Part 19 (1/2)

30:1. And Rachel seeing herself without children, envied her sister, and said to her husband: Give me children, otherwise I shall die.

30:2. And Jacob being angry with her, answered: Am I as G.o.d, who hath deprived thee of the fruit of thy womb?

30:3. But she said: I have here my servant Bala: go in unto her, that she may bear upon my knees, and I may have children by her.

30:4. And she gave him Bala in marriage: who,

30:5. When her husband had gone in unto her, conceived and bore a son.

30:6. And Rachel said: The Lord hath judged for me, and hath heard my voice, giving me a son; and therefore she called his name Dan.

30:7. And again Bala conceived, and bore another,

30:8. For whom Rachel said: G.o.d hath compared me with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called him Nephthali.

30:9. Lia perceiving that she had left of bearing, gave Zelpha, her handmaid, to her husband.

30:10. And when she had conceived, and brought forth a son,

30:11. She said: Happily. And therefore called his name Gad.

30:12. Zelpha also bore another.

30:13. And Lia said: This is for my happiness: for women will call me blessed. Therefore she called him Aser.

30:14. And Ruben going out in the time of the wheat harvest into the field, found mandrakes: which he brought to his mother Lia. And Rachel said: Give me part of thy son's mandrakes.

30:15. She answered: Dost thou think it a small matter, that thou hast taken my husband from me, unless thou take also my son's mandrakes?

Rachel said: He shall sleep with thee this night, for thy son's mandrakes.

30:16. And when Jacob returned at even from the field, Lia went out to meet him, and said: Thou shalt come in unto me, because I have hired thee for my son's mandrakes. And he slept with her that night.

30:17. And G.o.d heard her prayers; and she conceived: and bore a fifth son:

30:18. And said: G.o.d hath given me a reward, because I gave my handmaid to my husband. And she called his name Issachar.

30:19. And Lia conceived again, and bore the sixth son,

30:20. And said: G.o.d hath endowed me with a good dowry; this turn also my husband will be with me, because I have borne him six sons: and therefore she called his name Zabulon.

30:21. After whom she bore a daughter, named Dina.

30:22. The Lord also remembering Rachel, heard her, and opened her womb.

30:23. And she conceived, and bore a son, saying: G.o.d hath taken away my reproach.

30:24. And she called his name Joseph: saying: The Lord give me also another son.

30:25. And when Joseph was born, Jacob said to his father in law: Send me away, that I may return into my country, and to my land.