January 14

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Genesis 30:1-31:6

(1)"God listened to Leah" (30:17)

(2)"Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and opened her womb" (30:22)

(3)"I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar & where you made a vow to me."(31:13)

(4)My 3 yr old daughter wanted to hear a story so I told her how Joseph's brothers sold him to be a slave in Egypt. She wanted to know the names of the brothers...and I could only name 6. Here they are

(in order):

(1) Reuben (which means "See a son"; "for she said Surely the LORD has looked upon my affliction (ie. being hated); now therefore my husband will love me"-Matthew Henry) (birth mother: Leah)

(2) Simeon ( vs 33: "Because the LORD has heard that I was hated, he has therefore given me a son also"); birth mother: Leah

(3) Levi (which means "joined"; vs 34: "Now this time will my husband be joined to me because I have born him three sons")Birth mother: Leah

(4)Judah (means "praise"); birth mother: Leah

(5) Dan (vs 6: "Rachel said, 'God has judged me...heard my voice...given me a son'" NIV reads "God has vindicated me"; Dan means "he has vindicated"; birth mother: Bilhah Rachel's handmaid

(6) Naphtali (vs 7: "Rachel said, 'With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed'") NIV reads "I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won."; Naphtali means "my struggle"; birth mother: Bilhah Rachel's handmaid

(7) Gad (vs 11: "And Leah said, 'A troop comes'"); Gad means 'good fortune' or 'a troop'; birth mother: Leah's handmaid Zilpah

(8) Asher (vs 13: "And Leah said, 'Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed'"); birth mother: Leah's handmaid Zilpah

(9) Issachar (vs 18: "Leah said, 'God has given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband'" (Leah hired Jacob with her son's mandrakes aka "love apples" & were considered an aphrodisiac in ancient times (Reformed Study Bible notes)) ; birth mother: Leah

(10) Zebulun (vs 20: "Leah said, 'God has endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons'"); birth mother: Leah

Then Leah bore Dinah

(11) Joseph (vs 23 "Rachel said, 'God has taken away my reproach'"); birth mother: Rachel

(12) Benjamin (35:18 "Rachel called his name 'Ben-Oni' (which means "son of my sorrow" ) but his father called him Benjamin (which meanss "son of my right hand"

The 12 sons are all summarily listed (with their respective birth mother) in Genesis 35:23-26 for quick reference.

(5)(2013) Sibling rivalry is strong. The lengths to which it drove wives to compete for Jacob's affection, attention and sons:

When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister. So she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!”

2 Jacob became angry with her and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?”

3 Then she said, “Here is Bilhah, my maidservant. Sleep with her so that she can bear children for me and that through her I too can build a family.”

(6)(2013) Headship & Family Duty - Matthew Henry comments on Gen 30:

Note, Faith and charity, though they are excellent things, must not take us off from making necessary provisions for our own support, and the support of our families. We must, like Jacob, trust in the Lord and do good, and yet we must, like him, provide for our own houses also; he that does not the latter is worse than an infidel, 1 Tim. 5:8.

Matthew 10:1-25
(1)"Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel"(10:5,6)

Psalm 12:1-8

Proverbs 3:13-15

Years Read
2013, 2015, 2025