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Commentary on Genesis 30 verses 14–24
Here is, I. Leah fruitful again, after she had, for some time, left off bearing. Jacob, it should seem, associated more with Rachel than with Leah. The law of Moses supposes it a common case that, if a man had two wives, one would be beloved and the other hated, Deu 21:15. But at length Rachel's strong passions betrayed her into a bargain with Leah that Jacob should return to her apartment. Reuben, a little lad, five or six years old, playing in the field, found mandrakes, dudaim. It is uncertain what they were, the critics are not agreed about them; we are sure they were some rarities, either fruits or flowers that were very pleasant to the smell, Sol 7:13. Note, The God of nature has provided, not only for our necessities, but for our delights; there are products of the earth in the exposed fields, as well as in the planted protected gardens, that are very valuable and useful. How plentifully is nature's house furnished and her table spread! Her precious fruits offer themselves to be gathered by the hands of little children. It is a laudable custom of the devout Jews, when they find pleasure, suppose in eating an apple, to lift their hearts, and say, "Blessed be he that made this fruit pleasant!" Or, in smelling a flower, "Blessed be he that made this flower sweet." Some think these mandrakes were jessamine flowers. Whatever they were, Rachel could not see them in Leah's hands, where the child had placed them, but she must covet them. She cannot bear the want of these pretty flowers, but will purchase them at any rate. Note, There may be great sin and folly in the inordinate desire of a small thing. Leah takes this advantage (as Jacob had of Esau's coveting his red pottage) to obtain that which was justly due to her, but to which Rachel would not otherwise have consented. Note, Strong passions often thwart one another, and those cannot but be continually uneasy that are hurried on by them. Leah is overjoyed that she shall have her husband's company again, that her family might yet further be built up, which is the blessing she desires and devoutly prays for, as is intimated, Gen 30:17, where it is said, God hearkened unto Leah. The learned bishop Patrick very well suggests here that the true reason of this contest between Jacob's wives for his company, and their giving him their maids to be his wives, was the earnest desire they had to fulfil the promise made to Abraham (and now lately renewed to Jacob), that his seed should be as the stars of heaven for multitude, and that in one seed of his, the Messiah, all the nations of the earth should be blessed. And he thinks it would have been below the dignity of this sacred history to take such particular notice of these things if there had not been some such great consideration in them. Leah was now blessed with two sons; the first she called Issachar (a hire), reckoning herself well repaid for her mandrakes, nay (which is a strange construction of the providence) rewarded for giving her maid to her husband. Note, We abuse God's mercy when we reckon that his favours countenance and patronize our follies. The other she called Zebulun (dwelling), owning God's bounty to her: God has endowed me with a good dowry, Gen 30:20. Jacob had not endowed her when he married her, nor had he wherewithal in possession; but she reckons a family of children not a bill of charges, but a good dowry, Psa 113:9. She promises herself more of her husband's company now that she had borne him six sons, and that, in love to his children at least, he would often visit her lodgings. Mention is made (Gen 30:21) of the birth of a daughter, Dinah, because of the following story concerning her, ch. 34. Perhaps Jacob had other daughters, though their names are not registered.
II. Rachel fruitful at last (Gen 30:22): God remembered Rachel, whom he seemed to have forgotten, and hearkened to her whose prayers had been long denied; and then she bore a son. Note, As God justly denies the mercy we have been inordinately desirous of, so sometimes he graciously grants, at length, that which we have long waited for. He corrects our folly, and yet considers our frame, and does not contend for ever. Rachel called her son Joseph, which in Hebrew is akin to two words of a contrary signification, Asaph (abstulit), He has taken away my reproach, as if the greatest mercy she had in this son was that she had saved her credit; and Jasaph (addidit), The Lord shall add to me another son, which may be looked upon either as the language of her inordinate desire (she scarcely knows how to be thankful for one unless she may be sure of another), or of her faith - she takes this mercy as an earnest of further mercy. "Has God given me his grace? I may call it Joseph, and say, He shall add more grace! Has he given me his joy? I may call it Joseph, and say, He will give me more joy. Has he begun, and shall he not make an end?"
