1Rachel was staying without children. She was jealous of her older sister. She said to her husband, “Don't withhold children from me. Let us two get a child. If not I will die.”

2Jacob after that became angry with his wife. “Don't look at me. Truly I am not like God. God is the one who has prevented you from having a child.”

3Rachel said to Jacob, “That woman now, my worker, Bilhah. You two sleep together. She will get a child for me. That child will be mine.” Like that Rachel spoke to him.

4After that Jacob slept with that working woman.

5Bilhah became pregnant, she got a male child.

6Rachel said, “I asked God if he would give a child for me. He listened to me, he gave me a male child.” So she named that child Dan.

7Again that working woman became pregnant, then she got another child, a male.

8Rachel said, “My sister and I have been struggling with each other because of children, I truly got this child, my sister did not prevent me.” So she named that child Naphtali.

9Leah was thinking, “For a long time I did not give birth to a child. I will give my working woman to my husband. She will get a child for me.”

10Therefore Zilpah gave birth to a male child for Jacob.

11Leah said, “Very good.” So she named that child Gad.

12After that Zilpah got another child, a male.

13Leah said, “I am happy. Women will call me 'Happy One'.” So she named that child Asher.

14It became summer for them. People were getting that food, what's-its-name, wheat. At that time Reuben, Leah's eldest one, went from the camp a long way. He saw that medicine from the desert, what's-its-name, mandrakes. He got some, he took them to his mother. Rachel asked her older sister, “Give me some of those mandrakes belonging to your child.”

15Then Leah became angry with her. “You took my husband, now you are begging for what my child got, that medicine to make (a woman) pregnant.” Rachel replied, “Give me some of the mandrakes. In exchange you will sleep with our husband tonight.”

16In the evening Jacob returned to the camp from far away after work. Leah met him. The she said to him, “Tonight we two will sleep together. I gave my sister some mandrakes my child got. Therefore she told me we will sleep together.” That night truly those two slept together.

17God listened to Leah, after that she became pregnant. After that she got another child, a male.

18Leah said, “I gave my working woman to sleep with my husband. After doing like that God gave me another male child.” So she named that child Issachar.

19After that Leah got another child, a male.

20She said, “God has done good to me. I have had 6 sons for my husband. Because I have done that he will say I am a real woman.” So she named that child Zebulun.

21Later on she got another child, a female. She named that one Dinah.

22For years and years Rachel had been begging God to give her children. At last he listened to her.

23Truly she became pregnant, she got a child, a male. She said, “For years and years I was ashamed from being without children. Truly God gave me a child. They will not make me ashamed any more.”

24She said, “Perhaps God will give me another son.” So she named that child Joseph.

JACOB WAS WORKING FOR HIS UNCLE SO THAT HE WILL GIVE HIM ANIMALS (30:25-43)

25As soon as Joseph was born Jacob said to his uncle, “I will return to my own country.

26Truly I worked for you for my wives (dual) and children. You know that. Now I will take them. Do not make me stay. I will go.”

27Laban said to him, “Listen to me. I want you to stay here. As soon as you came from over there earlier God did good to me, he gave me many tame animals. I know about that by magic from above. Resulting from that I want you just to stay with me.

28Name for yourself whatever you want, I will give you whatever, after that you will stay with me.”

29Jacob said to him, “I have worked comepletely for you. I took good care of your animals. You know that.

30You had a small number of animals. As soon as I came here they became many. I worked for you. Therefore God gave you lots of belongings. From now on I must take good care of my children.”

31Laban asked him, “What shall I give you? Tell me.” Jacob replied, “Do not give me money. Wait, I will tell you. Today I will look at your animals, I will separate them. I will take the black sheep and the spotted and striped goats. Those particular ones. They will be mine, all the others will be yours. If you say yes, I will stay with you, I will take care of your animals for you.

33Later you will see I do the right thing to you, I am not a deceiver for you. You will see those animals. Some will be black sheep, some will be spotted and striped goats. If you see other kinds you will know I stole them from you.”

34Laban replied, “Yes, good. You will do like that.”

35Laban deceived Jacob. That very day he took all the spotted and striped goats and all the black sheep, he told his sons, “Take all these goats and sheep over there far away, take care of them over there.” As a result of that word they took them 3 days' journey. Then Jacob was taking care of all the rest of Laban's animals.

37He broke different kinds of green trees/sticks. He trimmed those various small sticks finely to peel (them) down to the white parts.

38He put those whittled sticks near the water. As soon as those animals came to the water they saw those sticks. When they came close to the water they used to mate.

39When they mated they looked at those sticks. Then the sheep gave birth to black young, the goats gave birth to spotted and striped young.

40After that he separated those young ones. He kept them for himself, he did not put them with Laban's animals. He put the oldish [= mature, matable] animals facing towards Laban's animals. [Laban's animals: The plain ones in Jacob's care, not the non-plain ones that Laban's sons had taken far away. 'Facing' here is taken to be a euphemism for 'mating them with'.]

41Whenever the strong animals were mating Jacob put the sticks in front of them.

42Whenever the weakish animals were mating Jacob did not put those sticks there. The young ones from the weak animals became Laban's. The young ones from the strong animals became Jacob's.

43Because of doing that Jacob got for himself many sheep and goats. He was owning many camels and donkeys, and working men and women.