Genesis 30:7-21

⁷ And Bilhah, Rachel’s servant concieved again and gave birth to a second son for Jacob.

⁸ Then Rachel said, “With god-like[1] wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister and have been able to win.” So she called his name Naphtali.[2]

⁹ When Leah saw that she had stopped giving birth, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife.

¹⁰ Then Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son.

¹¹ And Leah said, “Luck has come!” so she called his name Gad.[3]

¹² Leah’s servant Zilpah gave birth to a second son for Jacob.

¹³ And Leah said, “I am happy! Because women have called me happy.” So she called his name Asher.[4]

¹⁴ In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Give me some of your son’s mandrakes now.”

¹⁵ But she said to her, “Is it a small thing that you have taken away my husband? Will you take away my son’s mandrakes too?” Rachel said, “Alright, he may lie with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.”

¹⁶ When Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have certainly hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he lay with her that night.

¹⁷ And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and gave birth to a fifth son for Jacob.

¹⁸ Leah said, “God has given me my wages because I gave my servant to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar.[5]

¹⁹ And Leah conceived again, and she gave birth to a sixth son for Jacob.

²⁰ Then Leah said, “God has honored me with a good honor; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she called his name Zebulun.[6]

²¹ Afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah.[7] _________________________________________

entitlement

This passage continues the story of how the children born to Jacob became pawns in a battle for Jacob’s love and respect. While God is still at work, this section focuses less on his sovereignty and more on the competition between the two sisters for their husband’s love. The children are merely objects used to gain the prize. In fact, it becomes less and less about Jacob, and more and more about what Rachel and Leah want. That is how selfishness works. We begin by telling ourselves all kinds of lies to justify our selfish acts, but eventually those lies do not matter anymore. All that matters is what we want — what we think we are entitled to.

LORD, purge from us the feeling of entitlement that we use to justify our selfish acts.

[1] The word is ‘elohim here, the word for God, but it is being used as an adjective. Most render it mighty.

[2] Naphtali: my wrestlings.

[3] Gad: luck

[4] Asher: happy.

[5] Issachur: hired.

[6] Zebulun: a gift of honor.

[7] Dinah: justice (the feminine of Dan).