Genesis 30:9

_WHEN LEAH SAW THAT SHE HAD LEFT BEARING, SHE TOOK ZILPAH HER MAID, AND GAVE HER JACOB TO WIFE._ Leah ... took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife. Leah took the same course as Rachel had done with her own maid, who bore a son; and this child, being adopted by Leah, received the name of Gad. A TROOP COMETH - [Hebrew, _ BAAGAAD_ (H1410); Septuagint, en tuchee, in good luck, fortunately, or (Qeri') _ BAA'_ (H935) _ GAAD_ (H1409), prosperity, good fortune cometh.] This was Leah's exclamation on the birth of Zilpah's son, and the reason assigned for his being called Gad. The ancient Paraphrasist, Jonathan, and Onkelos read, 'the happy star, or good fortune is come' [cf. Isaiah 65:11, Hebrew text, where allusion

9._When Leah saw that she had left bearing. _Moses returns to Leah, who, not content with four sons, devised a method whereby she might always retain her superior rank: and therefore she also, in turn, substitutes her maid in her place. And truly Rachel deserved such a reward of her perverse design; since she, desiring to snatch the palm from her sister, does not consider that the same contrivance to which she had resorted, might speedily be employed against herself. Yet Leah sins still more grievously, by using wicked and unjust arts in the contest. Within a short period, she had experienced the wonderful blessing of God; and now, because she ceased from bearing, for a little while, she despairs concerning the future, as if she had never participated in the Divine favor. What, if her desire was strong; why did she not resort to the fountain of blessing? In obtruding, therefore, her maid...

1-13 Rachel envied her sister: envy is grieving at the good of another, than which no sin is more hateful to God, or more hurtful to our neighbours and ourselves. She considered not that God made the difference, and that in other things she had the advantage. Let us carefully watch against all the risings and workings of this passion in our minds. Let not our eye be evil towards any of our fellow-servants, because our Master's is good. Jacob loved Rachel, and therefore reproved her for what she said amiss. Faithful reproofs show true affection. God may be to us instead of any creature; but it is sin and folly to place any creature in God's stead, and to place that confidence in any creature, which should be placed in God only. At the persuasion of Rachel, Jacob took Bilhah her handmaid to wife, that, according to the usage of those times, her children might be owned as her mistress's ch...

- Jacob’s Family and Wealth 6. דן _dān_, Dan, “judge, lord.” 8. נפתלי _naptālı̂y_, Naphtali, “wrestling.” 11. גד _gād_, Gad, “overcoming, victory.” בגד _bāgād_, “in victory or” =גד בא _bā'_ _gād_, “victory cometh.” גוּד _gûd_, “press down.” גדוּד _g__e__dûd_, “troop.” 13. אשׁר _'ǎashēr_, Asher, “prosperity, happiness.”

EXPOSITION GENESIS 30:1 AND WHEN RACHEL SAW (apparently after, though probably before, the birth of Leah's fourth son) THAT SHE BARE JACOB NO CHILDREN (literally, _that she bare not to Jacob_),_ _RACHEL ENVIED HER SISTER (was jealous of her, the root referring to the redness with which the face of an angry woman is suffused); AND SAID UNTO JACOB, GIVE ME CHILDREN (sons), OR ELSE I DIE—literally, _and if not_,_ _I_ am a dead woman; i_._e_. for shame at her sterility. Rachel had three strong reasons for desiring children—that she might emulate her sister, become more dear to her husband, and above all share the hope of being a progenitrix of the promised Seed. If not warranted to infer that Rachel's

WHEN LEAH SAW THAT SHE HAD LEFT BEARING,.... For a little while, for she afterwards bore again, and observing also what her sister had done; SHE TOOK ZILPAH HER MAID, AND GAVE HER JACOB TO WIFE: in this she was less excusable than Rachel, since she had four children of her own, and therefore might have been content without desiring others by her maid; nor had she long left off bearing, and therefore had no reason to give up hope of having any more....

CHAPTER 30 JACOB WITH LABAN _ 1. The sons of Bilhah: Dan and Naphtali (Genesis 30:1)_ 2. The sons of Zilpah: Gad and Asher (Genesis 30:9) 3. The children of Leah: Issachar, Zebulon and Dinah (Genesis 30:14) 4. The birth of Joseph (Genesis 30:22) 5. Jacob's request to return (Genesis 30:25) 6. Laban's confession and Jacob's prosperity (Genesis 30:27) Little comment is needed on this. The avarice and dec

GENESIS 29:31 TO GENESIS 30:24. THE BIRTH OF JACOB'S CHILDREN. This section is from JE, with slight touches from P. Roughly Genesis 29:31; Genesis 30:9 is from J, Genesis 30:1; Genesis 30:8 is from E, Genesis 30:14 mainly from JE, the two strands here being hard to unravel. It records the origin of the tribes of Israel. It reflects conditions a good deal earlier than those kno

ZILPAH.... WIFE. This was strictly in accordance with the Code of Khammurabi, 145. Compare Genesis 16:1; Genesis 30:3; Genesis 30:4. See App-15....

Genesis 29:31 to Genesis 30:24. Birth of Jacob's Children 31 35 (J); Genesis 30:1-24 (J, E and P) In this section is narrated the account of the birth of eleven sons and one daughter. Six of the sons, viz. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun, and the daughter Dinah, are the children of Leah; Gad and Asher are the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid; Dan and Naphtali are the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; and Joseph is the son of Rachel. These are all born to Jacob in Haran. The only son born in Canaan is Benjamin (see Genesis 35:16-19). It has been conjectured that this account not only