GOD’S ANCIENT PEOPLE GENESIS _ALUN OWEN_ CHAPTER 30 JACOB HAS 6 MORE SONS V1 Rachel saw that she produced no children for Jacob. And she was angry with her sister because her sister was successful. So she said to Jacob, ‘Give me children! If you do not give me children, I shall die!’ V2 Jacob... [ Continue Reading ]
God intended that Rachel should have children at a later time. But the time was not yet right. And Rachel did not know that she could trust God. Many years before this time, Sarai was in the same situation. (See Genesis 16:1-2. Sarai was later called Sarah. Her husband Abram was later called Abraham... [ Continue Reading ]
‘She shall produce a child on my knees.’ This was an ancient custom. When Bilhah’s child was born, Bilhah and Rachel were together. And the child was born on Rachel’s knees. Then Rachel took the child and the child became hers.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Dan’ means ‘he gave his judgement’. ‘Naphtali’ means ‘struggle’. ‘Gad’ means ‘fortunately’. ‘Asher’ means ‘happy’. V14 At the time when people harvest wheat, Reuben went out into the field. He found *mandrake plants that had fruit. He picked the mandrake fruits and he brought them to his mother... [ Continue Reading ]
A mandrake is a yellow fruit. Women who had no children would eat the mandrakes. They believed that they were then more likely to become *pregnant. Rachel probably believed that. She wanted to eat the mandrakes. She thought that in that way she would produce a child. V17 And God listened to Leah’s... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Issachar’ sounds like ‘reward’. ‘Zebulun’ means ‘honour’.... [ Continue Reading ]
Jacob had other daughters too. (See Genesis 46:7.) But Genesis does not tell us the names of the other daughters. Genesis mentions Dinah for a special reason. A *Canaanite who was called Shechem seized Dinah. And Genesis tells us about that. (See Genesis 34:1-2.)... [ Continue Reading ]
God made Rachel able to have children. The *mandrakes did not do it. (See verse 14 and the comment.) ‘Joseph’ means ‘let him add’. JACOB BECOMES WEALTHY V25 After Joseph was born to Rachel, Jacob spoke to Laban. He said, ‘Send me away. Let me go to my own home and to my own country. V26 Give to m... [ Continue Reading ]
Jacob had been with Laban for 14 years. Rebekah, Jacob’s mother, had promised to tell him when he could return home safely. (See Genesis 27:45.) She had not yet done so. So perhaps it was too soon for Jacob to return. Actually, Jacob stayed with Laban 6 more years after this time. V27 But Laban sai... [ Continue Reading ]
Laban saw that God made Jacob successful. Before this time, God made Isaac successful. (See Genesis 26:12-13.) And after this time, God made Jacob’s son Joseph successful. (See Genesis 39:3.)... [ Continue Reading ]
Jacob had been looking after Laban’s animals. Laban wanted Jacob to continue to do this. Laban’s reason was a selfish one. When Jacob looked after the animals, they increased. And so, Laban became richer.... [ Continue Reading ]
Jacob meant, ‘You ought to be grateful for what I have done for you. But now I will work for myself and for my family.’ Jacob wanted to return to the country that is called *Canaan. (See verse 25.) V31 Laban said, ‘What shall I give to you?’ Jacob said, ‘You shall not give anything to me. If you w... [ Continue Reading ]
Jacob changed his plan. He would not yet go to *Canaan, but he would stay longer with Laban. He had made Laban rich. And he realised that he could make himself rich instead. He would cheat Laban. There was a reason why Jacob changed his plan. Jacob told his wives, 6 years after this time, why he ch... [ Continue Reading ]
In that region, most sheep were white and most goats were black. Spotty sheep and black sheep were unusual. And spotty goats were unusual. V35 On the same day Laban removed some of his goats. He removed the ones that were stripey or spotty. He removed the ones that were partly white. He also remove... [ Continue Reading ]
Laban tried to cheat Jacob. He agreed to Jacob’s plan. (See verse 34.) Jacob would take as his wages all the sheep that were not white. And he would take all the goats that were not black. But Laban left only white sheep with Jacob. And he left only black goats. He removed the other goats. Laban’s s... [ Continue Reading ]
The sticks did not affect the colour of the young animals. Perhaps Jacob thought that the sticks did have that effect. Or perhaps Jacob pretended to Laban that they had that effect.... [ Continue Reading ]
Some stripey male animals were born after Laban took away the other animals. So Jacob made these stripey male animals mate with the stronger female animals. And he let the male animals that were not stripey mate with the weaker female animals. Therefore, the young animals that were stripey were stro... [ Continue Reading ]