Thematic Bible: Domestic unhappiness


Thematic Bible



And he went in also to Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he made her fruitful: but Rachel was barren. And Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me. read more.
And she conceived again, and bore a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon. And she conceived again, and bore a son; and said, Now this time will my husband adhere to me, because I have borne him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.

And when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said to Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel; and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? And she said, Behold, my maid Bilhah, go in to her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her. read more.
And she gave him Bilhah, her handmaid, for a wife: and Jacob went in to her. And Bilhah conceived, and bore Jacob a son. And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore she called his name Dan. And Bilhah, Rachel's maid, conceived again, and bore Jacob a second son. And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali. When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah, her maid, and gave her Jacob for a wife. And Zilpah, Leah's maid, bore Jacob a son. And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad. And Zilpah, Leah's maid, bore Jacob a second son. And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher. And Reuben went, in the days of wheat-harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's mandrakes. And she said to 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. And Jacob came from the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in to me; for surely I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night. And God hearkened to Leah, and she conceived, and bore Jacob the fifth son. And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar. And Leah conceived again, and bore Jacob the sixth son. And Leah said, God hath endowed me with a good dower; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun. And afterwards she bore a daughter, and called her name Dinah. And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and rendered her fruitful. And she conceived, and bore a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach:


And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had borne to Abraham, mocking. Wherefore, she said to Abraham, Cast out this bond-woman, and her son: for the son of this bond-woman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight, because of his son. read more.
And God said to Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight, because of the lad, and because of thy bond-woman; in all that Sarah hath said to thee, hearken to her voice: for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. And also of the son of the bond-woman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed. And Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it to Hagar (putting it on her shoulder) and the child, and sent her away; and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba. And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. And she went, and sat her down over against him, a good way off, as it were a bow-shot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and raised her voice, and wept.


And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions: But to Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah; but the LORD had rendered her barren. And her adversary also provoked her greatly, to make her fret, because the LORD had made her barren. read more.
And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.