NOTE* From Yasher 30:15
15 And in the second year of Jacob's dwelling in Haran, that is in the seventy ninth year of the life of Jacob, in that year died Eber the son of Shem, he was four hundred and sixty-four years old at his death.
(Gen 29:31) And the ETERNAL saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
(Gen 29:32) And Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said: 'Because the ETERNAL hath looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.'
(Gen 29:33) And she conceived again, and bore a son; and said: 'Because the ETERNAL hath heard that I am hated, He hath therefore given me this son also.' And she called his name Simeon.
(Gen 29:34) And she conceived again, and bore a son; and said: 'Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have borne him three sons.' Therefore was his name called Levi.
(Gen 29:35) And she conceived again, and bore a son; and she said: 'This time will I praise the ETERNAL.' Therefore she called his name Judah; and she left off bearing.
| Leah | Bilhah | Zilpah | Rachel |
| Reuben 9th month 14day | Dan 6th month 9th day | Gad 8th month 12th day | Yoseph 4th month 1st day |
| Simeon 10th month 21st day | Napthali 7th month 5th day | Asher 11th month 2nd day | Benjamin 8th month 11th day |
| Levi 1st month 1st day | | | |
| Judah 3rd month 15th day | | | |
| Issachar 5th month 4th day | | | |
| Zebulon 7th month 7th day | | | |
| Dinah 7th month 7th day | | | |
(Gen 30:1) And when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and she said unto Jacob: 'Give me children, or else I die.'
(Gen 30:2) And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel; and he said: 'Am I in ELOHIM's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?'
NOTE* The Chaldee paraphrases it well, Dost thou ask sons of me? Oughtest thou not to ask them from before the ETERNAL? The Arabic reads it, "Am I above the Eternal? can I give thee that which the ETERNAL denies thee?" This was said like a plain man. Observe, (1.) He acknowledges the hand of AHEYEH in the affliction which he was a sharer with her in: He hath withheld the fruit of the womb. Note, Whatever we want, it is the ETERNAL that withholds it, a Sovereign, most wise, holy, and just one, that may do what he will with his own, and is debtor to no man, that never did, nor ever can do, any wrong to any of his creatures.
NOTE* She asked Yaccov about giving her children but did not ask the ETERNAL. Compare Rachel to Hannah in 1Samuel 1:9-19
Targum of Johnathan
XXX. And Rahel saw that she bare not to Jakob, and Rahel was envious of her sister, and said to Jakob, Pray before the ETERNAL that He give me children; and if not, my life I shall reckon as the dead. And the anger of Jakob was stong against Rahel, and he said, Why do you ask of me? Ask before the ETERNAL, from before whom are children, and who hath restrained from thee the fruit of the womb.
(Gen 30:3) And she said: 'Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; that she may bear upon my knees, and I also may be builded up through her.'
(Gen 30:4) And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife; and Jacob went in unto her.
(Gen 30:5) And Bilhah conceived, and bore Jacob a son.
(Gen 30:6) And Rachel said: 'AHEYEH hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son.' Therefore called she his name Dan.
NOTE* One would think her own sister's children were nearer akin to her than her maid's, and she might with more satisfaction have made them her own if she had so pleased but (so natural is it for us all to be fond of power) children that she had a right to rule were more desirable to her than children that she had more reason to love;
(Gen 30:7) And Bilhah Rachel's handmaid conceived again, and bore Jacob a second son.
(Gen 30:8) And Rachel said: 'With mighty wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and have prevailed.' And she called his name Naphtali.
NOTE* She takes a pleasure in giving them names that carry in them nothing but marks of emulation with her sister, as if she had overcome her, (1.) At law. She calls the first son of her handmaid Dan (judgement), saying, "ELOHIM hath judged me" (v. 6), that is, "given sentence in my favour." (2.) In battle. She calls the next Naphtali (wrestlings), saying, I have wrestled with my sister, and have prevailed (v. 8)
(Gen 30:9) When Leah saw that she had left off bearing, she took Zilpah her handmaid, and gave her to Jacob to wife.
(Gen 30:10) And Zilpah Leah's handmaid bore Jacob a son.
(Gen 30:11) And Leah said: 'Fortune is come!' And she called his name Gad.
(Gen 30:12) And Zilpah Leah's handmaid bore Jacob a second son.
(Gen 30:13) And Leah said: 'Happy am I! for the daughters will call me happy.' And she called his name Asher.
