Genesis 30

Genesis 30:1

ENvied] The word in the Originall is sometimes taken for a lawfull emulation in a good cause, sometimes for an unlawfull indignation at good; so is the word zeale diversely used in the New Testament; In this place it appeareth to be set down in a sinfull sense, as Rachels fault, to be much offended at her sisters fruitfulnesse, her selfe being barren; she should have rejoyced in zeale to Gods glory in propagation of the promised seed, in the good of mankind by the multiplication of people, in the increase of Gods Church, she should have been glad of the blessing of her own flesh and blood, especially in the neerest degree, as Leah was to her, and in the contentment of her husband, (who had no doubt a great desire to be a father, as well as she to be a mother) in that her defect of fruitfulnesse was supplyed by her sister; but selfe-love makes her sinne against them all; Anger is a passion that is sometimes good, else the Apostle would not have said, Be angry and sinne not; Eph. 4. 26. But envy at anothers good, Genesis 37:11. Numbers 11:29. Psalms 106:16. is alwayes bad, and so much worse then anger when it is bad, as it is of longer continuance; anger is said to be a short madnesse, and envy may be said to be a long one. See Proverbs 27:4. Genesis 37:11. Wherein we may see the deformitie, and foulnesse of envy, the infirmitie of humane nature, and of the female sexe, even in the better sort of women; the disquietnesse of polygamie, or divers wives at once, even in the most holy, and best ordered family.

said unto Jacob, give] Envie is a sinfull, and foolish passion, as well as wrath, Job 5:2. which maketh Rachel mistake her husband for her God, as her husband did Leah for her, though God were not veiled as Leah was, but she blinded as Jacob was not. Thus doth naturall corruption breake out of one sinne into another; she beginneth with envie at her sister, but proceedeth to injury against God, and her injury is no lesse then Idolatry; so though she gave over her fathers Idols she became an Idolatresse againe. Jacobs question implyeth a conviction of her for that sinne.

else I die] Not onely because she was not to live in her posteritie, as her sister Leah in hers, (for the parents may be said to live in that their seed liveth in their children) nor that she meant to lay violent hands upon her selfe, (as some have conceived) but because if she continued childlesse she had no desire to live, or conceived the griefe of her barrennesse would breake her heart, and she should die of discontent, for as Job saith, envie slayeth the silly one, Job 5:2. and so it is both a sinne, and a punishment of sinne. The cause why she was so desirous of children might be, because fruitfulnesse was pronounced as a blessing, and to want it was conceived to be a curse, and so was taken for a reproach. So vers. 23. & Luke 1:23. 1 Samuel 1:6. Esa. 4. 1. That Jacob might delight in her as fruitfull, as well as faire, and that her sister might not have that, either as advantage above her, or matter of equalitie with her; for if she might not be his onely beloved, she would be at least his best beloved bed-fellow, which she had cause at least to doubt, for Leah brought him children while she was barren.

Genesis 30:2

Jacobs anger] A good man may be angry, and it is a good anger when it is set against sinne, especially, when it sheweth, that we preferre the honour of God before the favour of our dearest friend, as Jacob here doth. See Luke 14:26.

am I in Gods stead] The godly take it ill that any honour is given to them, which is peculiar to God, Acts 14:14-15. Doubtlesse the Saints and Angels above are not well pleased with the Idolatrous services of men below, Revelation 19:10. & Chap. 22. vers. 9.

who hath withheld] It is onely God that maketh barren and fruitfull, therefore I am not in fault, Psalms 113:9. 127. 3. Genesis 16:2. 20. 18. Hosea 9:14.

Genesis 30:3

my maid Bilhah] Rachel deserved and had a reproofe in the precedent words, which she tooke with patience, making no reply for her own defence; and seeking to make an amends for it, she makes offer of her maid in her stead to her husbands bed, whereby she might have the name of a mother in the right of her handmaid; for the children that were the handmaids by nature, were the dames by adoption, as Genesis 16:2. or by right of participation with her husband, as wherein she had a secondary right, though they were her husbands in the first place, Exodus 21:4. So she made accompt some part of her barrennesse was put away, and some of her husbands good will swayed from her sister (whose envious rivall she was) to her side.

beare upon my knees] The meaning is not onely that Rachel would receive her children on her lap as though they were her own, as Genesis 50:23. Esa. 66. 12. but that at the birth of them Rachel would doe the office of an assistant to the mother, who is many times set upon the knees of another woman while the Midwife doth her office, and this assistance belonged especially to such as were to be adopting mothers to the children.

Genesis 30:4

handmaid to wife] Though there be difference betwixt a wife and a concubine as hath been noted upon, Chap. 22. vers. 24. yet they agree so much, that the wife is sometimes called a concubine, as Keturah, 1 Chron. 1. 32. and a concubine called a wife, as Genesis 16:3. and as Bilhah is here called a wife, so is Zilpah stiled, vers. 9. and as wives, their children had their portion of inheritance of the Land of Canaan, with the children of their mistresses, Leah and Rachel; which in other cases was not usuall.

Genesis 30:6

God hath judged me] It is like that the emulation betwixt Leah and Rachel, Jacobs wives, as it bred envie on the one side, (for vers. 1. Rachel envyed Leah for her fruitfulnesse) so it raised some proud contempt on the other, as in Hagar towards her Mistresse Sarah, Genesis 16:4. or some reproachfull provocation, as in fruitfull Peninnah towards barren Hannah, 1 Sam. 1. vers. 2, 6. as if God were against them, or had no regard unto them, whom he suffered to be barren; whereupon making her complaint, and prayer unto God, and making him Judge of her cause (as Sarah did of hers, Genesis 16:5.) God blessing her advise, and offer of her handmaid with the birth of a child, she taketh it to be his judging of the matter on her side, against her emulous sister, who perhaps upbraided her with barrennesse, as Peninnah did Hannah; wherein (though God be alwayes just) she was somewhat partiall to her selfe, as vers. 8.

Genesis 30:8

with grat wrestling] Or, excellent wrestlings, in the Originall, wrestlings of God. See the Annot. on Gen. 23. 5: 6. with the places quoted in the margin. She had been very emulous, and striven much with her sister to match her in her fruitfulnesse, and for that purpose she had done what she could to indeare her selfe into the love of Jacob, and had used all the helps she could of diet, and Physick, and no doubt had with much importunitie (like unto her husbands wrestling with God) begged the blessing of the wombe for her selfe, and her handmaid, and so prevailed for another sonne; in which boasting though she accompted her selfe to be strong in wrestling she bewrayed the weaknesse of her sexe, and the vanitie of her minde, for her sister yet had more children then she, and those more her own, then Rachels were.

Genesis 30:9

left bearing] (Chap. 29. vers. 35.) For a time, for she conceived againe, and had children afterward, vers. 17.

Zilpah her handmaid and gave her to Jacob] Leah meant in this to match Rachel (for there was striving, and wrestling on both sides for the preeminence, both as wives, and as mothers; an evill usually incident to polygamie, or multiplication of wives to one husband;) but what Rachel did in a kind of necessitie, having no child at all, Leah did without necessitie, having children already begotten, and borne of her own body, as thinking it not honour enough for her to goe before her sister in her own immediate fruitfulnesse, if she did not shew her selfe as kinde to her husband in the gift of her handmaid, and matched her sister in that secondary motherhood of the handmaids issue, wherein she shewed her selfe a sister in evill, being as vaine in her desires, as Rachel in her boastings.

Genesis 30:10

beare Jacob a sonne] It appeares Jacob accepted of her gift, according to her minde, which sheweth that Jacob was too indulgent both to his wives, and to himselfe: such humane frailties are to be noted, pitied, prayed against, and with all care, and caution to be shunned.

Genesis 30:11

A troupe] That is, either that at the birth of Gad, there was hope of a plentifull issue increasing to a troupe, or that Gad should be a Captaine of a troupe, an eminent man leading others after him.

Genesis 30:14

Reuben] Supposed at this time to be a child about five yeares old.

wheat harvest] The later harvest for barley was ripe and reaped before it.

