Gênesis 30
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Gênesis 30:1-8
30:1 "jealous of her sister" This is literally "red in the face" (from Arabic root, BDB 888, KB 1109, Piel IMPERFECT with waw). She apparently took her jealousy out on Jacob ("give me children," BDB 396, KB 393, Qal IMPERATIVE), who did not appreciate it one bit (cf. Gen. 30:2)! Barrenness was common in the wives of the Patriarchs. Rachel's impatience can be seen in Gen. 30:1, whereas Rebekah had prayed for over twenty years. After four children by Leah, Rachel is jealous, angry, and impatient. 30:3 "Here is my maid Bilhah, go in to her, that she may bear on my knees" This is a cultural idiom which seems to refer to adoption (cf. Gen. 48:12). We know from the law codes Lipit-Ishtar, the code of Hammurabi, the Nuzi Tablets, the Mari Tablets, and Alalakh Tablets that this was a cultural possibility. We cannot judge the morality of this custom in light of our own day. Rachel's frustration can be seen in a series of commands. go in to her, BDB 97, KB 112, Qal IMPERATIVE (a strong request) that she may bear, BDB 408, KB 411, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense that through her I too may have children (lit. I may be built), BDB 124, KB 139, Niphal IMPERFECT used in a COHORTATIVE sense 30:5-6 "And Bilhah conceived and bore a son. . .Dan" The name "Dan" is the Hebrew word "judged" (BDB 192). The daughter who will be born in Gen. 30:21 is the feminine form of this same word (Dinah, BDB 192). 30:8 NASB, NRSV "with mighty wrestlings" "with great wrestlings" "a hard fight" "a fateful battle" "contended" "a fateful contest" The problem is that the MT has "elohim," which could mean Rachel wrestled (BDB 836) with God, or translate it as descriptive "mighty/great/hard" and see it as denoting a metaphorical wrestling match with Leah. Possibly it relates to both the spiritual (God) and physical (her sister) struggle related to her barrenness (cf. Peshitta). ▣ "Naphtali" This term is related to the term "wrestled" (lit. "twisted,"BDB 836). She wrestled with her sister in rivalry and with God in prayer.
Gênesis 30:9-13
30:9 There was real competition between these sisters/wives! 30:10-11 "Leah's maid Zilpah bore her a son. . .Gad" The word Gad (BDB 151 III) comes from the Hebrew "fortunate" or "good fortune" (BDB 151 II). The MT has "by good fortune," but the Masoretic scholars' marginal note has "good fortune has come"). It is possible that Gad (גד, BDB 151 III) comes from a troop, גדוד, BDB 151 I, NKJV (NIV footnote) fortune, גד, BDB 151 II, LXX, NASB, NRSV, TEV, JPSOA, NJB, REB, Peshitta 30:12 "And Leah's maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. . .Asher" This name is related to the Hebrew word "happy" (BDB 81). 30:13 "Asher" This name (BDB 81) comes from the VERB "happy" (BDB 80, KB 97 II, Piel PERFECT), meaning "consider happy" or "blessed."
Gênesis 30:14-21
30:14 "Now 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" Mandrakes (BDB 188) were an ancient aphrodisiac (cf. Song of Songs 7:13). Either their yellow fruit or their roots which looked like a man were the origin of this tradition (see UBS Fauna and Flora of the Bible, pp. 138-139). Rachel wanted these and hoped that she would conceive and bear a son (again the covenant family trying to help God). The tension between these two sisters becomes obvious in this account. What amazes me is how Jacob was so easily manipulated by the strife of these two women (cf. Gen. 30:15-16). ▣ "lie with"There are several VERBS which denote sexual activity. lie with, BDB 1011, KB 1486, cf. Gen. 19:32; 26:10; 30:15; 39:7; Lev. 18:22 approach, BDB 897, KB 1132, cf. Gen. 20:4; Lev. 18:6,14,19; 20:16 go in to, BDB 97, KB 112, cf. Gen. 19:31; 29:21,23,30; 30:3,4,16; 38:8,9,16; 39:14 know, BDB 393, KB 390, cf. Gen. 4:1,17,25; 19:5,8; 24:16; 38:26; Num. 31:17,18,35; Jdgs. 19:22,25; 21:12 30:16 "I have surely hired you" This is an INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and PERFECT VERB of the same root (BDB 968, KB 1330), which denotes intensity. Jacob was willingly sexually manipulated by his first two wives. Isaachar's name (see below) reflects this sad event. 30:18 "Issachar" The name Issachar (ישׂשׂכר, BDB 441) is related to the Hebrew word "wages" or "recompense" (שׂכר, BDB 969). Leah hired Jacob's love with Reuben's mandrakes! 30:19-20 "Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son to Jacob. . .Zebulun" The term Zebulun (BDB 259) is a play on the Hebrew words for "gift" or "dowry" (BDB 256) and the word "dwell" or "honor" (BDB 269). His wives are still fighting over his affection. 30:21 "Afterwards she bore a daughter and named her Dinah" This seems to be the only girl born to this family. The fact that only one was named shows that there was probably only one daughter, however, note 37:35. However, Dinah's place in the later narrative may be the reason for the naming of this one daughter.