NOTE* Following the example of Sarah with regard to Hagar, she adopted the children of her maid. Leah took the same course. Now Leah (because she missed one year in bearing children) does the same, to be even with her, or rather to keep before her. A bitter and intense rivalry existed between them, all the more from their close relationship as sisters; and although they occupied separate apartments, with their families, as is the uniform custom where a plurality of wives obtains, and the husband and father spends a day with each in regular succession, that did not allay their mutual jealousies. The evil lies in the system, which being a violation of the ETERNAL's original ordinance, cannot yield happiness.
Targum of Johnathan [Jerusalem]
[JERUSALEM. Four keys are held in the hand of the ETERNAL of all the world, even the ETERNAL, and He will not deliver them either to angel or to saraph; the key of the rain, the key of the provender, the key of the sepulchre, the key of barrenness. The key of rain : for thus the Scripture expoundeth, The ETERNAL shall open unto thee His good treasure, &c. The key of provender: for thus the Scripture expoundeth, Thou openest thine hand, &c. The key of the sepulchre : for thus the Scripture expoundeth, When I shall open your sepulchre, &c. The key of barrenness Scripture expoundeth, And Elohim remebered Rahel, &c. And the Word of the ETERNAL remebered Rahel in His good compassions,and the Word of the ETERNAL heard the voice of her prayer, and He said in His Word that He would give her children.]
(Gen 30:14) And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah: 'Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's mandrakes.'
(Gen 30:15) And she said unto her: 'Is it a small matter that thou hast taken away my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son's mandrakes also?' And Rachel said: 'Therefore he shall lie with thee to-night for thy son's mandrakes.'
Targum of Johnathan
And Reuben went in the days of Sivan, in the time of wheat harvest, and found (Yaveruchin) mandrakes in the field; and he brought them to Leah his mother.
NOTE* The book of Yasher doesn't mention the "mandrakes". This story comes from "E" documentary source.
NOTE* Leah speaks the truth! She truely is the WIFE PROPER, no matter who Yaacov desired in the beginning. He married her first, which makes her his wife! Rachael should never have been giving to Yaacov, or he should not have taken her. He choose by his emotions and caused major problems between these two sister.
(Gen 30:16) And Jacob came from the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said: 'Thou must come in unto me; for I have surely hired thee with my son's mandrakes.' And he lay with her that night.
(Gen 30:17) And Elohim hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bore Jacob a fifth son.
(Gen 30:18) And Leah said: 'The ETERNAL hath given me my hire, because I gave my handmaid to my husband. And she called his name Issachar.
(Gen 30:19) And Leah conceived again, and bore a sixth son to Jacob.
(Gen 30:20) And Leah said: 'the ETERNAL hath endowed me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons.' And she called his name Zebulun.
(Gen 30:22) And The ETERNAL remembered Rachel, and the ETERNAL hearkened to her, and opened her womb.
(Gen 30:23) And she conceived, and bore a son, and said: 'The ETERNAL hath taken away my reproach.'
(Gen 30:24) And she called his name Joseph, saying: 'The ETERNAL add to me another son.'
NOTE* Yashar 31:19 says Rachael finally prayed herself to the ETERNAL for a child!
remembered H2142 זכר zâkar zaw-kar'
A primitive root; properly to mark (so as to be recognized), that is, to remember; by implication to mention; also (as denominative from H2145) to be male: - X burn [incense], X earnestly, be male, (make) mention (of), be mindful, recount, record (-er), remember, make to be remembered, bring (call, come, keep, put) to (in) remembrance, X still, think on, X well.
Same as "remember the Shabbat day" The ETERNAL "marked with a sign" Aleph-Tav (ET) Rachel.
Yashar 31:19-21
19 And Rachel was still barren in those days, and Rachel prayed unto the ETERNAL at that time, and she said, O Sovereign remember me and visit me, I beseech thee, for now my husband will cast me off, for I have borne him no children.
20 Now O Sovereign, hear my supplication before thee, and see my affliction, and give me children like one of the handmaids, that I may no more bear my reproach.
21 And the ETERNAL heard her and opened her womb, and Rachel conceived and bare a son, and she said, The ETERNAL has taken away my reproach, and she called his name Joseph, saying, May AHEYEH add to me another son; and Jacob was ninety-one years old when she bare him.
Book of Yasher 31:22-23 - The reason Yaacov wanted to leave
22 At that time Jacob's mother, Rebecca, sent her nurse Deborah the daughter of Uz, and two of Isaac's servants unto Jacob.
