Genesis 30:1

CHAPTER XXX

Rachel envies her sister, and chides Jacob, 1.

He reproves her and vindicates himself, 2.

She gives him her maid Bilhah, 3, 4.

She conceives, and bears Daniel 5:6;

and afterwards Naphtali, 7, 8.

Leah gives Zilpah her maid to Jacob, 9.

She conceives and bears Gad, 10, 11,

and also Asher, 12, 13.

Reuben finds mandrakes, of which Rachel requests a part, 14.

The bargain made between her and Leah, 15.

Jacob in consequence lodges with Leah instead of Rachel, 16.

She conceives, and bears Issachar, 17,18,

and Zebulun, 19, 20,

and Dinah, 21.

Rachel conceives, and bears Joseph, 22-24.

Jacob requests permission from Laban to go to his own country, 25, 26.

Laban entreats him to tarry, and offers to give him what

wages he shall choose to name, 27, 28.

Jacob details the importance of his services to Laban, 29, 30,

and offers to continue those services for the speckled and

spotted among the goats, and the brown among the sheep, 31-33.

Laban consents, 34,

and divides all the ring-streaked and spotted among the

he-goats, the speckled and spotted among the she-goats,

and the brown among the sheep, and puts them under the

care of his sons, and sets three days' journey between

himself and Jacob, 35, 36.

Jacob's stratagem of the pilled rods, to cause the cattle

to bring forth the ring-streaked, speckled, and spotted, 37-39.

In consequence of which he increased his flock greatly,

getting all that was strong and healthy in the flock of

Laban, 40-43.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXX

Verse Genesis 30:1. Give me children, or else I die.] This is a most reprehensible speech, and argues not only envy and jealousy, but also a total want of dependence on God. She had the greatest share of her husband's affection, and yet was not satisfied unless she could engross all the privileges which her sister enjoyed! How true are those sayings, Envy is as rottenness of the bones! and, Jealousy is as cruel as the grave!