Gênesis 30:22-24
30:22-24 "Then God remembered Rachel, and God gave heed to her and opened her womb" The name "Joseph" (BDB 415) is related to one of two Hebrew VERBS. "take away her reproach" (BDB 62, KB 74, Qal PERFECT, cf. Gen. 30:23) "add" (BDB 414, KB 418, Hiphil JUSSIVE) asking God for another male child (cf. Gen. 35:17)
Gênesis 30:25-36
30:25-26 "Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my own country" Apparently the cultural norm of the day involved Laban sending Jacob away instead of Jacob just leaving. He had apparently tried to leave several times with always the same negative result. Laban wanted Jacob to stay because it profited him (cf. Gen. 30:27). Verses 25 and 26 have some intense language. "send me away," Gen. 30:25, BDB 1018, KB 1511, Piel IMPERATIVE "that I may go to my own place," Gen. 30:25, BDB 229, KB 246, Qal COHORTATIVE "give me my wives and my children," Gen. 30:26, BDB 678, KB 733, Qal IMPERATIVE "let me depart," BDB 229, KB 246, Qal COHORTATIVE The VERB "served" (BDB 712, KB 773) is used twice (cf. Gen. 30:29), showing Jacob's attitude that he has fully paid Laban all he owes (and more, Gen. 30:30)! 30:27 "I have divined that the Lord has blessed me on your account" The word "divined" is from the root "hiss" or "whisper" (BDB 638 II; see full note at Gen. 44:5). It is an attempt to know and control the future through physical means apart from trusting YHWH. It is condemned in Lev. 19:26; Num. 23:23-24; and Deut. 18:10. It is hard to know why these early people in Genesis use things later condemned in the Mosaic legislation. raised stones divination, here and Gen. 44:5,15 (Joseph) imitation magic (i.e., striped branches produce striped animals) use of mandrakes for fertility household idols (teraphim) circumcision of pagans (as a weapon) These early YHWHists were influenced by their cultures. They are surely moving toward a purer, more complete monotheism, but it was a long road! 30:28 "Name me your wages, and I will give it" Laban fully recognizes that his prosperity is based on Jacob and he wants to retain him at any cost. The VERB, "name" (BDB 666, KB 718, Qal IMPERATIVE) has a varied semantical field. It normally means "to pierce" or "bore." Here it denotes Jacob naming his compensation in order to remain with Laban. The second VERB, "give" (BDB 678, KB 733, Qal COHORTATIVE) signals the reader that Laban recognizes his need of Jacob's presence and help (cf. Gen. 30:30). Laban must have been a demanding father-in-law (cf. Gen. 31:11-12). The text even implies Jacob was seen and treated as a hired servant (cf. Gen. 31:14-16). 30:30 "the Lord has blessed you wherever I turned" Jacob knew the source of Laban's blessing was in him and his relationship to YHWH. But, as Gen. 30:30 continues, it shows that Jacob also recognized the needs of his own household. 30:31 "So he said, 'What shall I give you?' And Jacob said, 'You shall not give me anything'" Jacob knew that the source of blessing was not Laban but God. 30:32 Jacob is going to take the off-colored (BDB 378, KB 375, used five times in Gen. 30:32-35) animals from the sheep and the goats. The off-colored animals from the sheep would be dark and the off-colored animals from the goats would be speckled or mottled. These unusually colored animals would normally be rare. This was for the obvious reason that Jacob by this time knew Laban and he did not want any questions about whose was whose in the future (cf. Gen. 30:33). 30:35-36 "So he removed on that day the striped and spotted male goats and all the speckled and spotted female goats, every one with white in it, and all the black ones among the sheep, and gave them into the care of his sons" There are two very interesting things in this verse and in Gen. 30:36. The word "he" at the beginning of Gen. 30:35 obviously refers to Laban. This is the first mention of his own sons. Apparently, Laban divided the flock and gave Jacob's animals into the care of his (Laban) sons. From Gen. 30:36 we see that Laban sent Jacob's animals a three days journey away so that they could not breed with his animals. This also forced Jacob to take care of Laban's animals to assure their blessing. Although Laban had everything on his side, God was with Jacob. I personally do not believe that Jacob's tricks mentioned in Gen. 30:37ff were the source of the spotted and speckled animals multiplying faster, but the supernatural presence of God. The NIV Study Bible's footnotes assert that Gen. 30:35 was done secretly by Laban and his sons to reduce or eliminate all unusually colored animals. If so, then Jacob's claim only referred to future births. When I read this I do not see Gen. 30:35 as necessarily having this connotation, but it would not surprise me knowing the manipulative nature of Laban.
Gênesis 30:37-43
30:37-43 This again looks like the patriarchal family trying to help YHWH fulfill His promises! Whether this method worked (i.e., some chemical in the plant) or not is not the theological issue! Jacob, the trickster, is still at work. Are YHWH's promises dependant on Jacob's actions? 30:43 Jacob's flocks and herds grew for several years (possibly six more after the mandated fourteen, cf. Gen. 31:41).