[1] Now Rachel, because she had no children, was full of envy of her
sister; and she said to Jacob, If you do not give me children I will not go
on living. [2] But Jacob was angry with Rachel, and said, Am I in the place
of God, who has kept your body from having fruit? [3] Then she said, Here
is my servant Bilhah, go in to her, so that she may have a child on my
knees, and I may have a family by her. [4] So she gave him her servant
Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her. [5] And Bilhah became with
child, and gave birth to a son. [6] Then Rachel said, God has been my
judge, and has given ear to my voice, and has given me a son; so he was
named Dan. [7] And again Bilhah, Rachel's servant, was with child, and gave
birth to a second son. [8] And Rachel said, I have had a great fight with
my sister, and I have overcome her: and she gave the child the name
Naphtali. [9] When it was clear to Leah that she would have no more
children for a time, she gave Zilpah, her servant, to Jacob as a wife. [10]
And Zilpah, Leah's servant, gave birth to a son. [11] And Leah said, It has
gone well for me: and she gave him the name Gad. [12] And Zilpah, Leah's
servant, gave birth to a second son. [13] And Leah said, Happy am I! and
all women will give witness to my joy: and she gave him the name Asher.
[14] Now at the time of the grain-cutting, Reuben saw some love-fruits in
the field, and took them to his mother Leah. And Rachel said to her, Let me
have some of your son's love-fruits. [15] But Leah said to her, Is it a
small thing that you have taken my husband from me? and now would you take
my son's love-fruits? Then Rachel said, You may have him tonight in
exchange for your son's love-fruits. [16] In the evening, when Jacob came
in from the field, Leah went out to him and said, Tonight you are to come
to me, for I have given my son's love-fruits as a price for you. And he
went in to her that night. [17] And God gave ear to her and she became with
child, and gave Jacob a fifth son. [18] Then Leah said, God has made
payment to me for giving my servant-girl to my husband: so she gave her son
the name Issachar. [19] And again Leah became with child, and she gave
Jacob a sixth son. [20] And she said, God has given me a good bride-price;
now at last will I have my husband living with me, for I have given him six
sons: and she gave him the name Zebulun. [21] After that she had a
daughter, to whom she gave the name Dinah. [22] Then God gave thought to
Rachel, and hearing her prayer he made her fertile. [23] And she was with
child, and gave birth to a son: and she said, God has taken away my shame.
[24] And she gave him the name Joseph, saying, May the Lord give me another
son. [25] Now after the birth of Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, Let me go
away to my place and my country. [26] Give me my wives and my children, for
whom I have been your servant, and let me go: for you have knowledge of all
the work I have done for you. [27] And Laban said, If you will let me say
so, do not go away; for I have seen by the signs that the Lord has been
good to me because of you. [28] Say then what your payment is to be and I
will give it. [29] Then Jacob said, You have seen what I have done for you,
and how your cattle have done well under my care. [30] For before I came
you had little, and it has been greatly increased; and the Lord has given
you a blessing in everything I have done; but when am I to do something for
my family? [31] And Laban said, What am I to give you? And Jacob said, Do
not give me anything; but I will again take up the care of your flock if
you will only do this for me: [32] Let me go through all your flock today,
taking out from among them all the sheep which are marked or coloured or
black, and all the marked or coloured goats: these will be my payment. [33]
And so you will be able to put my honour to the test in time to come; if
you see among my flocks any goats which are not marked or coloured, or any
sheep which is not black, you may take me for a thief. [34] And Laban said,
Let it be as you say. [35] So that day he took all the he-goats which were
banded or coloured, and all the she-goats which were marked or coloured or
had white marks, and all the black sheep, and gave them into the care of
his sons; [36] And sent them three days' journey away: and Jacob took care
of the rest of Laban's flock. [37] Then Jacob took young branches of trees,
cutting off the skin so that the white wood was seen in bands. [38] And he
put the banded sticks in the drinking-places where the flock came to get
water; and they became with young when they came to the water. [39] And
because of this, the flock gave birth to young which were marked with bands
of colour. [40] These lambs Jacob kept separate; and he put his flock in a
place by themselves and not with Laban's flock. [41] And whenever the
stronger ones of the flock became with young, Jacob put the sticks in front
of them in the drinking-places, so that they might become with young when
they saw the sticks. [42] But when the flocks were feeble, he did not put
the sticks before them; so that the feebler flocks were Laban's and the
stronger were Jacob's. [43] So Jacob's wealth was greatly increased; he had
great flocks and women-servants and men-servants and camels and asses.
