Genesis 30:1
וַתֵּ֣רֶא רָחֵ֗ל
Now Rachel took note
כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָֽלְדָה֙ לְיַעֲקֹ֔ב
That she had not borne for Jacob,
וַתְּקַנֵּ֥א רָחֵ֖ל בַּאֲחֹתָ֑הּ
And Rachel became jealous of her sister;
וַתֹּ֤אמֶר אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹב֙ הָֽבָה־לִּ֣י בָנִ֔ים
And she said to Jacob,— “Give me children:
וְאִם־אַ֖יִן מֵתָ֥ה אָנֹֽכִי׃
Or if not, I am going to die!”
Genesis 30:2
וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֥ף יַעֲקֹ֖ב בְּרָחֵ֑ל
But Jacob became angry with Rachel,
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הֲתַ֤חַת אֱלֹהִים֙ אָנֹ֔כִי
And he said: “Am I in place of God,
אֲשֶׁר־מָנַ֥ע מִמֵּ֖ךְ פְּרִי־בָֽטֶן׃
Who has withheld womb-offspring from you!!?”
Genesis 30:3
וַתֹּ֕אמֶר הִנֵּ֛ה אֲמָתִ֥י בִלְהָ֖ה בֹּ֣א אֵלֶ֑יהָ
Then she said: “Here is my bond-maid Bilhah,—
go in to her;
וְתֵלֵד֙ עַל־בִּרְכַּ֔י
And she can bear for my knees,
וְאִבָּנֶ֥ה גַם־אָנֹכִ֖י מִמֶּֽנָּה׃
That I also can be built up, from her.”
Genesis 30:4-5
וַתִּתֶּן־ל֛וֹ אֶת־בִּלְהָ֥ה שִׁפְחָתָ֖הּ לְאִשָּׁ֑ה
So she gave him Bilhah her maid-servant, for a wife;
וַיָּבֹ֥א אֵלֶ֖יהָ יַעֲקֹֽב׃
And Jacob, he went in to her,
וַתַּ֣הַר בִּלְהָ֔ה וַתֵּ֥לֶד לְיַעֲקֹ֖ב בֵּֽן׃
And Bilhah became pregnant,
and she brought forth a son for Jacob;
Genesis 30:6
וַתֹּ֤אמֶר רָחֵל֙ דָּנַ֣נִּי אֱלֹהִ֔ים
Then Rachel said,— “God has defended my cause,
וְגַם֙ שָׁמַ֣ע בְּקֹלִ֔י וַיִּתֶּן־לִ֖י בֵּ֑ן
and has also heard my voice,
and He gave me a son!”
עַל־כֵּ֛ן קָרְאָ֥ה שְׁמ֖וֹ דָּֽן׃
Whereupon she had named him Dan (Judge).
Genesis 30:7
וַתַּ֣הַר ע֔וֹד וַתֵּ֕לֶד בִּלְהָ֖ה שִׁפְחַ֣ת רָחֵ֑ל
Now Bilhah, Rachel’s maid-servant,
she conceived again, and bore
בֵּ֥ן שֵׁנִ֖י לְיַעֲקֹֽב׃
A second son to Jacob;
Genesis 30:8
וַתֹּ֣אמֶר רָחֵ֗ל
Then Rachel said:
נַפְתּוּלֵ֨י אֱלֹהִ֧ים ׀ נִפְתַּ֛לְתִּי עִם־אֲחֹתִ֖י
“Struggles of divine degree have I wrestled with my sister,
גַּם־יָכֹ֑לְתִּי
yet I have endured”;
וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ נַפְתָּלִֽי׃
And she named him Naphtali (my wrestling).
Genesis 30:9
וַתֵּ֣רֶא לֵאָ֔ה כִּ֥י עָמְדָ֖ה מִלֶּ֑דֶת
Now Leah took note that she had ceased from bearing,
וַתִּקַּח֙ אֶת־זִלְפָּ֣ה שִׁפְחָתָ֔הּ
And she took her maid-servant Zilpah,
וַתִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֛הּ לְיַעֲקֹ֖ב לְאִשָּֽׁה׃
and gave her to Jacob for a wife;
Genesis 30:10
וַתֵּ֗לֶד זִלְפָּ֛ה שִׁפְחַ֥ת לֵאָ֖ה
And Zilpah, Leah’s maid-servant,
לְיַעֲקֹ֥ב בֵּֽן׃
she bore a son to Jacob;
Genesis 30:11
וַתֹּ֥אמֶר לֵאָ֖ה בגד בָּ֣א גָ֑ד
The Leah said “by Fortune!”;
וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ גָּֽד׃
And she named him Gad (fortunate).
