God’s Word Translation
Genesis 30:16
16As Jacob was coming in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. “You are to sleep with me,” she said. “You are my reward for my son’s mandrakes.” So he went to bed with her that night.
Genesis 30:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son’s mandrakes. And he lay with her that night.
- New International Version (NIV)So when Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. “You must sleep with me,” she said. “I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he slept with her that night.
- English Standard Version (ESV)When Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, "You must come in to me, for I have hired you with my son's mandrakes." So he lay with her that night.
- New King James Version (NKJV)When Jacob came out of the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have surely hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” And he lay with her that night.
Context of Genesis 30:16
14During the wheat harvest Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrakes. He brought them to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” 15Leah replied, “Isn’t it enough that you took my husband? Are you also going to take my son’s mandrakes?” Rachel said, “Very well, Jacob can go to bed with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.” As Jacob was coming in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. “You are to sleep with me,” she said. “You are my reward for my son’s mandrakes.” So he went to bed with her that night. 17God answered Leah’s prayer. She became pregnant and gave birth to her fifth son for Jacob. 18Leah said, “God has given me my reward because I gave my slave to my husband.” So she named him Issachar [Reward].
Read all of Genesis 30Genesis 30:16 word by word
וַיָּבֹ֨א יַעֲקֹ֣ב מִן־הַשָּׂדֶה֮ בָּעֶרֶב֒ וַתֵּצֵ֨א לֵאָ֜ה לִקְרָאת֗וֹ וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֵלַ֣י תָּב֔וֹא כִּ֚י שָׂכֹ֣ר שְׂכַרְתִּ֔יךָ בְּדוּדָאֵ֖י בְּנִ֑י וַיִּשְׁכַּ֥ב עִמָּ֖הּ בַּלַּ֥יְלָה הֽוּא׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
- cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- out of the fieldשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: countryH7704
- in the eveningעֶ֫רֶב‛ereb · eveningH6153
- and Leahלֵאָהlê'âh · LeahH3812
- went outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- to meetקִרְאָהqir'âh · befallH7125
- him, and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto me; for surelyשָׂכַרώâkar sâkar · to hireH7936
- thee with my son’sבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- mandrakesדּוּדַיdûday · mandrakeH1736
- And he layשָׁכַבshâkab · to lie down: have sexH7901
- with her that nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
Commentaries on Genesis 30:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16I have hired thee - We may remark among the Jewish women an intense desire of having children; and it seems to have been produced, not from any peculiar affection for children, but through the hope of having a share in the blessing of Abraham, by bringing forth Him in whom all the nations of the earth were to be blessed.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 30:16
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries