(The Lord speaking is red text)
And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son.
God listened to Le'ah, and she conceived and bore Ya'akov a fifth son.
And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore a fifth son to Jacob.
And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob a fifth son.
And God{H430} hearkened{H8085} unto Leah{H3812}, and she conceived{H2029}, and bare{H3205} Jacob{H3290} the fifth{H2549} son{H1121}.
Genesis 30:17 is set within the broader narrative of the patriarch Jacob and his relationships with his two wives, Leah and Rachel. The verse specifically references the birth of Leah's fifth son to Jacob. The historical context of this verse is rooted in the family dynamics and cultural practices of the ancient Near East, particularly regarding marriage, fertility, and lineage.
**Themes:**
1. **Fertility and Favor:** The theme of fertility is central to the narrative, as Leah's ability to conceive is seen as a divine favor. In a culture where bearing children, especially sons, was a woman's key to social standing and security, Leah's fertility is a significant blessing.
2. **Divine Response to Prayer:** The verse indicates that God listened to Leah's prayers or entreaties, highlighting the theme of divine attentiveness and intervention in human affairs, particularly in matters of family and lineage.
3. **Family Dynamics and Rivalry:** The context of this verse is steeped in the complex relationships within Jacob's family. Leah feels unloved compared to her sister Rachel, who is Jacob's preferred wife. Each son born to Leah represents both a personal triumph and a furtherance of her hope to secure Jacob's love and affection.
4. **Lineage and Promise:** The birth of each son contributes to the fulfillment of the patriarchal lineage through which God's promises to Abraham and Isaac will be carried forward. Each birth is a step toward the establishment of the twelve tribes of Israel.
5. **Naming and Identity:** In the ancient Near East, the act of naming a child was significant and often reflected the circumstances of the child's birth or the parents' hopes and aspirations.
**Historical Context:**
During this period, polygamy was a common practice, and the social structure was patriarchal. A woman's worth was often tied to her ability to bear children, with sons being particularly valued for their role in continuing the family line and inheritance. The narrative reflects the tensions and strategies within families to navigate these social norms. Additionally, the story of Jacob's family is set against the backdrop of the early history of the Israelite people, with the development of the family into a nation being a key focus of the book of Genesis. Jacob's sons will become the ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel, making their births historically and theologically significant within the biblical narrative.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)