Jacob’s Children

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved,(A) he enabled her to conceive,(B) but Rachel remained childless. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.(C) She named him Reuben,[a](D) for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery.(E) Surely my husband will love me now.”

33 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved,(F) he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.[b](G)

34 Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me,(H) because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.[c](I)

35 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah.[d](J) Then she stopped having children.(K)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 29:32 Reuben sounds like the Hebrew for he has seen my misery; the name means see, a son.
  2. Genesis 29:33 Simeon probably means one who hears.
  3. Genesis 29:34 Levi sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for attached.
  4. Genesis 29:35 Judah sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for praise.

31 And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.

32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.

33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the Lord hath heard I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.

34 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.

35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the Lord: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.

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and she became pregnant and bore him a son. Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me;(A) he has listened to my plea and given me a son.”(B) Because of this she named him Dan.[a](C)

Rachel’s servant Bilhah(D) conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. Then Rachel said, “I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.”(E) So she named him Naphtali.[b](F)

When Leah(G) saw that she had stopped having children,(H) she took her servant Zilpah(I) and gave her to Jacob as a wife.(J) 10 Leah’s servant Zilpah(K) bore Jacob a son. 11 Then Leah said, “What good fortune!”[c] So she named him Gad.[d](L)

12 Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 Then Leah said, “How happy I am! The women will call me(M) happy.”(N) So she named him Asher.[e](O)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 30:6 Dan here means he has vindicated.
  2. Genesis 30:8 Naphtali means my struggle.
  3. Genesis 30:11 Or “A troop is coming!”
  4. Genesis 30:11 Gad can mean good fortune or a troop.
  5. Genesis 30:13 Asher means happy.

And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son.

And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan.

And Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son.

And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.

When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.

10 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son.

11 And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.

12 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son.

13 And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher.

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17 God listened to Leah,(A) and she became pregnant and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Then Leah said, “God has rewarded me for giving my servant to my husband.”(B) So she named him Issachar.[a](C)

19 Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 Then Leah said, “God has presented me with a precious gift. This time my husband will treat me with honor,(D) because I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun.[b](E)

21 Some time later she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.(F)

22 Then God remembered Rachel;(G) he listened to her(H) and enabled her to conceive.(I) 23 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son(J) and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.”(K) 24 She named him Joseph,[c](L) and said, “May the Lord add to me another son.”(M)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 30:18 Issachar sounds like the Hebrew for reward.
  2. Genesis 30:20 Zebulun probably means honor.
  3. Genesis 30:24 Joseph means may he add.

17 And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son.

18 And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar.

19 And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son.

20 And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun.

21 And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah.

22 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.

23 And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach:

24 And she called his name Joseph; and said, The Lord shall add to me another son.

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The Deaths of Rachel and Isaac(A)

16 Then they moved on from Bethel. While they were still some distance from Ephrath,(B) Rachel(C) began to give birth and had great difficulty. 17 And as she was having great difficulty in childbirth, the midwife(D) said to her, “Don’t despair, for you have another son.”(E) 18 As she breathed her last—for she was dying—she named her son Ben-Oni.[a](F) But his father named him Benjamin.[b](G)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 35:18 Ben-Oni means son of my trouble.
  2. Genesis 35:18 Benjamin means son of my right hand.

16 And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour.

17 And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.

18 And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.

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22 While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine(A) Bilhah,(B) and Israel heard of it.

Jacob had twelve sons:

23 The sons of Leah:(C)

Reuben the firstborn(D) of Jacob,

Simeon, Levi, Judah,(E) Issachar and Zebulun.(F)

24 The sons of Rachel:

Joseph(G) and Benjamin.(H)

25 The sons of Rachel’s servant Bilhah:(I)

Dan and Naphtali.(J)

26 The sons of Leah’s servant Zilpah:(K)

Gad(L) and Asher.(M)

These were the sons of Jacob,(N) who were born to him in Paddan Aram.(O)

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22 And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:

23 The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun:

24 The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin:

25 And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali:

26 And the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid: Gad, and Asher: these are the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in Padanaram.

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