Mandrakes] The word Dudaim in the Originall (which some Translations have retained) in the generall signifieth amiable, and in Cant. 〈◊〉 same word is used in this acception, and no where ee in the whole Scripture; there Dudaim is said to give a smell, and it is meant a pleasant smell; thence some Translate it amiable flowres, the Greeke turnes it Apples of Mandragoras, which is a kinde of herbe whose root hath the likenesse of a man. The fruit of that root called Mandrake apples hath been anciently conceived to be of an amorous operation, causing love, conducing to coition and conception; it is said to be of pleasant smell, and colour by some writers, others say it is of a ranck and unpleasant savour; howsoever it is not like to be Mandrake apples, because at this time of the yeare (which was wheat harvest, and that was about the beginning of May in this countrey) the mandrake apples are not ripe, but rather that Dudaim here rendred Mandrakes was some flowers of the field (such as pleased little children, chiefly with their colour, for Reuben that gathered them was about five or sixe yeare old) and had withall a delightfull smell, Son 7:12-13. so that Rachel was taken with an especiall delight in them, and desire of them.

Genesis 30:15

is it a small matter] Leah not well pleased with Rachel before, takes a small occasion to breake out into a passion, the grudge which lay at her heart, now breakes out at her lips, in this question implying, that she makes a small matter of doing to her a great wrong, which she aggravates by adding one wrong unto another.

taken my husband] It seemeth now Rachel and Leah in respect of child-bearing were both alike (for though Leah had been fruitfull before, she was at that time barren as Rachel, having given over to beare, Chap. 29. vers. 35. & Chap. 30. 5: 9.) and therefore Jacobs affection swayed by the beautie of Rachel estranged him altogether, or for the most part from the bed of her sister, thence she challengeth her for taking away her husband from her; wherein (but that selfe-love made her blind) she might see her sinne recompensed to her in its kinde; for she had wronged Rachel so before, when it could not but be very offensive unto her.

shall lye with thee] She made ill use of her husbands great affection to her, for here she takes upon her the disposall of his person, and for a trifle hires him out unto her sister.

to night] It seemeth there was some set rule betwixt Jacob and his wives for their lying with him by turnes, so that having a certaine right for his societie, they might give it up to each other, as they could agree.

Genesis 30:16

I have hired thee] That such particulars of seeming small moment are so punctually recorded in the Scripture, the reason may be to shew how observant God is of the Family of the faithfull, and his providence towards them, which reacheth even to the numbring of their heires, Matthew 10:30.

and he lay with her] The good man, desirous to keepe peace betwixt two emulous women, submits to their passions, and partialities, and makes good the bargaine betwixt them concerning himselfe, though it were made without his consent.

Genesis 30:17

God hearkened to Leah] This was commendable in both these women, that they invited God by prayer unto their marriage bed, vers. 22.

Genesis 30:18

Because I have given] Though Leah say right in accompting a child to be the gift of God, yet here she misapplyeth the Divine favour, and maketh it the reward of her former errour, rather then the grant of her precedent prayer, here againe she bewrayeth her infirmitie.

Genesis 30:22

hearkened to her] See Annot. on vers. 17.

Genesis 30:23

Taken away my reproach] A reproach among those especially who are fruitfull themselves, and therefore shew contempt towards the barren, to their disgrace and vexation. See Chap. 16. 5. & 1 Sam. 1. 5, 6.

Genesis 30:26

give me my wives] They were already given, or rather dearely bought with long and hard service; yet he would not take them away without a mannerly preface of leave from their father, before their parting; which condemnes the injurious dealing of many who make no conscience of stealing away daughters, to make them wives without their parents consent. See Annot. on Chap. 21. vers. 21.

Genesis 30:27

for thy sake] (Chap. 39. 3.) Masters may here learne to make choice of godly servants, in whose hands their estates are like to prosper.

Genesis 30:30

since my coming] Heb. at my fet. That is, since I set my foot into thy dwelling, or since I set my foot to labour and goe about upon thine affaires. See Deuteronomy 11:10.

Genesis 30:31

not give me any thing] That is, no set rate or price for my service, or (as some think) no recompence out of thy precedent or present estate, but out of that which shall accrew unto thee from the date of our present agreement.

