Read the Passage: Genesis 30

Listen to the Redeemed Mind Podcast: Genesis 30

Jacob’s Children (29:31–30:24)

Earlier, Gen. 29:30 reported that Jacob “loved Rachel more than Leah.” Apparently, this was not a secret, for this passage records that Leah was keenly aware of Jacob’s feelings. Given this inequity, God opened Leah’s womb and allowed her to birth Jacob four sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. Rachel, however, was barren and complained to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I die!” (Gen. 30:1). Rachel then gave her maid Bilhah to Jacob as a concubine, or a second-tier wife, in hopes of conceiving by her. Indeed, over time Bilhah did conceive and bore Jacob two sons: Dan and Naphtali. Next, since Leah had stopped conceiving, and perhaps being concerned about losing family ground to her sister, Leah gave Jacob her maid Zilpah as a fourth wife. Zilpah then bore Jacob two sons: Gad and Asher. Thus, Jacob now had four wives and eight sons, and likely several daughters.

Gen. 30:14–24 records an event in which Leah’s son Reuben, who would have been about 7 years old at the time, found some mandrakes in the field. This fruit was viewed as an aphrodisiac that induced fertility. Consequently, barren Rachel asked for some of these mandrakes. Leah’s response betrays the simmering bitterness between the sisters, as she accused Rachel of stealing her husband. A deal was then struck in which Rachel would get the mandrakes, and Leah would sleep with Jacob that evening (presumably, it was Rachel’s turn). Ironically, Leah conceived a son whom she named Issachar, who was then followed by a sixth son who was named Zebulun. Finally, Gen. 30:22 says, “Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.” She then gave birth to a son named Joseph, who is a major figure over the final fourteen chapters in this book

Jacob’s Agreement (30:25–36)

Recall that when Jacob had fled to Haran, his mother Rebekah said, “Flee to my brother Laban in Haran, and stay with him a few days” (Gen. 27:43–44). Moreover, when Eliezer had traveled to Haran to select Rebekah as a wife for Issac, his trip entailed staying just one night in Haran. Surely, then, Jacob must have thought his journey to Laban’s house would be relatively brief. Yet, by this time Jacob had served Laban for fourteen years in payment for Leah and Rachel, but Jacob now desired to return home to Canaan. Yet Laban was a shrewd man, and he realized that God had blessed him on account of his proximity to Jacob. The idea that unbelievers can reap residual blessings simply by being around believers whom God blesses is a real phenomenon (cf. Mark 7:24–30; 1 Cor. 7:14). Indeed, Jacob affirmed Laban’s reflection, saying, “The Lord [has] blessed you since my coming” (Gen. 30:30).

It is possible to misunderstand Laban’s interaction with Jacob as altruism. Yet, Laban’s self-interest is evident in events such as: the deception involving Leah (cf. Gen. 29:25), the continual changing of Jacob’s wages (cf. Gen. 31:7), and the later fierce pursuit of Jacob upon his departure (cf. Gen. 31:22–42). Here in Gen. 30:29–36, after Laban invited Jacob to name his wages, Jacob agreed to stay in Haran if Laban would compensate him with all of the speckled and spotted sheep and goats, as well as the brown lambs, from his flock. These multicolored animals were evidently in the minority among the animals, thus Laban readily agreed to Jacob’s proposal. Note Jacob’s wisdom in suggesting this arrangement, as it involved an occupation with which he was intimately familiar, and it entailed results that could easily be used to distinguish between theft and increase from honest labor.

Jacob’s Prosperity (30:37–43)

Surely, after being around Laban for fourteen years, Jacob was aware of Laban’s corrupt character. Furthermore, Jacob likely anticipated Laban’s act of removing the speckled and spotted animals from among the flock that very day. Indeed, Jacob’s suggestion of being paid via certain of the multicolored sheep and goats seems to have been a ready answer to a question that Jacob had anticipated. Thus, when Laban departed from Jacob, a prearranged plan was set into motion. Gen. 30:37–43 explains how Jacob induced the conception of spotted and speckled animals by peeling branches of popular, almond, and chestnut wood and leaving these rods before the animals’ feeding troughs. Whether this was supernatural or superstitious, the text does not record. However, Gen. 30:43 notes that it was a successful tactic, as Jacob “became exceedingly prosperous” in both livestock and servants.

Application Questions:

1. To what extent is material prosperity contingent upon knowledge of and obedience to God (cf. Deut. 8:18; Prov. 10:22)?
2. Why are marital distortions such as polygamy tolerated in the Old Testament, even among the patriarchs?
3. Given that Judah would inherit the Abrahamic Covenant (cf. Gen. 49:8–12), why does Joseph become the main character in this book?
4. Have you ever been blessed simply by being in close proximity to others whom God has favored?
5. Do you believe Jacob was aware of Laban’s devious character? Was Jacob’s agreement with Laban wise?