Genesis 30:12
וַתֵּ֗לֶד זִלְפָּה֙ שִׁפְחַ֣ת לֵאָ֔ה
Then Zilpah, Leah’s maid-servant, she bore
בֵּ֥ן שֵׁנִ֖י לְיַעֲקֹֽב׃
A second son to Jacob;
Genesis 30:13
וַתֹּ֣אמֶר לֵאָ֔ה בְּאָשְׁרִ֕י כִּ֥י אִשְּׁר֖וּנִי בָּנ֑וֹת
And Leah said: “In my happiness!
Yea, the girls have called me happy!”
וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ אָשֵֽׁר׃
And she named him Asher (Happy).
Genesis 30:14
וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ רְאוּבֵ֜ן בִּימֵ֣י קְצִיר־חִטִּ֗ים
Now in the days of wheat harvesting, Reuben went
וַיִּמְצָ֤א דֽוּדָאִים֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה
and found mandrakes in the field,
וַיָּבֵ֣א אֹתָ֔ם אֶל־לֵאָ֖ה אִמּ֑וֹ
And he brought them to Leah, his mother.
וַתֹּ֤אמֶר רָחֵל֙ אֶל־לֵאָ֔ה
Then Rachel said to Leah,
תְּנִי־נָ֣א לִ֔י מִדּוּדָאֵ֖י בְּנֵֽךְ׃
“Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”
Genesis 30:15
וַתֹּ֣אמֶר לָ֗הּ
But she said to her:
הַמְעַט֙ קַחְתֵּ֣ךְ אֶת־אִישִׁ֔י
“Is it insignificant, —your taking My husband,
וְלָקַ֕חַת גַּ֥ם אֶת־דּוּדָאֵ֖י בְּנִ֑י
and then having to take my son’s mandrakes as well!!?”
וַתֹּ֣אמֶר רָחֵ֗ל
Then Rachel said
לָכֵן֙ יִשְׁכַּ֤ב עִמָּךְ֙ הַלַּ֔יְלָה
“In that case he can lie with you tonight,
תַּ֖חַת דּוּדָאֵ֥י בְנֵֽךְ׃
In exchange for your son’s mandrakes.”
Genesis 30:16
וַיָּבֹ֨א יַעֲקֹ֣ב מִן־הַשָּׂדֶה֮ בָּעֶרֶב֒
Now Jacob came in from the field in the evening,
וַתֵּצֵ֨א לֵאָ֜ה לִקְרָאת֗וֹ
and Leah went out to meet him;
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֵלַ֣י תָּב֔וֹא כִּ֚י שָׂכֹ֣ר שְׂכַרְתִּ֔יךָ
Then she said, “To Me you must come in,
because assuredly I hired you,
בְּדוּדָאֵ֖י בְּנִ֑י
with my son’s mandrakes;”
וַיִּשְׁכַּ֥ב עִמָּ֖הּ בַּלַּ֥יְלָה הֽוּא׃
And so he lay with her, in that same night.
Genesis 30:17
וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־לֵאָ֑ה
And God attended to Leah,
וַתַּ֛הַר וַתֵּ֥לֶד לְיַעֲקֹ֖ב בֵּ֥ן חֲמִישִֽׁי׃
And she conceived and bore a fifth son to Jacob;
Genesis 30:18
וַתֹּ֣אמֶר לֵאָ֗ה נָתַ֤ן אֱלֹהִים֙ שְׂכָרִ֔י
Then Leah said “God has granted my reward,
אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תִּי שִׁפְחָתִ֖י לְאִישִׁ֑י
Because I gave my maid-servant to my husband;”
וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ יִשָׂשכָֽר׃
So she named him Issachar (Gotten by Hire).
