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Genesis Chapter
Thirty
I.
Content of the Chapter
Jacob’s Multiplication of
Descendants and Prosperity
A. Rachel and Leah strived for favor for the
purpose of bearing sons (v.1-24);
B. Jacob negotiated with Laban for new wages
after the fulfillment of the fourteen-year labor (v.25-36);
C. Jacob earned wages by tricks (v.37-43);
II.
Verse by Verse Commentary
Gen. 30:1 “Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children
Rachel
envied her sister
and said to Jacob
“Give me children
or else I die!””
YLT:
“And
Rachel seeth that she hath not borne to Jacob
and Rachel is envious of her
sister
and saith unto Jacob
`Give me sons
and if there is none -- I die.'”
Literal
Meaning: “envied”
according
to the original Hebrew
it means “coming to the extreme of man’s patience”.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Envy is the most dangerous poison that destroys
interpersonal relationship
which is out of selfish motivation ---- whatever
one owns not
let nobody own it.
2) We
like to pray for this or that
but do not know what we have prayed for (see
Matt. 10:38).
3)
Rachel died afterwards because of bearing a child as she had said (see
35:16-19). Believers shall not speak whatever we please
for every word will
influence God’s evaluation of us (see Matt. 12:36).
4) God
is the origin of life
and life is in God’s hand. However
many silly
Christians imagine wrongly that the increase of their life is due to the
spiritual giants
so they exalt those whom they rely upon and respect too much.
5) Man
is merely the instrument through which God blesses. If our eyes are fixed upon
the instrument of blessings and yet ignore the origin of blessings ---- God
himself
we have greatly sinned against God.
6)
Believers shall desire to bear spiritual offspring and bring many to be saved.
However
we have to do it with a pure motivation instead of contending with
others.
Gen. 30:2 “And Jacob’s anger was aroused against Rachel
and he said
“Am I in the place of God
who has withheld from you the fruit of the
womb?””
YLT: “And
Jacob's anger burneth against Rachel
and he saith
`Am I in stead of God who
hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?'”
Literal
Meaning: Jacob always seized
blessings by his own strength. However
now he had to confess that the blessing
of bearing children was from God.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Life is the reward of God
not man’s labor (see
29:31).
2)
Nobody in the world can replace God to be our lord. However
in the mind of
many believers
there are many gods and lords (1Cor. 8:5).
3)
Whoever desires to replace the will of God with man’s will
he has offended
against God and played the roll of “God” in the church.
4)
Believers shall try our best to preach the gospel and bear sons of gospel. And
we shall also recognize that it is God that makes one fruitful (saved) or
unfruitful (unsaved). Therefore
we have to look unto Him solely.
Gen. 30:3 “So she said
“Here is my maid Bilhah; go in to her
and she will bear a child on my knees
that I also may have children by her.””
YLT: “And
she saith
`Lo
my handmaid Bilhah
go in unto her
and she doth bear on my
knees
and I am built up
even I
from her;'”
Literal
Meaning: Rachel saw she had
not borne Jacob any child
so she imitated Sarah (see 16:2) and gave her maid
Bilhah to Jacob as a wife.
“And she will
bear a child on my knees”
it stemmed from a custom at that time that
a mother put the new born baby on his or her father’s knees to show that the
baby was the legal offspring. “On
my knees”
it means
regarding the baby as her own.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) If the church uses various “human ways” to
preach the gospel instead of relying upon “God’s great power”
there will be
men born of man’s will
not of God (John 1:13).
2) “I
also may have children by her”
it is “I will be built up by her” in the original Hebrew. The “building” of the
church is the matter of life (bearing children). The church shall be built only
in the cultivation of love (see Eph. 4:16).
3)
According to human sense
one may have a closer relation related by blood with
the baby of her sister than that of her maid. However
Rachel would rather
choose her maid’s baby
which indicated that power and pride made man lose
sense.
Gen. 30:4 “Then she gave him Bilhah her maid as wife
and Jacob went
in to her.”