(Verse 17 and 18.) And God heard Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob her fifth son, and she said, 'God has given me my wages because I gave my maid to my husband.' And she called his name Issachar. The Septuagint Interpreters have given the etymology of this name, it is wages. Not that, as many wrongly read with an added pronoun, it is to be understood as written, which is wages, but the whole name is interpreted, it is wages. For it is said that Sachar, the son of Ruben, bought the entrance which was owed to Rachel, for a price. It follows:
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SUMMARY
Genesis 30:18 marks a pivotal moment in the unfolding narrative of Jacob's family, recording the birth of Leah's fifth son, Issachar. Leah's declaration that "God hath given me my hire" reflects her profound belief in divine recompense for her decision to give her maidservant, Zilpah, to Jacob. This event not only adds another son to the burgeoning lineage of Israel's twelve tribes but also highlights the complex interplay of human agency, familial rivalry, and God's sovereign hand in bringing about His purposes amidst challenging and often flawed circumstances.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The narrative in Genesis 30:18 employs several literary devices that enrich its meaning. Theophoric Naming is prominent, as Issachar's name directly incorporates Leah's theological interpretation of his birth as a "hire" or "reward" from God, making the child's very identity a testament to divine action. This echoes a pattern throughout Genesis where names carry profound significance. There is also an element of Irony in Leah's statement. While she sees the birth as a reward for her "giving" of Zilpah, the broader context of the wives' rivalry and the use of surrogates highlights the human maneuvering and imperfection through which God's plan unfolds. This subtly underscores God's ability to work through flawed human choices. Furthermore, the passage uses Repetition of the verb "given" (Hebrew: nâthan)—first, Leah stating "God hath given me," and second, "I have given my maiden"—to create a parallel structure that emphasizes the reciprocal nature of her perceived divine interaction. Leah's act of giving is met with God's act of giving, reinforcing her belief in a direct causal link.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Leah's declaration in Genesis 30:18 powerfully articulates the theme of divine providence, where God is seen as actively involved in the seemingly mundane and often fraught circumstances of human lives. Her conviction that God has given her "my hire" for her actions, even those born from desperation within a competitive family dynamic, speaks to a deep-seated belief in God's attentiveness and His capacity to bless and recompense. This passage underscores that God's plan for building His covenant people unfolds not in ideal conditions, but through the complexities, rivalries, and imperfect choices of individuals, demonstrating His sovereign ability to bring about His purposes despite human limitations.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Genesis 30:18 offers profound insights for contemporary reflection, primarily inviting us to cultivate a posture of recognizing God's sovereign hand and active involvement in every facet of our lives, even amidst challenging, unconventional, or seemingly imperfect circumstances. Leah's immediate attribution of Issachar's birth to God's "hire" serves as a powerful reminder to look beyond human efforts and circumstances, and to acknowledge God as the ultimate source of our blessings and the orchestrator of our paths. While her context was one of intense rivalry and cultural practices foreign to us, her statement prompts us to consider how our own acts of service, generosity, or faithfulness, even when imperfectly rendered, might be acknowledged and blessed by God in unexpected ways. This passage encourages us to trust that God faithfully works through human flaws and less-than-ideal situations to fulfill His ultimate plan, demonstrating His ability to bring about His purposes and blessings despite our limitations or the complexities of our lives.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did Leah believe Issachar was her "hire" from God?
Answer: Leah believed Issachar was her "hire" (Hebrew: sâkâr, meaning reward or wages) from God because she had given her maidservant, Zilpah, to Jacob to bear children on her behalf. In the highly competitive and culturally significant context of Jacob's household, where bearing children was paramount for status and legacy, Leah viewed her act of "giving" Zilpah as a form of service or sacrifice. She interpreted the subsequent birth of Issachar as God's direct recompense or divine payment for her actions, acknowledging His active involvement in her fertility and the expansion of Jacob's family, as detailed in Genesis 30:9-13.
What is the meaning of the name Issachar?
Answer: The name Issachar (Hebrew: Yissâˢkâr) is directly linked to Leah's declaration and her perception of his birth. It is derived from the Hebrew word sâkâr, meaning "wages," "hire," or "reward." Therefore, the name can be interpreted as "there is hire" or "he is hired/rewarded." This etymology directly reflects Leah's belief that his birth was a divine recompense for her actions, making the name a perpetual theological statement.
How does this passage show God working through human imperfection?
Answer: This passage vividly illustrates God's sovereign ability to work through imperfect human situations. Jacob's family is characterized by polygamy, intense sibling rivalry, and desperate human strategies (such as using maidservants as surrogates and trading mandrakes). Leah's act of giving Zilpah to Jacob, while culturally acceptable, arose from a context of competition and a desire for more children. Despite these flawed circumstances and human maneuvering, God faithfully continues to build Jacob's family, ultimately establishing the twelve tribes of Israel. This demonstrates that God's redemptive plan is not contingent on human perfection but unfolds through His sovereign will and power, bringing about His purposes even in the midst of human weakness and sin, a theme echoed throughout biblical history, as seen in the lives of figures like David (2 Samuel 11, 2 Samuel 12) and the nation of Israel itself.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The birth of Issachar, as one of Jacob's twelve sons, is a crucial step in the unfolding of God's redemptive plan, which finds its ultimate culmination in Jesus Christ. While the tribe of Issachar does not directly produce the Messiah, his birth signifies God's unwavering faithfulness in building the lineage from which the promised Seed would eventually come. Leah's acknowledgment of God's "hire" or reward, even in her imperfect and competitive circumstances, underscores the consistent theme of divine providence throughout salvation history. God sovereignly orchestrates events, working through human choices and flaws, to prepare the way for the Messiah. The ultimate "hire" or divine recompense for humanity's service and God's faithfulness is not merely earthly progeny, but the coming of Jesus Christ, the true Son of God, who fulfills all the promises made to the patriarchs. He is the ultimate "reward" given by God, offering salvation and eternal life to all who believe, as promised in passages like John 3:16. Through the lineage established by Jacob's sons, including Issachar, God prepared the historical and spiritual context for the King who would rule forever, the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5), who brings the ultimate and eternal reward of reconciliation with God.