Genesis 30:19
וַתַּ֤הַר עוֹד֙ לֵאָ֔ה
And Leah became pregnant again,
וַתֵּ֥לֶד בֵּן־שִׁשִּׁ֖י לְּיַעֲקֹֽב׃
And she bore a sixth son to Jacob;
Genesis 30:20
וַתֹּ֣אמֶר לֵאָ֗ה
Then Leah said:
זְבָדַ֨נִי אֱלֹהִ֥ים ׀ אֹתִי֮ זֵ֣בֶד טוֹב֒
God has endowed me with a fine dowry,
הַפַּ֙עַם֙ יִזְבְּלֵ֣נִי אִישִׁ֔י
Finally, my husband will exalt and honour me,
כִּֽי־יָלַ֥דְתִּי ל֖וֹ שִׁשָּׁ֣ה בָנִ֑ים
For I bore him six sons;
וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ זְבֻלֽוּן׃
So she named him Zebulun (Exalted Habitation).
Genesis 30:21
וְאַחַ֖ר יָ֣לְדָה בַּ֑ת
And afterwards, she had born a daughter,
וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמָ֖הּ דִּינָֽה׃
And she named her Dinah (Judgment/Justice).
Genesis 30:22
וַיִּזְכֹּ֥ר אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־רָחֵ֑ל
Then God remembered Rachel,
וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙ אֱלֹהִ֔ים
And to her God hearkened,
וַיִּפְתַּ֖ח אֶת־רַחְמָֽהּ׃
And He opened her womb.
Genesis 30:23
וַתַּ֖הַר וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן
So she conceived and bore a son:
וַתֹּ֕אמֶר
And she said,
אָסַ֥ף אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־חֶרְפָּתִֽי׃
“God has gathered up and removed my reproach!”
Genesis 30:24
וַתִּקְרָ֧א אֶת־שְׁמ֛וֹ יוֹסֵ֖ף
And she named him Joseph
(The LORD will Add),
לֵאמֹ֑ר
Saying:
יֹסֵ֧ף יְהוָ֛ה לִ֖י בֵּ֥ן אַחֵֽר׃ ס
“The LORD will add to me another son! ”
Genesis 30:25
וַיְהִ֕י כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יָלְדָ֥ה רָחֵ֖ל אֶת־יוֹסֵ֑ף
Now it happened, after Rachel had born Joseph,
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יַעֲקֹב֙ אֶל־לָבָ֔ן
That Jacob said to Laban:
שַׁלְּחֵ֙נִי֙ וְאֵ֣לְכָ֔ה
“Release me so I may go,
אֶל־מְקוֹמִ֖י וּלְאַרְצִֽי׃
To my place, and to my country;”
Genesis 30:26
תְּנָ֞ה אֶת־נָשַׁ֣י וְאֶת־יְלָדַ֗י
“Hand over my wives and my children,
אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָבַ֧דְתִּי אֹֽתְךָ֛ בָּהֵ֖ן וְאֵלֵ֑כָה
Whom I, in exchange for them,
have worked with you, so I can move on;
כִּ֚י אַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֔עְתָּ
Because you yourself are acquainted with
אֶת־עֲבֹדָתִ֖י אֲשֶׁ֥ר עֲבַדְתִּֽיךָ׃
My labour, how I have served you”.
Genesis 30:27
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ לָבָ֔ן
Then Laban said to him:
אִם־נָ֛א מָצָ֥אתִי חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ
“If now I have found favour, in your eyes!
נִחַ֕שְׁתִּי וַיְבָרֲכֵ֥נִי יְהוָ֖ה בִּגְלָלֶֽךָ׃
I have learnt by divination,
that the LORD has blessed me, because of you;”
Genesis 30:28
וַיֹּאמַ֑ר
Then he said,
נָקְבָ֧ה שְׂכָרְךָ֛ עָלַ֖י וְאֶתֵּֽנָה׃
“Designate your wages to me, that I must give.”
Genesis 30:29
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו
So he said to him,
אַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֔עְתָּ אֵ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֣ר עֲבַדְתִּ֑יךָ
“You yourself are acquainted with how I have served you;
וְאֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־הָיָ֥ה מִקְנְךָ֖ אִתִּֽי׃
And in what condition your livestock have been, with me;”
Genesis 30:30
כִּ֡י מְעַט֩ אֲשֶׁר־הָיָ֨ה לְךָ֤ לְפָנַי֙ וַיִּפְרֹ֣ץ לָרֹ֔ב
“Indeed, what had been little for you before my presence,
subsequently broke forth to abundance,
וַיְבָ֧רֶךְ יְהוָ֛ה אֹתְךָ֖ לְרַגְלִ֑י
And the LORD blessed you though my activities;
וְעַתָּ֗ה מָתַ֛י אֽ͏ֶעֱשֶׂ֥ה גַם־אָנֹכִ֖י לְבֵיתִֽי׃
But now, when can I myself even work for my own household!?”
