Genesis 30:15

Genesis 30:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son’s mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son’s mandrakes.
• New International Version (NIV)But she said to her, “Wasn’t it enough that you took away my husband? Will you take my son’s mandrakes too?” “Very well,” Rachel said, “he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)But she said to her, "Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son's mandrakes also?" Rachel said, "Then he may lie with you tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes."
• New King James Version (NKJV)But she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes also?” And Rachel said, “Therefore he will lie with you tonight for your son’s mandrakes.”

Context of Genesis 30:15

13Leah said, ‘I am very happy! Women will call me happy.’ So she called this boy Asher. 14It was the time for the harvest of wheat. Reuben went out and he found some mandrake plants in a field. He took them to his mother, Leah. Rachel said to Leah, ‘Please give me some of the mandrakes that your son gave to you.’ But Leah said to Rachel, ‘You took my husband from me. That was bad enough! Now you want to take my son's mandrakes too!’ Rachel said, ‘OK. If you give me some of your son's mandrakes, Jacob can sleep with you tonight.’ 16In the evening, Jacob came in from the fields. Leah went out to meet him. She said, ‘You must sleep with me tonight. I have paid for you with my son's mandrakes.’ So Jacob slept with Leah that night. 17God listened to Leah and she became pregnant again. She gave birth to a fifth son for Jacob.

Genesis 30:15 word by word

וַתֹּ֣אמֶר לָ֗הּ הַמְעַט֙ קַחְתֵּ֣ךְ אֶת־אִישִׁ֔י וְלָקַ֕חַת גַּ֥ם אֶת־דּוּדָאֵ֖י בְּנִ֑י וַתֹּ֣אמֶר רָחֵ֗ל לָכֵן֙ יִשְׁכַּ֤ב עִמָּךְ֙ הַלַּ֔יְלָה תַּ֖חַת דּוּדָאֵ֥י בְנֵֽךְ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And she saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• a small matterמְעַטme‛aţ me‛âţ · littleH4592
• that thou hast takenלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• my husbandאִישׁ'îysh · man: husbandH376
• my son’sבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• mandrakesדּוּדַיdûday · mandrakeH1736
• also? And Rachelרָחֵלrâchêl · RachelH7354
• Therefore he shall lieשָׁכַבshâkab · to lie down: have sexH7901
• with thee to nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
• forתַּחַתtachath · underneath: insteadH8478

Cross-references for Genesis 30:15

• Numbers 16:9The God of Israel has caused you Levites to be separate from all the other Israelites. He has brought you near to himself, to work in the Lord's Tent. He has chosen you to stand in front of all the people to serve them. But it seems that this is not enough for you.
• Isaiah 7:13So Isaiah replied, ‘Now listen, you royal family of David! You cause trouble for people like me. That is bad enough. But now you are trying to cause trouble for God himself.
• Ezekiel 16:47You lived like them and you did all the same disgusting things that they did. But you quickly became even worse than them.
• 1 Corinthians 4:3So what you think about me does not matter to me. What you decide, or what any human authority decides, is not important. I do not even try to decide about myself.

Commentaries on Genesis 30:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Thou 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 the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-43Verses 1-43 - Jacob‘s Family and Wealth 6. 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…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-24Verses 14-24 The desire, good in itself, but often too great and irregular, of being the mother of the promised Seed, with the honour of having many children, and the reproach of being barren, were causes of this unbecoming contest between the sisters. The truth appears to be, that they were influenced by the promises of God to Abraham; whose posterity were promised the richest blessings, and from whom the Messiah was to descend.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-17People believed mandrakes could increase sexual desire and help women become pregnant (see Song 7:13). Rachel hoped they would help her become pregnant, so she made a deal with Leah. Rachel would let Leah spend one night with Jacob in exchange for mandrakes. Yet, Leah became pregnant, not Rachel.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-241. Rachel envied her sister--The maternal relation confers a high degree of honor in the East, and the want of that status is felt as a stigma and deplored as a grievous calamity. Give me children, or else I die--either be reckoned as good as dead, or pine away from vexation. The intense anxiety of Hebrew women for children arose from the hope of giving birth to the promised seed. Rachel's conduct was sinful and contrasts unfavorably with that of Rebekah…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 30:15

• Emulation
• Envy
• Family
• Jacob
• Mandrake
• Polygamy
• Rachel
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Rachel
• Add
• Agate
• Barren
• Coming
• Concubine
• Happy
• Mandrakes
• Reproach
• Archaeology; Archaeology and Criticism

Commentaries on Genesis 30

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings