¶ And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.
And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
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Commentary for Genesis 30:23
1. Themes:
- Fertility and Motherhood: The verse reflects the joy and relief of a woman who has longed to bear a child, a common theme in the cultural context of the time, where fertility was often associated with divine favor and barrenness with reproach or shame.
- Divine Intervention: The woman's statement acknowledges God's role in the conception, emphasizing the belief in divine intervention in personal matters, such as childbearing.
- Personal Redemption: The birth signifies a personal redemption for the woman, as she feels that God has removed the stigma of barrenness from her.
2. Historical Context:
- The verse is set within the larger narrative of Jacob's family in the Book of Genesis. Jacob has two wives, Leah and Rachel, and this verse specifically refers to Leah, who had previously struggled with infertility (Genesis 29:31).
- The patriarchal society of the time placed a high value on a woman's ability to bear children, especially sons, who would carry on the family lineage and inherit property.
- Leah's statement upon the birth of her son Judah (as indicated by the preceding context in Genesis 29:35 and the subsequent verse Genesis 30:24) reflects the cultural significance of motherhood and the personal vindication she feels in fulfilling this role.
- The narrative is part of the broader story of the Israelite patriarchs, which lays the foundation for the covenant relationship between God and the Israelites, with the lineage of Jacob's sons leading to the twelve tribes of Israel.
*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: 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: 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.
Strong's Number: H559 There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: אָמַר Transliteration: ʼâmar Pronunciation: aw-mar' Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.
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: H622 There are 281 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: אָסַף Transliteration: ʼâçaph Pronunciation: aw-saf' Description: a primitive root; to gather for any purpose; hence, to receive, take away, i.e. remove (destroy, leave behind, put up, restore, etc.); assemble, bring, consume, destroy, felch, gather (in, together, up again), [idiom] generally, get (him), lose, put all together, receive, recover (another from leprosy), (be) rereward, [idiom] surely, take (away, into, up), [idiom] utterly, withdraw.
Strong's Number: H2781 There are 72 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: חֶרְפָּה Transliteration: cherpâh Pronunciation: kher-paw' Description: from חָרַף; contumely, disgrace, the pudenda; rebuke, reproach(-fully), shame.