Genesis 30:31
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר מָ֣ה אֶתֶּן־לָ֑ךְ
And he said, “What must I give you!?”
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יַעֲקֹב֙ לֹא־תִתֶּן־לִ֣י מְא֔וּמָה
Then Jacob said “You don’t have to give me anything,—
אִם־תּֽ͏ַעֲשֶׂה־לִּי֙ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה
If you can do this thing for me,
אָשׁ֛וּבָה אֶרְעֶ֥ה צֹֽאנְךָ֖ אֶשְׁמֹֽר׃
I can return, I can pasture your flock, I can take oversight:”
Genesis 30:32
אֽ͏ֶעֱבֹ֨ר בְּכָל־צֹֽאנְךָ֜ הַיּ֗וֹם
“Let me pass through all of your flock today,
הָסֵ֨ר מִשָּׁ֜ם כָּל־שֶׂ֣ה ׀ נָקֹ֣ד וְטָל֗וּא
causing to turn aside from there
all speckled and spotted livestock,
וְכָל־שֶׂה־חוּם֙ בַּכְּשָׂבִ֔ים
And so all non-white livestock among the sheep,
וְטָל֥וּא וְנָקֹ֖ד בָּעִזִּ֑ים
And spotted and speckled among the goats,
וְהָיָ֖ה שְׂכָרִֽי׃
And so it will become my wages.”
Genesis 30:33
וְעָֽנְתָה־בִּ֤י צִדְקָתִי֙ בְּי֣וֹם מָחָ֔ר
“And it will give evidence on me of my honesty in future days,
כִּֽי־תָב֥וֹא עַל־שְׂכָרִ֖י לְפָנֶ֑יךָ
In case the subject concerning my wages should come before you:
כֹּ֣ל אֲשֶׁר־אֵינֶנּוּ֩ נָקֹ֨ד וְטָל֜וּא בָּֽעִזִּ֗ים
Any that are not speckled or spotted among the goats,
וְחוּם֙ בַּכְּשָׂבִ֔ים גָּנ֥וּב ה֖וּא אִתִּֽי׃
and non-white among the sheep with me,
It will be deemed stolen.”
Genesis 30:34
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לָבָ֖ן
Then Laban said,
הֵ֑ן
“Okay!
ל֖וּ
To the self-same,
יְהִ֥י כִדְבָרֶֽךָ׃
Let it be according to your word!”
Genesis 30:35
וַיָּ֣סַר בַּיּוֹם֩ הַה֨וּא אֶת־הַתְּיָשִׁ֜ים
So on that same day he removed the he-goats,
הָֽעֲקֻדִּ֣ים וְהַטְּלֻאִ֗ים
the striped and those who were spotted,
וְאֵ֤ת כָּל־הֽ͏ָעִזִּים֙ הַנְּקֻדּ֣וֹת וְהַטְּלֻאֹ֔ת
And all the she-goats, — the speckled and those spotted,
כֹּ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־לָבָן֙ בּ֔וֹ
Everyone where whiteness was on it,
וְכָל־ח֖וּם בַּכְּשָׂבִ֑ים
And all the non-white among the sheep;
וַיִּתֵּ֖ן בְּיַד־בָּנָֽיו׃
But he delivered them into the custody of his sons.
Genesis 30:36
וַיָּ֗שֶׂם דֶּ֚רֶךְ שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֔ים
Then he put a three day’s journey
בֵּינ֖וֹ וּבֵ֣ין יַעֲקֹ֑ב
Between himself and between Jacob,
וְיַעֲקֹ֗ב רֹעֶ֛ה אֶת־צֹ֥אן לָבָ֖ן הַנּוֹתָרֹֽת׃
And Jacob continued pasturing those remaining of Laban’s flock.
