King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son.
Complete Jewish Bible:
God listened to Le'ah, and she conceived and bore Ya'akov a fifth son.
Berean Standard Bible:
And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore a fifth son to Jacob.
American Standard Version:
And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob a fifth son.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And God{H430} hearkened{H8085} unto Leah{H3812}, and she conceived{H2029}, and bare{H3205} Jacob{H3290} the fifth{H2549} son{H1121}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Luke 1:13
- But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
Genesis 30:22
- And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.
1 Samuel 1:20
- Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, [saying], Because I have asked him of the LORD.
1 Samuel 1:26
- And she said, Oh my lord, [as] thy soul liveth, my lord, I [am] the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD.
1 Samuel 1:27
- For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him:
Exodus 3:7
- ¶ And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which [are] in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
Genesis 30:6
- And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Genesis 30:17
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
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H430
There are 2334 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֱלֹהִים
Transliteration: ʼĕlôhîym
Pronunciation: el-o-heem'
Description: plural of אֱלוֹהַּ; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative; angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty. - Strong's Number: H8085
There are 1072 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁמַע
Transliteration: shâmaʻ
Pronunciation: shaw-mah'
Description: a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.); [idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, [idiom] surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness. - Strong's Number: H3812
There are 32 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: לֵאָה
Transliteration: Lêʼâh
Pronunciation: lay-aw'
Description: from לָאָה; weary; Leah, a wife of Jacob; Leah. - Strong's Number: H2029
There are 42 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: הָרָה
Transliteration: hârâh
Pronunciation: haw-raw'
Description: a primitive root; to be (or become) pregnant, conceive (literally or figuratively); been, be with child, conceive, progenitor. - Strong's Number: H3205
There are 403 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָלַד
Transliteration: yâlad
Pronunciation: yaw-lad'
Description: a primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage; bear, beget, birth(-day), born, (make to) bring forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch, labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman). - Strong's Number: H3290
There are 319 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יַעֲקֹב
Transliteration: Yaʻăqôb
Pronunciation: yah-ak-obe'
Description: from עָקַב; heel-catcher (i.e. supplanter); Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarch; Jacob. - Strong's Number: H2549
There are 44 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חֲמִישִׁי
Transliteration: chămîyshîy
Pronunciation: kham-ee-shee'
Description: or חֲמִשִּׁי; ordinal from חָמֵשׁ; fifth; also a fifth; fifth (part). - Strong's Number: H1121
There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֵּן
Transliteration: bên
Pronunciation: bane
Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.