Genesis 30:18

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 30:18

And Leah said, God hath given me my hire ,.... Of the mandrakes with which she had hired of Rachel a night's lodging with Jacob, and for which she had a sufficient recompense, by the son that God had given her: and she added another reason, and a very preposterous one, and shows she put a wrong construction on the blessing she received: because I have given my maiden to my husband ; which, she judged, was so well pleasing to God, that he had rewarded her with another son: and she... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 30:18

God hath given me my hire - שכרי sechari . And she called his name Issachar, יששכר , This word is compounded of יש yesh , Is, and שכר sachar , Wages, from שכר sachar , to content, satisfy, saturate; hence a satisfaction or compensation for work done, etc. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 30:14-24

The story of the mandrakes. I. A YOUNG CHILD 'S INNOCENCE . "Reuben found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother." Nature, with its beautiful sights and harmonious sounds, possesses a wonderful fascination for the infant mind. In proportion as man sinks beneath the power of sin does he fall out of sympathy with God's fair world. Strong and tender is the bond of love which unites a child to its mother. The true depositary for a child's treasures is the mother's lap,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 30:18

And Leah said, God —Elohim; a proof of the lower religious consciousness into which Leah had fallen (Hengstenberg), though perhaps on the above hypothesis an evidence of her piety and faith (Keil, Lange)— hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband :— i . e . as a reward for my self-denial (Keil, Murphy); an exclamation in which appears Leah's love for Jacob (Lange), if not also a tacit acknowledgment that she had her fears lest she may have sinned in asking him... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Genesis 30:1-43

- Jacob’s Family and Wealth6. דן dān, Dan, “judge, lord.”8. נפתלי naptālı̂y, Naphtali, “wrestling.”11. גד gād, Gad, “overcoming, victory.” בגד bāgād, “in victory or” =גד בא bā' gād, “victory cometh.” גוּד gûd, “press down.” גדוּד gedûd, “troop.”13. אשׁר 'ǎashēr, Asher, “prosperity, happiness.”18. ישׂשכר yı̂śāskār, Jissakar, “reward.” The second Hebrew letter (ש s) seems to have been merely a full mode of writing the word, instead of the abbreviated form ישׂכר yı̂śākār.20.... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Genesis 30:1-24

Children born in Haran (29:31-30:24)Jacob’s coolness to Leah created unhappiness in his household. Leah’s desire for Jacob’s love is seen in the names she gave her first four sons (31-35). Rachel, feeling ashamed that she had not yet produced a child herself, gave her slave-girl to Jacob so that the slave-girl might produce a son whom Rachel could adopt as her own. The result was two sons (30:1-8; cf. 16:1-4). Leah, believing she was not able to have any more children, did the same, and soon... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Genesis 30:18

hire. Hebrew. sekari (hire). Figure of speech Paronomasia , with Issachar. Issachar. Hebrew there is hire, or, he is wages. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 30:1-42

The last paragraph of the preceding chapter and most of this one relate the birth of the Twelve Patriarchs. The last section of this chapter (Genesis 30:24-43) relates Jacob's preparations to leave Laban and return to Canaan. As the birth of the antediluvian patriarchs was discussed earlier and presented by means of a chart, the Twelve Patriarchs of Israel will now be presented in much the same manner. It is not necessary to read over and over again that Jacob went in unto her ... and she... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 30:14-20

The mandrake, a member of the potato and tomato family, is a plant that bears bluish flowers in winter and yellowish plum-size fruit in summer. The fruit has a strong, pleasant fragrance, and was thought to help barren women conceive. Some Arabs still use it as an aphrodisiac and call it "devil’s apple" (cf. Song of Solomon 7:13). [Note: von Rad, p. 295. See H. Moldenke and A. Moldenke, Plants of the Bible, pp. 137-39; M. Zoary, Plants of the Bible, pp. 188-89.] "The outcome was ironical, the... read more

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