YLT:
“and
she giveth to him Bilhah her maid-servant for a wife
and Jacob goeth in unto
her;”
The Background: the custom in the ancient Middle East was
silimilar that in the ancient
Gen. 30:5 “And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son.”
YLT:
“and
Bilhah conceiveth
and beareth to Jacob a son
”
Literal
Meaning: note that the fifth
to eighth son of Jacob were born from his wives’ maids Bilhah and Zilpah (see v.5-12).
Gen. 30:6 “Then Rachel said
“God has judged my case; and He has also
heard my voice and given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan.”
YLT:
“and
Rachel saith
`God hath decided for me
and also hath hearkened to my voice
and giveth to me a son;' therefore hath she called his name Dan.”
Meaning
of Words: “Dan”: judge
juitice;
Literal
Meaning: Rachel gave the son
of Bilhah a name
which showed that she regarded the baby as hers.
Gen. 30:7 “And Rachel’s maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a
second son.”
YLT: “And
Bilhah
Rachel's maid-servant
conceiveth again
and beareth a second son to
Jacob
”
Literal
Meaning: this was the sixth
son of Jacob.
Gen. 30:8 “Then Rachel said
“With great wrestlings I have wrestled
with my sister
and indeed I have prevailed.” So she called his name Naphtali.”
YLT:
“and
Rachel saith
`With wrestlings of God I have wrestled with my sister
yea
I
have prevailed;' and she calleth his name Napthali.”
Meaning
of Words: “have wrestled”: wrestle of God; “Naphtali”: my wrestling;
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) We do not preach the gospel to wrestle with
others and prevail them (see Phil. 1:15)
but to share with others the joy in
our life.
2)
Christians shall be against one’s own flesh rather than others (especially
brothers).
Gen. 30:9 “When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing
she took Zilpah
her maid and gave her to Jacob as wife.”
YLT:
“And
Leah seeth that she hath ceased from bearing
and she taketh Zilpah her
maid-servant
and giveth her to Jacob for a wife;”
Gen. 30:10 “And Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son.”
YLT: “and
Zilpah
Leah's maid-servant
beareth to Jacob a son
”
Literal
Meaning: this was the seventh
son of Jacob.
Gen. 30:11 “Then Leah said
“A troop comes!”[c] So she called his name Gad.”
YLT: “and
Leah saith
`A troop is coming;' and she calleth his name Gad.”
Meaning
of Words: “Gad”: fortune
troop;
Gen. 30:12 “And Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son.”
YLT:
“And
Zilpah
Leah's maid-servant
beareth a second son to Jacob
”
Literal
Meaning: this was the eighth
son of Jacob.
Gen. 30:13 “Then Leah said
“I am happy
for the daughters will call me
blessed.” So she called his name Asher.”
YLT: “and
Leah saith
`Because of my happiness
for daughters have pronounced me happy;'
and she calleth his name Asher.”
Meaning
of Words: “Asher”: blessed
joyful;
Gen. 30:14 “Now Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest and found
mandrakes in the field
and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said
to Leah
“Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.””
YLT:
“And
Reuben goeth in the days of wheat-harvest
and findeth love-apples in the
field
and bringeth them in unto Leah
his mother
and Rachel saith unto Leah
`Give to me
I pray thee
of the love-apples of thy son.'”
The Background: “mandrakes”
this was a kind of plant grown in
Gen. 30:15 “But she said to her
“Is it a small matter that you
have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes also?” And Rachel
said
“Therefore he will lie with you tonight for your son’s mandrakes.””
YLT: “And
she saith to her
`Is thy taking my husband a little thing
that thou hast
taken also the love-apples of my son?' and Rachel saith
`Therefore doth he lie
with thee to-night
for thy son's love-apples.'”
Literal
Meaning: Rachel believed that
those mandrakes could help her to bear children
so
she would rather give up the chance of lying with her husband to get those
mandrakes. However
as a result
those mandrakes did not help her to get
pregnant but made Leah get one more child (see v.17).
Gen. 30:16 “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.”
YLT:
“And
Jacob cometh in from the field at evening; and Leah goeth to meet him
and
saith
`Unto me dost thou come in
for hiring I have hired thee with my son's
love-apples;' and he lieth with her during that night.”
