The Children of Jacob — Genesis

31The LORD saw that Leah was hated, so he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, "The LORD has seen my affliction, for now my husband will love me." 33She conceived again and bore a son, and she said, "The LORD has heard that I am hated and has given me this one also," so she called his name Simeon. 34She conceived again and bore a son, and she said, "Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons," therefore she called his name Levi. 35She conceived again and bore a son, and she said, "This time I will give thanks to the LORD," therefore she called his name Judah, and she stopped bearing.

Chapter 30

1Rachel saw that she had not borne to Jacob, so Rachel was jealous of her sister and said to Jacob, "Give me sons, or I will die." 2Jacob's anger burned against Rachel, and he said, "Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?" 3She said, "Behold, my maidservant Bilhah; go in to her, and she will bear on my knees, so that I also may be built up through her." 4She gave Bilhah her maidservant to him as a wife, and Jacob went in to her. 5Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. 6Rachel said, "God has judged me and has also heard my voice and given me a son." Therefore she called his name Dan. 7She conceived again, and Bilhah the maidservant of Rachel bore a second son to Jacob. 8Rachel said, "With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed," and she called his name Naphtali. 9Leah saw that she had stopped bearing, so she took Zilpah her maidservant and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10Zilpah the maidservant of Leah bore Jacob a son. 11Leah said, "Fortune has come," and she called his name Gad. 12Zilpah the maidservant of Leah bore a second son to Jacob. 13Leah said, "Happy am I, for the daughters will call me happy," and she called his name Asher. 14Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest and found mandrakes in the field and brought them to Leah his mother; Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes." 15Leah said to her, "Is it a small thing that you have taken my husband, that you would also take my son's mandrakes?" Rachel said, "Therefore he may lie with you tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes." 16Jacob came from the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him and said, "You must come in to me, for I have hired you with my son's mandrakes," so he lay with her that night. 17God heard Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18Leah said, "God has given me my wages because I gave my maidservant to my husband," and she called his name Issachar. 19Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. 20Leah said, "God has endowed me with a good dowry; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons," and she called his name Zebulun. 21Afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah. 22God remembered Rachel and heard her and opened her womb. 23She conceived and bore a son, and she said, "God has taken away my reproach." 24She called his name Joseph, saying, "May the LORD add to me another son."