Genesis 30:37
וַיִּֽקַּֽח־ל֣וֹ יַעֲקֹ֗ב
מַקַּ֥ל לִבְנֶ֛ה לַ֖ח וְל֣וּז וְעֶרְמ֑וֹן
Fresh branch of Storax-tree
(Styrax officinalis – fragrant resin/incense tree),
together with Almond-tree
(Amygdalus communis – blossoms first after winter in Middle East)
and Plane-tree
(Platanus orientalis – Hebrew root word of עַרְמוֹן
-to scrape away flesh from bones, bark from tree);
וַיְפַצֵּ֤ל בָּהֵן֙ פְּצָל֣וֹת לְבָנ֔וֹת
And he peeled away white strips into them,
מַחְשֹׂף֙ הַלָּבָ֔ן
laying bare the whiteness,
(מַחְשׂף – a leaving bare the wood under the bark of the tree)
אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הַמַּקְלֽוֹת׃
which was over the branches;
Genesis 30:38
וַיַּצֵּ֗ג אֶת־הַמַּקְלוֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר פִּצֵּ֔ל
Then he erected the branches which he had peeled,
בָּרֳהָטִ֖ים בְּשִֽׁקֲת֣וֹת הַמָּ֑יִם
In the troughs in the water channels;
אֲשֶׁר֩ תָּבֹ֨אןָ הַצֹּ֤אן לִשְׁתּוֹת֙ לְנֹ֣כַח הַצֹּ֔אן
Where the flocks came to drink,
directly in front of the flock,
וַיֵּחַ֖מְנָה בְּבֹאָ֥ן לִשְׁתּֽוֹת׃
and they were in heat when coming to drink;
Genesis 30:39
וַיֶּחֱמ֥וּ הַצֹּ֖אן אֶל־הַמַּקְל֑וֹת
And the flocks mated by the branches,
וַתֵּלַ֣דְןָ הַצֹּ֔אן עֲקֻדִּ֥ים נְקֻדִּ֖ים וּטְלֻאִֽים׃
And the flocks bore striped, speckled and spotted.
Genesis 30:40
וְהַכְּשָׂבִים֮ הִפְרִ֣יד יַעֲקֹב֒
Now the young rams Jacob had separated,
וַ֠יִּתֵּן פְּנֵ֨י הַצֹּ֧אן אֶל־עָקֹ֛ד
Then placed, facing the flock towards striped
וְכָל־ח֖וּם בְּצֹ֣אן לָבָ֑ן
and all non-white, in the flock of Laban;
וַיָּֽשֶׁת־ל֤וֹ עֲדָרִים֙ לְבַדּ֔וֹ
Then he set his own herds apart,
וְלֹ֥א שָׁתָ֖ם עַל־צֹ֥אן לָבָֽן׃
And he had not placed them by Laban’s flock;
Genesis 30:41
וְהָיָ֗ה בְּכָל־יַחֵם֮ הַצֹּ֣אן הַמְקֻשָּׁרוֹת֒
Now it happened, whenever in heat,
the flock females having become ready,
וְשָׂ֨ם יַעֲקֹ֧ב אֶת־הַמַּקְל֛וֹת לְעֵינֵ֥י הַצֹּ֖אן בָּרֳהָטִ֑ים
That Jacob placed the branches
towards the sight of the flock, in the troughs,
לְיַחְמֵ֖נָּה בַּמַּקְלֽוֹת׃
In order for it to mate by the branches;
Genesis 30:42
וּבְהַעֲטִ֥יף הַצֹּ֖אן לֹ֣א יָשִׂ֑ים
And when the flock was lacking vigour,
he would not set up;
וְהָיָ֤ה הָעֲטֻפִים֙ לְלָבָ֔ן וְהַקְּשֻׁרִ֖ים לְיַעֲקֹֽב׃
Now those belonging to Laban were languid,
But the vigorous belonged to Jacob;
Genesis 30:43
וַיִּפְרֹ֥ץ הָאִ֖ישׁ מְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד
And the man increased super-abundantly:
וֽ͏ַיְהִי־לוֹ֙ צֹ֣אן רַבּ֔וֹת
And so it was he had massive flocks,
וּשְׁפָחוֹת֙ וַעֲבָדִ֔ים וּגְמַלִּ֖ים וַחֲמֹרִֽים׃ ס
and maid-servants and men-servants,
and camels and beasts-of-burden.
Website translation into English by E.G. Van Gent
The Hebrew Masoretic Text is Unicode/XML version 1.3 Leningrad Codex,
Build 26.4 from tanach.us
Dramatized Modern Hebrew Audio Version, Genesis 30
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