Genesis 30:13-15 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 30:1-13

We have here the bad consequences of that strange marriage which Jacob made with the two sisters. Here is, I. An unhappy disagreement between him and Rachel (Gen. 30:1, 2), occasioned, not so much by her own barrenness as by her sister's fruitfulness. Rebekah, the only wife of Isaac, was long childless, and yet we find no uneasiness between her and Isaac; but here, because Leah bears children, Rachel cannot live peaceably with Jacob. 1. Rachel frets. She envied her sister, Gen. 30:1. Envy is... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 30:14-24

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, Deut. 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 30:13

And Leah said ,.... Upon the birth of the second son by her maid: happy am I ; or, "in my happiness"; or, "for my happiness" F3 באשרי "in felicitate mea", Montanus; "ob beatitatem meam", Drusius; "hoc pro beatitudine men", V. L. "pro beatitudine mihi est", Schmidt. ; that is, this child is an addition to my happiness, and will serve to increase it: for the daughters will call me blessed; the women of the place where she lived would speak of her as a happy person, that had so many... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 30:14

And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest ,.... Leah's eldest son, who is supposed to be at this time about four or five years of age F5 Shalshaley Hakabala, fol. 3. 2. , who went out from the tent to the field, to play there perhaps; and this was at the time of wheat harvest, in the month Sivan, as the Targum of Jonathan, which answers to part of our May; a time of the year when the earth is covered with flowers: and found mandrakes in the field ; the flowers or fruit of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 30:15

And she said unto her ,.... Leah to Rachel, taking this opportunity to bring out a thing which had some time lain with uneasiness upon her mind: is it a small thing that thou hast taken away my husband ? got the greatest share of his affections, and had most of his company; which last was very probably the case, and more so, since Leah had left off bearing; and this she could not well stomach, and therefore upon this trifling occasion outs with it: and wouldest thou take away my... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 30:13

And Leah said, Happy am I - באשרי beoshri , in my happiness, therefore she called his name אשר asher , that is, blessedness or happiness. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 30:14

Reuben - found mandrakes - דודאים dudaim . What these were is utterly unknown, and learned men have wasted much time and pains in endeavoring to guess out a probable meaning. Some translate the word lilies, others jessamine, others citrons, others mushrooms, others figs, and some think the word means flowers, or fine flowers in general. Hasselquist, the intimate friend and pupil of Linne, who traveled into the Holy Land to make discoveries in natural history, imagines that the plant... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 30:15

Thou hast taken my husband - It appears probable that Rachel had found means to engross the whole of Jacob's affection and company, and that she now agreed to let him visit the tent of Leah, on account of receiving some of the fruits or plants which Reuben had found. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 30:14

Verse 14 14.And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest. This narration of the fact that a boy brought home I know not what kind of fruit out of the fields, and presented it to his mother, by which she purchased of her sister one nigh with her husband, has the appearance of being light and puerile. Yet it contains a useful instruction. For we know how foolishly the Jews glory in extolling the origin of their own nation: for they scarcely deign to acknowledge that they leave sprung from Adam... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 30:15

Verse 15 15.Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? Moses leaves more for his readers to reflect upon than he expresses in words; namely, that Jacob’s house had been filled with contentions and strifes. For Leah speaks haughtily, because her mind had been long so exasperated that she could not address herself mildly and courteously to her sister: Perhaps the sisters were not thus contentious by nature; but God suffered them to contend with each other, that the punishment of... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 30:1-13

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 30:14-24

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 30:13

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 30:14

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 30:15

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 30:13

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 30:14

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 30:15

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 30:14

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 30:15

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