Genesis 30
Living Bible
30 Rachel, realizing she was barren, became envious of her sister. “Give me children or I’ll die,” she exclaimed to Jacob.
2 Jacob flew into a rage. “Am I God?” he flared. “He is the one who is responsible for your barrenness.”
3 Then Rachel told him, “Sleep with my servant girl Bilhah, and her children will be mine.” 4 So she gave him Bilhah to be his wife, and he slept with her, 5 and she became pregnant and presented him with a son. 6 Rachel named him Dan (meaning “Justice”),[a] for she said, “God has given me justice, and heard my plea and given me a son.” 7 Then Bilhah, Rachel’s servant girl, became pregnant again and gave Jacob a second son. 8 Rachel named him Naphtali (meaning “Wrestling”), for she said, “I am in a fierce contest with my sister and I am winning!”
9 Meanwhile, when Leah realized that she wasn’t getting pregnant anymore, she gave her servant girl Zilpah to Jacob, to be his wife, 10 and soon Zilpah presented him with a son. 11 Leah named him Gad (meaning “My luck has turned!”).
12 Then Zilpah produced a second son, 13 and Leah named him Asher (meaning “Happy”), for she said, “What joy is mine! The other women will think me blessed indeed!”
14 One day during the wheat harvest, Reuben found some mandrakes[b] growing in a field and brought them to his mother Leah. Rachel begged Leah to give some of them to her.
15 But Leah angrily replied, “Wasn’t it enough to steal my husband? And now will you steal my son’s mandrakes too?”
Rachel said sadly, “He will sleep with you tonight because of the mandrakes.”
16 That evening as Jacob was coming home from the fields, Leah went out to meet him. “You must sleep with me tonight!” she said; “for I am hiring you with some mandrakes my son has found!” So he did. 17 And God answered her prayers and she became pregnant again, and gave birth to her fifth son. 18 She named him Issachar (meaning “Wages”), for she said, “God has repaid me for giving my slave girl to my husband.” 19 Then once again she became pregnant, with a sixth son. 20 She named him Zebulun (meaning “Gifts”), for she said, “God has given me good gifts for my husband. Now he will honor me, for I have given him six sons.” 21 Afterwards she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.
22 Then God remembered about Rachel’s plight, and answered her prayers by giving her a child. 23-24 For she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. “God has removed the dark slur against my name,” she said. And she named him Joseph (meaning “May I also have another!”), for she said, “May Jehovah give me another son.”
25 Soon after the birth of Joseph to Rachel, Jacob said to Laban, “I want to go back home. 26 Let me take my wives and children—for I earned them from you—and be gone, for you know how fully I have paid for them with my service to you.”
27 “Please don’t leave me,” Laban replied, “for a fortune-teller that I consulted[c] told me that the many blessings I’ve been enjoying are all because of your being here. 28 How much of a raise do you need to get you to stay? Whatever it is, I’ll pay it.”
29 Jacob replied, “You know how faithfully I’ve served you through these many years, and how your flocks and herds have grown. 30 For it was little indeed you had before I came, and your wealth has increased enormously; Jehovah has blessed you from everything I do! But now, what about me? When should I provide for my own family?”
31-32 “What wages do you want?” Laban asked again.
Jacob replied, “If you will do one thing, I’ll go back to work for you. Let me go out among your flocks today and remove all the goats that are speckled or spotted, and all the black sheep. Give them to me as my wages. 33 Then if you ever find any white goats or sheep in my flock, you will know that I have stolen them from you!”
34 “All right!” Laban replied. “It shall be as you have said!”
35-36 So that very day Laban went out and formed a flock for Jacob of all the male goats that were ringed and spotted, and the females that were speckled and spotted with any white patches, and all of the black sheep. He gave them to Jacob’s sons to take them three days’ distance, and Jacob stayed and cared for Laban’s flock. 37 Then Jacob took fresh shoots from poplar, almond, and sycamore trees, and peeled white streaks in them, 38 and placed these rods beside the watering troughs so that Laban’s flocks would see them when they came to drink; for that is when they mated. 39-40 So the flocks mated before the white-streaked rods, and their offspring were streaked and spotted, and Jacob added them to his flock. Then he divided out the ewes from Laban’s flock and segregated them from the rams, and let them mate only with Jacob’s black rams. Thus he built his flocks from Laban’s. 41 Moreover, he watched for the stronger animals to mate, and placed the peeled branches before them, 42 but didn’t with the feebler ones. So the less healthy lambs were Laban’s and the stronger ones were Jacob’s! 43 As a result, Jacob’s flocks increased rapidly and he became very wealthy, with many servants, camels, and donkeys.
Footnotes
- Genesis 30:6 Dan (meaning “Justice”). The meaning is not of the actual Hebrew name, but of a Hebrew word sounding like the name. The name given is a Hebrew pun. An example in English might be, “Because of the large hospital bill the child was named ‘Bill.’”
- Genesis 30:14 mandrakes, a leafy plant eaten by peasant women who supposed this would aid them in becoming pregnant.
- Genesis 30:27 a fortune-teller that I consulted, literally, “I have learned by divination.”