Literal
Meaning: “for
I have surely hired you with my son’s mandrakes”
Leah paid the price of mandrakes to earn the
right of lying with Jacob from Rachel.
Gen. 30:17 “And God listened to Leah
and she
conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son.”
YLT:
“And
God hearkeneth unto Leah
and she conceiveth
and beareth to Jacob a son
a
fifth
”
Literal
Meaning: “and
she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son”
“fifth”: Jacob’s fifth son
begotten from Leah. Actually
it was the ninth son of Jacob.
Gen. 30:18 “Leah said
“God has given me my wages
because I have given
my maid to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar.”
YLT: “and
Leah saith
`God hath given my hire
because I have given my maid-servant to my
husband;' and she calleth his name Issachar.”
Meaning
of Words: “Issachar”: value
wage
reward;
Literal
Meaning: “So
she called his name Issachar”
“Issachar” and “hire” are homonymous
in the original Hebrew.
This name suggested that: 1) this child was a wage exchanged by mandrakes; 2)
this deal was worthy;
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) What is obtained from God is truly valuable.
2) He
who shall give birth to a spiritual child (bear the fruit of the gospel) has to
pay the price. And the most valuable price is to pray before God.
Gen. 30:19 “Then Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son.”
YLT:
“And
conceive again doth Leah
and she beareth a sixth son to Jacob
”
Literal
Meaning: this was the tenth
son of Jacob.
Gen. 30:20 “And Leah said
“God has endowed me with a good
endowment; now my husband will dwell with me
because I have borne him six
sons.” So she called his name Zebulun.”
YLT:
“and
Leah saith
`God hath endowed me -- a good dowry; this time doth my husband
dwell with me
for I have borne to him six sons;' and she calleth his name
Zebulun;”
Meaning
of Words: “Zebulun”: dwelling
respect;
Literal
Meaning: “so she called his name Zebulun”
“Zebulun” and “endow with a good endowment” are
homonymous in the original Hebrew.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) The fruit of the womb is a reward (Ps. 127:3).
2) It
is the abundant endowment of God as well as the fruit of being with the Lord that
believers are enabled to yield spiritual offspring
for we can do nothing
without Him (John 15:5).
Gen. 30:21 “Afterward she bore a daughter
and
called her name Dinah.”
YLT:
“and
afterwards hath she born a daughter
and calleth her name Dinah.”
Meaning
of Words: “Dinah”: judge
revenge;
Literal
Meaning: “and
called her name Dinah”
“Dinah” and “Dan”
are of the same etymon (v.6). Jacob might have more than one “daughter” (see
37:35; 46:7 both are in the plural in the original Hebrew). However
only “Dinah”
was mentioned here
for she was related to chapter thirty-four.
Gen. 30:22 “Then God remembered Rachel
and God listened to her and
opened her womb.”
YLT:
“And
God remembereth Rachel
and God hearkeneth unto her
and openeth her womb
”
Meaning
of Words: “remember”: remind;
Literal
Meaning: “listen to her”
it
suggested that Rachel finally gave up her own way and turned to pray to God.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) God remembered Rachel
and she obtained what she
had not got by mandrakes by prayer. God keeps those who are truly of Him in
mind and are ready to hear their prayer.
2)
With men this is impossible
but with God all things are possible (Matt.
19:26). Only when man prays to God by faith
will God answer Him to do anything
only He can do.
Gen. 30:23 “And she conceived and bore a son
and said
“God has taken
away my reproach.””
YLT:
“and
she conceiveth and beareth a son
and saith
`God hath gathered up my
reproach;'”
The Background: it was believed in the areas of the ancient
Middle East that barrenness of a woman after marriage
was a proof of her not pleasing God
so it was often regarded as a great
reproach (see Luke 1:25).
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Barrenness is the greatest reproach of a man. If
a believer has never brought men to the Lord
let him be ashamed of it.
2)
Only God can remove our reproach
so let us rely upon God with our whole heart.