Genesis 30:32

of such shall be my hire] That is, when all the speckled, spotted, or parti-coloured, or browne sheepe, or lambes, and all the spotted, speckled, or parti-coloured goats are removed, and none left but those that are white, I will have none other wages then those young ones which coming of white dammes, are not white but parti-coloured, or browne; and as there were any browne he gave them to Laban, and kept onely the white (as Labans stock to breed upon) lest his parti-coloured increase should be thought to proceed from the different colours of the rams or dams.

Genesis 30:33

righteousnesse answer] God shall testifie my righteous dealing by rewarding my labours. So that when my stocke is increased, it will plainly appeare that the hand of God hath beene good to me, not mine false or unfaithfull to thee.

in time to come] Heb. tomorrow. For that is taken for the time to come, a yesterday for the time past, Genesis 31:2. Exd. 4. 10. & 5. 7. Rth 2:11. as to day, for the time present, Psalms 95:7. Hebrews 3:7.

stollen with me] If he had any of the increase of Labans sheep, or goats, that were not spotted, he would be contented they should be accounted his not by Gods gift, but by his owne theft.

Genesis 30:37

took rods] And pilled part, and left part unpilled, so they were partly white, and partly greene, or of that colour they were of before they were pilled: Jacob here useth no deceit, for it was by Gods direction, as is probably gathered, Chap. 31. vers. 9, 10, 11, 12. and this he did at the ramming time.

greene poplar] Not in respect of colour, but of tendernesse, and moisture, being young, and not hard and dry by growth, or age: See Isid. Etymol. 50: 12. 100: 1. And he took rods of such trees, either because they were more ready at hand, or for some naturall qualitie (though unknowne to us) inclining to such an effect as he desired; or God, who ordered this device for good successe, directed Jacob to this choyce.

Genesis 30:39

conceived before the rods] And parti-coloured according to the rods; this was partly by the strength of imagination, which sometimes hath great force to conforme the conception to the object; so women of child have brought forth children resembling the Pictures set before them, sometimes very beautifull, & sometimes very deformed, according to the representation of the Pictures in their sight, or thought at the time of thei conception: but this was not all, for as it is like that God directed Jacob to this course, so he blest it to him, that the effect did certainly fall out whensoever the meanes was used to that purpose, Gen. 31. vers. 10, 11, 12. which otherwise had beene very uncertaine, and more like to faile then to take effect; for such an operation of the fancie or imagination is very rare, especially in the unreasonable creatures; howsoever Jacob must not neglect any meanes, that God prescribes; and by this we are taught so to order our confidence in God, as not to neglect any humane providence, which he either prescribe or alloweth.

ring-straked] That is, having a streake of contrary colou about their leg round like a ring.

Genesis 30:40

fac toward the ring-straked] This was that by looking upon them their imaginations might worke to a resemblance of them, which by concurrence of Gods power in favour to Jacob, produced effects though in that kind are, yet very regular for the increase of his riches to a liberall reward of his good service.

Genesis 30:41

the stronger cattell] As they which tooke the ram about September, and brought forth about March; so the feebler tooke ram in March, and yeaned about September: yet some conceive the quite contrary, and for such cattell as bring forth twice a yeare (as the sheep in Mesopotamia, and the like observation is made of the sheepe in Italy) the latter birth may be accounted the feebler, for the first-borne hath the might and beginning of strength, as Jacob said of Reuben, Genesis 49:3. and the Hebrew word Haghnariph, soundeth to that sense, for it signifieth both late bringing forth and feeblenesse: and when the feebler ingendred, he laid no coloured rods before them.

Genesis 30:42

so the feebler were Labans] Laban delt subtilly with Jacob in putting it to him to set downe the condition touching his wages, thinking his modestie would demand lesse then fully to answer his desert; and to prevent Jacobs subtle dealing with him, he put his party-coloured cattell to the keeping of his own sonnes, and committed the rest unto Jacobs custodie, yet is Jacobs portion increased, and Labans diminished.

Genesis 30:43

increased exceedingly] The meanes whereby this came to passe he mentioneth to his wives where he saith, God hath taken away the cattell of your father, and given them unto me, Genesis 31:9. wherein God dealt kindly with him as a sonne, while his Uncle did him not the justice due to a servant; how, much better is it to be servant to God then to man?