have children with the love of his life but it was not happening. He was happy to have sons and loved them but his joy was somewhat diminished by the sadness of the woman he loved so much. He could not fully express his joy and it must have been difficult to balance such a range of emotions.
Our situations might be different but we each can perfectly understand the ironies and tragedies coupled with the luck and joy of life. When nothing is ever entirely perfect, we work to establish a balance somewhere in between. Jacob's (healthy) response is to bring God into the situation. Although he does not necessarily express himself well, he's trying to convey to Rachel that he's upset he cannot provide what Rachel wants... but reminds her that she should bring her prayers to God.
Jacob reminds Rachel that if there is a perceived problem in her life, the best advice he can give her is to talk to God about it to discover the reason and way out.
30:3 Rachel follows the footsteps of Sarah and offers her maid to Jacob as a type of surrogate mother. As humans, our patience is not derived out of boundless basins and therefore we frequently run out of it. Even (sometimes especially) when we should not. However, just as Sarah arranged with Hagar, adding another woman into the familial gene pool added new DNA. New DNA ensured that these children being produced could healthfully copulate and populate the world.
30:4-6 Jacob and the maid Bilhah produced a son and Rachel, believing her prayer to be answered, named the child Dan: God is my judge. Hagar and Bilhah although not specifically chosen by the men who gave them children, were specifically chosen by God. Although not highly regarded by society, God enable them to produce the people who would become the patriarchs of population of the Earth. God has no social class distinctions. He loves all equally and blesses all equally. No matter how small or humble you are, God had wonderful things planned for you if you accept them.
30:7-8 Bilhah upon Rachel's request produces another son. Rachel names him Naphtali: my struggle, my strife. Rachel struggled with the fact that Leah was able to have children and she symbolized her triumph over this strife in the naming of Naphtali.
30:9 Leah had four sons but had not been able to conceive after that. She took the same route as Rachel and requested that her maid Zilpah and Jacob have children on her behalf.
30:10-11 Zilpah has a son and Leah names him Gad: Fortune, Luck.
30:12-13 Zilpah has another son and Leah names him Asher: Happy, Blessed.
30:14 Leah's son Reuben went out and found mandrakes, a fruit which at the time was known for being a fertility booster. Rachel asks Leah if she can have some of the mandrakes.
30:15-16 There is resentment brewing between the sisters and it is expected, their situation is peculiar. Leah takes comfort in the fact that although she is not loved by Jacob as Rachel is, she is the one who has given birth to his children. Each of the sisters feels as though the other sister is luckier. Leah is hesitant to help her sister.
Rachel promises to sent Jacob to Leah if Leah will share the mandrakes with here. We can understand that each wife was constantly battling the other for Jacob's attention. Leah accepts the deal.
Rachel promises to sent Jacob to Leah if Leah will share the mandrakes with here. We can understand that each wife was constantly battling the other for Jacob's attention. Leah accepts the deal.
30:17-18 As Rachel promised, she sent Jacob to Leah's residence that night. Leah once again conceived a fifth son: Issachar, meaning reward. Leah's reaction is to recognize God's presence with her, ever listening and answering her prayers.
30:19-20 Leah gives birth to a sixth son: Zebulun, meaning gift. Leah craved Jacob's attention and affection. She craved his presence. The more children she had with him, the more rightful claim she felt she had as his wife.
30:21 Leah then gave birth to a daughter: Dinah, meaning avenged, justice. More on Dinah in following chapters.
30:22 And then finally Rachel conceived a child. Everyone has tribulation in their life. Everyone has something that they passionately (want) pray for that is specific to them. Rachel had precisely what Leah craved yet was unhappy. Leah had precisely what Rachel craved and yet was unhappy. We are each fulfilled in different ways. Our God knows how to adequately and abundantly supply our happiness. We must have faith, trust and patience in Him to deliver to us our greatest joy in His perfect time.
30:23-24 Rachel, the love of Jacob's life, gives birth to a son and she names him Joseph. Joseph meaning: may God add, increase. And indeed he would give Rachel and Jacob another son.
30:25-26 As Jacob's family continued to grow and establish, he requested leave from Laban's house/region. Jacob has dealt fairly with Laban and believes that he has earned the right to move on with his increasingly large family.
30:27-28 Laban does not want Jacob to leave. Laban has personally witnessed the hand of God in Jacob's life (through Jacob's faith) and he does not want to be separate from it. When Jacob arrived in Laban's region, Laban was not doing so well: he had lazy workers and an unsuccessful farm. With Jacob's faith present, life had exploded in abundance and joy.
Laban asks Jacob to remain with him. He offers to give Jacob whatever he wants in order to convince him to stay.
30:29-30 Considering Laban's proposal, Jacob reflects on the growth of Laban's house much (if not all) of it due to Jacob's focused and adept efforts. Essentially Jacob establishes his worth before requesting anything.
30:27-28 Laban does not want Jacob to leave. Laban has personally witnessed the hand of God in Jacob's life (through Jacob's faith) and he does not want to be separate from it. When Jacob arrived in Laban's region, Laban was not doing so well: he had lazy workers and an unsuccessful farm. With Jacob's faith present, life had exploded in abundance and joy.
Laban asks Jacob to remain with him. He offers to give Jacob whatever he wants in order to convince him to stay.
30:29-30 Considering Laban's proposal, Jacob reflects on the growth of Laban's house much (if not all) of it due to Jacob's focused and adept efforts. Essentially Jacob establishes his worth before requesting anything.
30:31-33 "What should I give you?" Laban asks Jacob. Jacob's response is that Laban should not give him anything, everything that Laban has is due to Jacob's efforts and therefore basically already belongs to him. Jacob requests to keep all of the goats which are spotted and speckled. Laban will be able to keep all of the white goats and they will be able to clearly discern whose is whose property.
30:34-36 Laban had the goats separated. Jacob held his end of the deal and continued to tend to Laban's flocks.
30:37-40 Jacob enabled his flocks to conceive during watering.
30:41-43 Jacob ensured also that he and his family would prosper despite Laban's constant interference.