创世记 30
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
30 拉结见自己没有给雅各生孩子，就嫉妒姐姐。她对雅各说：“你给我孩子，不然我还不如死了！” 2 雅各气愤地说：“使你不能生育的是上帝，难道我能代替上帝吗？” 3 拉结说：“你去跟我的婢女辟拉同房吧，这样她可以为我生孩子，我也可以留下后代。” 4 于是拉结把婢女辟拉给丈夫做妾，雅各和辟拉同房。 5 辟拉怀了孕，为雅各生下一个儿子。 6 拉结说：“上帝为我申了冤，也听了我的恳求，赐给我一个儿子。”拉结就给孩子取名叫但[a]。 7 拉结的婢女辟拉又怀孕，为雅各生了第二个儿子。 8 拉结说：“我跟姐姐相争，我得胜了。”她就给这孩子取名叫拿弗他利[b]。
9 利亚见自己不再生育，就把婢女悉帕给雅各做妾。 10 悉帕给雅各生了一个儿子。 11 利亚说：“真幸运！”她便给孩子取名叫迦得[c]。 12 悉帕又给雅各生了第二个儿子， 13 利亚说：“我真有福啊！妇女们会说我有福！”她就为孩子取名亚设[d]。
14 在收麦子的季节，吕便在田间找到一些风茄，拿回家给母亲利亚。拉结知道后，对利亚说：“请给我一些你儿子找到的风茄。” 15 利亚说：“你抢了我丈夫还不够吗？现在还要抢我儿子的风茄吗？”拉结回答说：“你给我风茄，今夜雅各就跟你同房。” 16 那天晚上，雅各从田间回来，利亚就出来迎接他说：“你要来跟我同房，因为我已经用儿子的风茄把你雇下来了。”于是，那天晚上雅各便跟利亚同房。 17 上帝答应利亚的祈求，使她怀孕，为雅各生了第五个儿子。 18 利亚说：“我把婢女送给丈夫做妾，现在上帝给我报酬了。”因此，她就为孩子取名叫以萨迦[e]。
19 后来，利亚又怀孕，给雅各生下第六个儿子。 20 她说：“上帝赐给我珍贵的礼物，现在我丈夫会尊重我，因为我给他生了六个儿子。”于是，她就给这个儿子取名叫西布伦[f]。 21 后来，利亚又生了一个女儿，给她取名叫底娜。
22 上帝眷顾拉结，听了她的祷告，使她可以生育。 23 她就怀孕，生了一个儿子，说：“上帝除去了我的羞辱。” 24 她给孩子取名叫约瑟[g]，又说：“愿上帝再给我添一个儿子！”
雅各与拉班的协议
25 拉结生约瑟以后，雅各对拉班说：“请让我走吧！我想回故乡， 26 请你让我和妻儿一同回去吧！她们都是我替你工作得来的，你知道我怎样努力为你工作。”
27 拉班却挽留他，说：“如果你肯赏光，请你留下来！因为我占卜得知上帝为了你的缘故才赐福给我。 28 你要多少酬劳，只管说出来，我一定会给你。”
29 雅各回答说：“你知道我怎样努力地服侍你，照顾你的牲畜。 30 我来以前，你的财产很少。上帝因为我的到来而赐福给你，使你财产大增。但我自己什么时候才能兴家立业呢？”
31 拉班问：“我该给你什么呢？”雅各说：“你不用给我什么，只要你答应一件事，我就继续照料你的羊群。 32 今天让我从你的羊群中挑出黑色或有斑点的绵羊，以及有斑点的山羊作为我的薪酬。 33 以后，如果你在给我作薪酬的羊群中发现白色的绵羊或没有斑点的山羊，就算是我偷的。这样你可以知道我是否诚实。”
34 拉班说：“好，就照你的话做！” 35 当天，拉班把有条纹或斑点的公山羊以及有斑点或夹杂白纹的母山羊，连同黑色的绵羊都挑出来，交给自己的儿子们看管。 36 然后，他离开雅各，彼此相隔三天的路程。雅各继续为他照料其余的羊。
37 雅各折下一些杨树、杏树和枫树的嫩枝，削掉部分树皮，露出白色的条纹， 38 然后把这些嫩枝插在羊喝水的水槽和水沟里。羊群来喝水时互相交配。 39 它们对着这些树枝交配，就生下有条纹和有斑点的羊羔。 40 雅各把这些羊羔分出来，使它们与拉班的羊各在一处。他把自己的羊安置在一处，不与拉班的羊搀杂在一起。 41 每当肥壮的羊交配时，雅各就把有条纹的枝子插在水沟里，使羊对着树枝交配。 42 但如果交配的羊是瘦弱的，他就不插枝子。这样，瘦弱的羊归拉班，肥壮的羊归雅各。 43 因此，雅各变得极其富有，拥有很多羊、骆驼、驴和仆婢。
Genesis 30
King James Version
30 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.
2 And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?
3 And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.
4 And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her.
5 And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son.
6 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.
7 And Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son.
8 And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.
9 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.
14 And 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.
15 And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken 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.
16 And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night.
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.
25 And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.
26 Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee.
27 And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake.
28 And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.
29 And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me.
30 For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the Lord hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?
31 And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock.
32 I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.
33 So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me.
34 And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.
35 And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.
36 And he set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.
37 And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.
38 And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.
39 And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted.
40 And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban's cattle.
41 And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.
42 But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's.
43 And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Chinese Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1979, 2005, 2007, 2011 by Biblica® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.