23 And they came to Jacob to Haran and they said unto him, Rebecca has sent us to thee that thou shalt return to thy father's house to the land of Canaan; and Jacob hearkened unto them in this which his mother had spoken.
(Gen 30:25) And it came to pass, when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban: 'Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.
(Gen 30:26) Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served thee, and let me go; for thou knowest my service wherewith I have served thee.'
(Gen 30:27) And Laban said unto him: 'If now I have found favour in thine eyes - I have observed the signs, and the ETERNAL hath favored me for thy sake.'
(Gen 30:28) And he said: 'Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.'
Various Translations...
I have observed the signs... I have learned by experience... I will divine and the Eternal respected me on account of you... I have seen omens... I have diligently watched (the scriptures)... I have learned by divination... NOTE "English Majority Text" does not have this verse...
Laban used something more than his eyes to see that the ETERNAL was with Yaacov!
NOTE* The new bargain they came upon. Laban's craft and covetousness took advantage of Jacob's plainness and good-nature; and, perceiving that Jacob began to be won upon by his fair speeches, instead of making him a generous offer and bidding high, as he ought to have done, all things considered, he puts it upon him to make his demands (v. 28): Appoint me thy wages, knowing he would be very modest in them, and would ask less than he could for shame offer.
(Gen 30:29) And he said unto him: 'Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle have fared with me.
(Gen 30:30) For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it hath increased abundantly; and the ETERNAL hath blessed thee whithersoever I turned. And now when shall I provide for mine own house also?'
Targum of Johnathan
And he said to him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle have been kept by me: for the little flock which thou hadst before me hath increased greatly, and the Lord hath blessed thee at my foot, that I have been profitable to thee from (the time of) my coming into thy house.
NOTE* Remember last week when we saw that Rachel was given a small flock because of the plague that had taken her fathers flock.
From Targum of Okelos: -
While they were speaking with him, Rahel came with her father's sheep; for she was a shepherdess at that time, because there had been a plague from the ETERNAL among the sheep of Laban, and but few of them were left, and he had dismissed his shepherds, and had put the remaining (flock) before Rahel his daughter.
Book of Yasher 31:29
29 And when the servants of Isaac which he had sent unto Jacob saw that Jacob would not then return with them to the land of Canaan to his father, they then went away from him, and they returned home to the land of Canaan.
30 And Deborah remained with Jacob in Haran, and she did not return with the servants of Isaac to the land of Canaan, and Deborah resided with Jacob's wives and children in Haran.
31 And Jacob served Laban six years longer,....
NOTE* Now Yaacov is approximately 97 years old.
Book of Yasher 31:31-34
31 And Jacob served Laban six years longer, and when the sheep brought forth, Jacob removed from them such as were speckled and spotted, as he had determined with Laban, and Jacob did so at Laban's for six years, and the man increased abundantly and he had cattle and maid servants and men servants, camels, and asses.
32 And Jacob had two hundred drove of cattle, and his cattle were of large size and of beautiful appearance and were very productive, and all the families of the sons of men desired to get some of the cattle of Jacob, for they were exceedingly prosperous.
33 And many of the sons of men came to procure some of Jacob's flock, and Jacob gave them a sheep for a man servant or a maid servant or for an ass or a camel, or whatever Jacob desired from them they gave him.
34 And Jacob obtained riches and honor and possessions by means of these transactions with the sons of men, and the children of Laban envied him of this honor.
NOTE* Yaacov deals with Laban and the sons of men (NOTE that no one looks at these "sons of men" as angelic beings; same as Gen 6) in a manner to procure himself flocks and servants, so that when he returns home, he has something for his family. Or perhaps, he wanted something to bargin with Esau with.
Meaning of the names of the twelve in paragraph form!
1. Judah = "I will praise "
2. Reuben = "He has looked on me"
3. Gad = "Granted good fortune"
4. Asher = "Happy am I"
5. Naphtali = "My wrestling"
6. Manasseh = "Making me to forget"
7. Simeon = "HE hears me"
8. Levi = "Joined to me"
9. Issachar = "Purchased Me"
10.Zebulun = "Dwelling"
11. Joseph = "HE will add to me"
12. Benjamin = "Son of His right hand"
Now notice what happens when the meaning of the names are combined, in the same order, into a paragraph:
"I will praise for He has looked on me and granted good fortune. Happy am I because my wrestling HE is making me to forget. HE hears me and is joined to me. He has purchased me a dwelling. HE will add to me the Son of His right hand."
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