Gen. 30:24 “So she called his name Joseph
[h] and said
“The Lord shall add to me another son.””
YLT:
“and
she calleth his name Joseph
saying
`Jehovah is adding to me another son.'”
Meaning
of Words: “Joseph”: increase
remove;
Enlightenment
in the Word: let us never
satisfy with the present condition but pray to God to add to us daily those who
were being saved (Acts 2:47).
Gen. 30:25 “And it came to pass
when Rachel had borne Joseph
that
Jacob said to Laban
“Send me away
that I may go to my
own place and to my country.”
YLT: “And
it cometh to pass
when Rachel hath borne Joseph
that Jacob saith unto Laban
`Send me away
and I go unto my place
and to my land;”
Literal
Meaning: “my
own place and to my country”
it was the
Gen. 30:26 “Give me my wives and my children for whom I have
served you
and let me go; for you know my service which I have done for you.””
YLT:
“give up my wives and my children
for whom I have served thee
and I go; for
thou -- thou hast known my service which I have served thee.'”
The Background: according to the ancient custom in the Middle
East
whoever was willing to be the bondman of the master
his wife and children
would also belong to the master (see Ex. 21:4-6).
Literal
Meaning: at this time
Jacob
had no property or flocks. Concerning his wives and sons and daughters
if
Laban did not consent to let him take them
they might be taken back
so Jacob
had to bend his head to petition Laban.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Let believers not enjoy Christ himself only
but
bring the whole family ---- the wives and sons and daughters ---- to the land
of Canaan (Christ) to partake of Christ.
2) We
shall not serve the Lord ourselves only
but bring the whole family to serve
the Lord.
Gen. 30:27 “And Laban said to him
“Please stay
if I have found
favor in your eyes
for I have learned by
experience that the Lord has blessed me for your sake.””
YLT:
“And
Laban saith unto him
`If
I pray thee
I have found grace in thine eyes -- I
have observed diligently that Jehovah doth bless me for thy sake.'”
Literal
Meaning: Laban did not want
Jacob to depart
for he was afraid that God would not bless him as long as
Jacob departed. Though Laban here confessed Jehovah was the God of Jacob
he
did not escape from idolatry (see 31:19
32).
“I
have learned”
it means that he
“knew by divination” in the original Hebrew.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) The days of Jacob’s being chastened were not
fulfilled
so he had still to submit under the hands of Laban and could not
leave earlier. The discipline of God will not cease until the purpose is
fulfilled.
2) No
experience of any Christian is accidental. All experiences of Christians are
arranged by the Holy Spirit for our edification.
3)
Laban was willing to let Jacob go
for he loved riches more than his own
daughters and grandchildren. Money often destroys the kindred.
4)
Sometimes one expects to be with another for the purpose of taking advantage of
him rather than love him.
5)
Though Leah and Rachel and Laban kept on saying “the Lord this or the Lord that”
they were not really so spiritual and they
merely desired to seek their own profit by using God.
6) One
may confess God’s name and works by mouth
but he does not truly love Him or
respect Him.
7) Let
us not despise ourselves
for we may bring blessings to others when we live in
the world. God often blesses those who are around us for the sake of us
Christians.
Gen. 30:28 “Then he said
“Name me your wages
and I will give it.””
YLT: “He
saith also
`Define thy hire to me
and I give.'”
Literal
Meaning: Laban wanted to
continue to earn gains by taking advantage of Jacob.
Gen. 30:29 “So Jacob
said to him
“You know how I have served you and how your livestock has been
with me.”
YLT: “And
he saith unto him
`Thou -- thou hast known that which I have served thee
and
that which thy substance was with me;”
Gen. 30:30 “For what you had before I came was little
and it
has increased to a great amount; the Lord has blessed you since my coming. And now
when shall I also provide for my own house?””
YLT:
“for
little which thou hast had at my appearance
and it breaketh forth into a
multitude
and Jehovah blesseth thee at my coming; and now
when do I make
I
also
for mine own house?'”
Literal
Meaning: Jacob confessed that
he was the channel of God’s blessings.
