Page:JPS-1917-Universal.djvu/58

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30.3
GENESIS

Bilhah, go in unto her; that she may bear upon my knees, and I also may be builded up through her.' 4And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife; and Jacob went in unto her. 5And Bilhah conceived, and bore Jacob a son. 6And Rachel said: 'God hath [1]judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son.' Therefore called she his name Dan. 7And Bilhah Rachel's handmaid conceived again, and bore Jacob a second son. 8And Rachel said: 'With mighty wrestlings have I [2]wrestled with my sister, and have prevailed.' And she called his name Naphtali. 9When Leah saw that she had left off bearing, she took Zilpah her handmaid, and gave her to Jacob to wife. 10And Zilpah Leah's handmaid bore Jacob a son. 11And Leah said: 'Fortune is come!' And she called his name [3]Gad. 12And Zilpah Leah's handmaid bore Jacob a second son. 13And Leah said: 'Happy am I! for the daughters will call me happy.' And she called his name [4]Asher. 14And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah: 'Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's mandrakes.' 15And she said unto her: 'Is it a small matter that thou hast taken away my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son's mandrakes also?' And Rachel said: 'Therefore he shall lie with thee to-night for thy son's mandrakes.' 16And Jacob came from the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said: 'Thou must come in unto me; for I have surely hired thee with my son's mandrakes.' And he lay with her that night. 17And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18And Leah said: 'God hath given me my [5]hire, because I gave my handmaid to my husband. And she called his name Issachar. 19And Leah conceived again, and bore a sixth son to Jacob. 20And Leah said: 'God hath endowed me with a good dowry; now will my husband [6]dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons.' And she called his name Zebulun. 21And afterwards she bore a daughter, and called her name Dinah. 22And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. 23And she conceived, and bore a son, and said: 'God [7]hath taken away my reproach.' 24And she called his name Joseph, saying: 'The Lord [8]add to me another son.'

25And it came to pass, when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban: 'Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country. 26Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served thee, and let me go; for thou knowest my service wherewith I have served thee.' 27And Laban said unto him: 'If now I have found favour in thine eyes—I have observed the signs, and the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake.' 28And he said: 'Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.' 29And he said unto him: 'Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle have fared with me. 30For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it hath increased abundantly; and the Lord hath blessed thee whithersoever I turned. And now when shall I provide for mine own house also?' 31And he said: 'What shall I give thee?' And Jacob said: 'Thou shalt not give me aught; if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed thy flock and keep it. 32I will pass through all thy flock to-day, removing

  1. Heb. dan, be judged.
  2. Heb. niphtal, he wrestled.
  3. That is, Fortune.
  4. That is, Happy.
  5. Heb. sachar.
  6. Heb. zabal, he dwelt.
  7. Heb. asaph.
  8. Heb. joseph.

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