301 And Rachel seeth that she hath not borne to Jacob, and Rachel is envious of her sister, and saith unto Jacob, 'Give me sons, and if there is none—I die.' 2 And Jacob's anger burneth against Rachel, and he saith, 'Am I in stead of God who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?' 3 And she saith, 'Lo, my handmaid Bilhah, go in unto her, and she doth bear on my knees, and I am built up, even I, from her;' 4 and she giveth to him Bilhah her maid-servant for a wife, and Jacob goeth in unto her; 5 and Bilhah conceiveth, and beareth to Jacob a son, 6 and Rachel saith, 'God hath decided for me, and also hath hearkened to my voice, and giveth to me a son;' therefore hath she called his name Dan. 7 And Bilhah, Rachel's maid-servant, conceiveth again, and beareth a second son to Jacob, 8 and Rachel saith, 'With wrestlings of God I have wrestled with my sister, yea, I have prevailed;' and she calleth his name Napthali. 9 And Leah seeth that she hath ceased from bearing, and she taketh Zilpah her maid-servant, and giveth her to Jacob for a wife; 10 and Zilpah, Leah's maid-servant, beareth to Jacob a son, 11 and Leah saith, 'A troop is coming;' and she calleth his name Gad. 12 And Zilpah, Leah's maid-servant, beareth a second son to Jacob, 13 and Leah saith, 'Because of my happiness, for daughters have pronounced me happy;' and she calleth his name Asher.
14 And Reuben goeth in the days of wheat-harvest, and findeth love-apples in the field, and bringeth them in unto Leah, his mother, and Rachel saith unto Leah, 'Give to me, I pray thee, of the love-apples of thy son.' 15 And she saith to her, 'Is thy taking my husband a little thing, that thou hast taken also the love-apples of my son?' and Rachel saith, 'Therefore doth he lie with thee to-night, for thy son's love-apples.' 16 And Jacob cometh in from the field at evening; and Leah goeth to meet him, and saith, 'Unto me dost thou come in, for hiring I have hired thee with my son's love-apples;' and he lieth with her during that night. 17 And God hearkeneth unto Leah, and she conceiveth, and beareth to Jacob a son, a fifth, 18 and Leah saith, 'God hath given my hire, because I have given my maid-servant to my husband;' and she calleth his name Issachar.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 30:1-18
Commentary on Genesis 30:1-13
(Read Genesis 30:1-13)
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 children. Had not Rachel's heart been influenced by evil passions, she would have thought her sister's children nearer to her, and more entitled to her care than Bilhah's. But children whom she had a right to rule, were more desirable to her than children she had more reason to love. As an early instance of her power over these children, she takes pleasure in giving them names that carry in them marks of rivalry with her sister. See what roots of bitterness envy and strife are, and what mischief they make among relations. At the persuasion of Leah, Jacob took Zilpah her handmaid to wife also. See the power of jealousy and rivalship, and admire the wisdom of the Divine appointment, which joins together one man and one woman only; for God hath called us to peace and purity.
Commentary on Genesis 30:14-24
(Read Genesis 30:14-24)
The desire, good in itself, but often too great and irregular, of being the mother of the promised Seed, with the honour of having many children, and the reproach of being barren, were causes of this unbecoming contest between the sisters. The truth appears to be, that they were influenced by the promises of God to Abraham; whose posterity were promised the richest blessings, and from whom the Messiah was to descend.