Gen. 30:31 “So he said
“What shall I give you?” And Jacob said
“You shall not give me anything. If you will do this thing for me
I will again
feed and keep your flocks:”
YLT:
“And
he saith
`What do I give to thee?' And Jacob saith
`Thou dost not give me
anything; if thou do for me this thing
I turn back; I have delight; thy flock
I watch;”
Gen. 30:32 “Let me pass through all your flock today
removing from
there all the speckled and spotted sheep
and all the brown ones among the
lambs
and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and these shall be
my wages.”
YLT:
“I
pass through all thy flock to-day to turn aside from thence every sheep
speckled and spotted
and every brown sheep among the lambs
and speckled and
spotted among the goats -- and it hath been my hire;”
The Background: the lambs in the
Literal
Meaning: Jacob meant he
firstly picked the brown lambs and spotted and speckled goats out and put them
in another place so that they would not be mixed with the rest. Then if there
were brown lambs and spotted and speckled goats borne out of the rest flock
namely
the white lambs and brown goats
they would be his price. Such
probability was low on the basis of normal inference.
Gen. 30:33 “So my righteousness will answer for me in time to come
when the subject of my wages comes before you: every one that is not
speckled and spotted among the goats
and brown among the lambs
will be
considered stolen
if it is with me.””
YLT:
“and
my righteousness hath answered for me in the day to come
when it cometh in for
my hire before thy face; -- every one which is not speckled and spotted among
goats
and brown among lambs -- it is stolen with me.'”
Literal
Meaning: Jacob meant that
when he was leaving then
if there were white lambs and brown goats in his own
flock
they would be accounted to be stolen from Laban. Therefore
whether he
was righteous would be immediately discerned.
Gen. 30:34 “And Laban said
“Oh
that it were according to your word!””
YLT:
“And
Laban saith
`Lo
O that it were according to thy word;'”
Literal
Meaning: the cunning Laban
thought it was profitable
so he was pleased to accept Jacob’s suggestions.
Enlightenment
in the Word: Laban
was happy at this time
but finally he found he was happy in vain (see v.42).
Whoever does not look upon others will reap bitter fruits.
Gen. 30:35 “So he removed that day the male goats that were speckled
and spotted
all the female goats that were speckled and spotted
every one
that had some white in it
and all the brown ones among the lambs
and gave them into the hand of his sons.”
YLT:
“and
he turneth aside during that day the ring-straked and the spotted he-goats
and
all the speckled and the spotted she-goats
every one that white in it
and
every brown one among the lambs
and he giveth into the hand of his sons
”
Literal
Meaning: “gave
them into the hand of his sons”
“his sons”: Laban’s sons
not Jacob’s
sons; it showed that Laban did not trust in Jacob and was afraid that Jacob
deceived him secretly by a trick to make the spotted and speckled goats and
brown lambs mate with the white lambs and brown goats.
“That
day”
it indicated that Laban removed the chance of deliberate mating
immediately.
Gen. 30:36 “Then he put three days’ journey between himself and Jacob
and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks.”
YLT:
“and
setteth a journey of three days between himself and Jacob; and Jacob is feeding
the rest of the flock of Laban.”
Literal
Meaning: Laban made the two
sorts of flocks separated to avoid the new-born
spotted goats and brown lambs because of mating.
“The rest of
Laban’s flocks”: those white lambs
and brown goats.
Gen. 30:37 “Now Jacob took for himself rods of green poplar and of the
almond and chestnut trees
peeled white strips in them
and exposed the white which was in the rods.”
YLT:
“And
Jacob taketh to himself a rod of fresh poplar
and of the hazel and chesnut
and doth peel in them white peelings
making bare the white that on the rods
”
Literal
Meaning: the color of all
the bark of poplar and almond and chestnut trees is deep and yet the inside is
white.
“Peeled
white strips in them”
it meant peeling
a part of the bark away and letting the white strips manifest.
“Poplar” and “Laban” are homonymous in the
original Hebrew. Jacob intended to use the white stripes of the poplar to gain
profit from Laban (whose meaning is “white” in the original Hebrew).
