Gen 30:6-24 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 6. Called she his name Dan. ] Because she found God had judged for her, and decided she should have a son by her handmaid; hence she called his name dan, judging .

‏ Genesis 30:6-24

Verse 6. Called she his name Dan.] Because she found God had judged for her, and decided she should have a son by her handmaid; hence she called his name dan, judging.

Verse 8. She called his name Naphtali] naphtali, my wrestling, according to the common mode of interpretation; but it is more likely that the root pathal signifies to twist or entwine. Hence Mr. Parkhurst translates the verse, "By the twistings-agency or operation, of God, I am entwisted with my sister; that is, my family is now entwined or interwoven with my sister's family, and has a chance of producing the promised Seed." The Septuagint, Aquila, and the Vulgate, have nearly the same meaning. It is, however, difficult to fix the true meaning of the original.

Verse 11. She called his name Gad.] This has been variously translated. gad, may signify a troop, an army, a soldier, a false god, supposed to be the same as Jupiter or Mars; for as Laban appears to have been, if not an idolater, yet a dealer in a sort of judicial astrology, (see Ge 31:19), Leah, in saying bagad, which we translate a troop cometh, might mean, By or with the assistance of Gad-a particular planet or star, Jupiter possibly, I have gotten this son; therefore she called him after the name of that planet or star from which she supposed the succour came. See Clarke on Ge 31:19. The Septuagint translate it εντυχη, with good fortune; the Vulgate, feliciter, happily; but in all this diversity our own translation may appear as probable as any, if not the genuine one, ba gad, for the keri, or marginal reading, has it in two words, a troop cometh; whereas the textual reading has it only in one, bagad, with a troop. In the Bible published by Becke, 1549, the word is translated as an exclamation, Good luck!

Verse 13. And Leah said, Happy am I] beoshri, in my happiness, therefore she called his name asher, that is, blessedness or happiness.

Verse 14. Reuben-found mandrakes] dudaim. What these were is utterly unknown, and learned men have wasted much time and pains in endeavouring to guess out a probable meaning. Some translate the word lilies, others jessamine, others citrons, others mushrooms, others figs, and some think the word means flowers, or fine flowers in general. Hasselquist, the intimate friend and pupil of Linne, who travelled into the Holy Land to make discoveries in natural history, imagines that the plant commonly called mandrake is intended; speaking of Nazareth in Galilee he says: "What I found most remarkable at this village was a great number of mandrakes which grew in a vale below it. I had not the pleasure to see this plant in blossom, the fruit now (May 5th, O. S.) hanging ripe to the stem, which lay withered on the ground. From the season in which this mandrake blossoms and ripens fruit, one might form a conjecture that it was Rachel's dudaim. These were brought her in the wheat harvest, which in Galilee is in the month of May, about this time, and the mandrake was now in fruit." Both among the Greeks and orientals this plant was held in high repute, as being of a prolific virtue, and helping conception; and from it philtres were made, and this is favoured by the meaning of the original, loves, i.e., incentives to matrimonial connections: and it was probably on this account that Rachel desired them. The whole account however is very obscure.

Verse 15. Thou hast taken my husband] It appears probable that Rachel had found means to engross the whole of Jacob's affection and company, and that she now agreed to let him visit the tent of Leah, on account of receiving some of the fruits or plants which Reuben had found.

Verse 16. I have hired thee] We may remark among the Jewish women an intense desire of having children; and it seems to have been produced, not from any peculiar affection for children, but through the hope of having a share in the blessing of Abraham, by bringing forth Him in whom all the nations of the earth were to be blessed.

Verse 18. God hath given me my hire] sechari. And she called his name Issachar, , This word is compounded of yesh, IS, and sachar, WAGES, from sachar, to content, satisfy, saturate; hence a satisfaction or compensation for work done, &c.

Verse 20. Now will my husband dwell with me] yizbeleni; and she called his name Zebulun, a dwelling or cohabitation, as she now expected that Jacob would dwell with her, as he had before dwelt with Rachel.

Verse 21. And called her name Dinah.] dinah, judgment. As Rachel had called her son by Bilhah DAN, Ge 30:6, so Leah calls her daughter DINAH, God having judged and determined for her, as well as for her sister in the preceding instance.

Verse 22. And God hearkened to her] After the severe reproof which Rachel had received from her husband, Ge 30:2, it appears that she sought God by prayer, and that he heard her; so that her prayer and faith obtained what her impatience and unbelief had prevented.

Verse 24. She called his name Joseph] Yoseph, adding, or he who adds; thereby prophetically declaring that God would add unto her another son, which was accomplished in the birth of Benjamin, Ge 35:18.