Gen. 30:38 “And the rods which he had peeled
he set before the flocks
in the gutters
in the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink
so that
they should conceive when they came to drink.”
YLT: “and
setteth up the rods which he hath peeled in the gutters in the watering troughs
(when the flock cometh in to drink)
over-against the flock
that they may
conceive in their coming in to drink;”
Literal
Meaning: the sheep did not
mate when they ate grass. But they did in the place where they drank water.
Therefore
Jacob set the rods which he had peeled with the manifest white
stripes in the gutters.
Gen. 30:39 “So the flocks conceived before the rods
and the flocks
brought forth streaked
speckled
and spotted.”
YLT: “and
the flocks conceive at the rods
and the flock beareth ring-straked
speckled
and spotted ones.”
The Background: people in the ancient times believed that the
situation of the new-born lambs was decided by the environment in which the
flocks mated. However it was of no scientific ground.
Literal
Meaning: such result was due
to the great power of God
for He fulfilled according to what Jacob expected
(see 31:9).
Gen. 30:40 “Then Jacob separated the lambs
and made the flocks face
toward the streaked and all the brown in the flock of Laban; but he put his own
flocks by themselves and did not put them with Laban’s flock.”
YLT: “And
the lambs hath Jacob parted
and he putteth the face of the flock towards the
ring-straked
also all the brown in the flock of Laban
and he setteth his own
droves by themselves
and hath not set them near Laban's flock.”
Literal
Meaning:
it means that when the spotted and brown lambs were born
Jacob instantly
separated them from their mother lambs. And when the new-born lambs grew up
he
made them mate with the flocks without spots or speckles so that they would give birth
to flocks with spots and speckles. Thus
Jacob built his own flocks and did not
make them with that of Laban.
Gen. 30:41 “And it came to pass
whenever the stronger livestock
conceived
that Jacob placed the rods before the eyes of the livestock in the
gutters
that they might conceive among the rods.”
YLT:
“And
it hath come to pass whenever the strong ones of the flock conceive
that Jacob
set the rods before the eyes of the flock in the gutters
to cause them to
conceive by the rods
”
Literal
Meaning: it conforms to eugenics that the stronger ones give birth to
strong offspring.
Gen. 30:42 “But when the flocks were feeble
he did not put them
in; so the feebler were Laban’s and the stronger Jacob’s.”
YLT:
“and
when the flock is feeble
he doth not set ; and the feeble ones have been
Laban's
and the strong ones Jacob's.”
Gen. 30:43 “Thus the man became exceedingly prosperous
and had large
flocks
female and male servants
and camels and donkeys.”
YLT:
“And
the man increaseth very exceedingly
and hath many flocks
and maid-servants
and men-servants
and camels
and asses.”
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Though Laban was cunning
it turned out to be
that he “schemed in vain” and did not make himself rich but made Jacob
prosperous.
2) The
prosperity of Jacob was apparently out of his own cleverness and tact
but was
actually out of the gracious gift of God.
III.
Outlines of the Spiritual Lessons
Principalities of Multiplying Life
A. To see one’s own powerlessness (v.1);
B. To know that only God can make one conceived (v.2);
C. To desire to have part in giving birth to
life (v.3);
D. To ask God to hear our prayer and grant us
spiritual sons (v.6);
E. To pray unceasingly and make spiritual wars
by prayers (v.8);
F. To confess that the birth of life is of
God’s blessing (v.11-12);
G. To pay the cost so as to obtain God’s reward
(v.18);
H. To abide in the Lord so as to bear much
fruit of life (v.19);
I. To not be satisfied with the present
circumstances but pray to God for increase (v.24);
Principalities of Acquiring Property for
Christians on the Earth
A. To desire a better country in the heaven
(v.25);
C. To be the channel of others’ blessedness
(v.27
30);
D. To know that the source of blessings is God
(v.30);
E. To be righteous in the sight of men (v.33);
F. To be wise and know about the nature of
things and proper time and location (v.37-43);
──
Caleb Huang《Christian Digest Bible
Commentary Series》
Translated by Mary Zhou