Thematic Bible: Domestic unhappiness
Thematic Bible
Polygamy » Domestic unhappiness » In jacob's family
Then he also went in to Rachel, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with him yet another seven years. When Yahweh saw that Leah [was] unloved he opened her womb, but Rachel [was] barren. Then Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, "Because Yahweh has noticed my misery, that I [am] unloved. Now my husband will love me." read more.
And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. And she said, "[It is] because Yahweh has heard that I [am] unloved that he gave me this [son] also." And she called his name Simeon. And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. Then she said, "Now this time my husband will be joined to me, for I have borne him three sons." Therefore, she called his name Levi.
And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. And she said, "[It is] because Yahweh has heard that I [am] unloved that he gave me this [son] also." And she called his name Simeon. And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. Then she said, "Now this time my husband will be joined to me, for I have borne him three sons." Therefore, she called his name Levi.
When Rachel saw that she could not bear children to Jacob, Rachel envied her sister. And she said to Jacob, "Give me children--if not, I will die!" And Jacob {became angry} with Rachel. And he said, "[Am] I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?" Then she said, "Here [is] my servant girl Bilhah; go in to her that she may bear children {as my surrogate}. Then I will even {have children} by her." read more.
Then she gave him Bilhah, her female servant, as a wife, and Jacob went in to her And Bilhah conceived and gave birth to a son for Jacob. Then Rachel said, "God has judged me, and has also heard my voice, and has given me a son." Therefore she called his name Dan. And Bilhah, Rachel's servant, conceived again and bore a second son to Jacob. And Rachel said, "I have struggled a mighty struggle with my sister and have prevailed." And she called his name Naphtali. When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took Zilpah her female servant and gave her to Jacob as a wife. And Zilpah, the female slave of Leah, bore a son to Jacob. Then Leah said, "Good fortune!" And she called his name Gad. And Zilpah, Leah's female servant, bore a second son to Jacob. Then Leah said, "How happy [am] I! For women have called me happy." So she called his name Asher. And in the days of the wheat harvest, Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field and he brought them to Leah his mother. And Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes." And she said to her, "[Is] your taking my husband [such] a small [thing] that you will also take the mandrakes of my son?" Then Rachel said, "Then he may sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes." When Jacob came in from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him. And she said, "Come in to me, for {I have hired} you with my son's mandrakes." And he slept with her that night. And God listened to Leah and she conceived and gave birth to a fifth son for Jacob. Then Leah said, "God has given [me] my wage since I gave my servant girl to my husband." And she called his name Issachar. And Leah conceived again and gave birth to a sixth son for Jacob. And Leah said, "God has endowed me with a good gift. This time my husband will acknowledge me, because I bore him six sons." And she called his name Zebulun. And afterward she gave birth to a daughter. And she called her name Dinah. Then God remembered Rachel and listened to her, and God opened her womb. And she conceived and gave birth to a son. And she said, "God has taken away my disgrace."
Then she gave him Bilhah, her female servant, as a wife, and Jacob went in to her And Bilhah conceived and gave birth to a son for Jacob. Then Rachel said, "God has judged me, and has also heard my voice, and has given me a son." Therefore she called his name Dan. And Bilhah, Rachel's servant, conceived again and bore a second son to Jacob. And Rachel said, "I have struggled a mighty struggle with my sister and have prevailed." And she called his name Naphtali. When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took Zilpah her female servant and gave her to Jacob as a wife. And Zilpah, the female slave of Leah, bore a son to Jacob. Then Leah said, "Good fortune!" And she called his name Gad. And Zilpah, Leah's female servant, bore a second son to Jacob. Then Leah said, "How happy [am] I! For women have called me happy." So she called his name Asher. And in the days of the wheat harvest, Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field and he brought them to Leah his mother. And Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes." And she said to her, "[Is] your taking my husband [such] a small [thing] that you will also take the mandrakes of my son?" Then Rachel said, "Then he may sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes." When Jacob came in from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him. And she said, "Come in to me, for {I have hired} you with my son's mandrakes." And he slept with her that night. And God listened to Leah and she conceived and gave birth to a fifth son for Jacob. Then Leah said, "God has given [me] my wage since I gave my servant girl to my husband." And she called his name Issachar. And Leah conceived again and gave birth to a sixth son for Jacob. And Leah said, "God has endowed me with a good gift. This time my husband will acknowledge me, because I bore him six sons." And she called his name Zebulun. And afterward she gave birth to a daughter. And she called her name Dinah. Then God remembered Rachel and listened to her, and God opened her womb. And she conceived and gave birth to a son. And she said, "God has taken away my disgrace."
Polygamy » Domestic unhappiness » In abraham's family
And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne Abraham, mocking. Then she said to Abraham, "Drive out this slave woman and her son, for the son of this slave woman will not be heir with my son, with Isaac." And the matter {displeased Abraham very much} on account of his son. read more.
Then God said to Abraham, "{Do not be displeased} on account of the boy and on account of the slave woman. {Listen to everything that Sarah said to you}, for through Isaac [your] offspring will be named. And I will also make the son of the slave woman into a nation, for he is your offspring." Then Abraham rose up early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave [it] to Hagar, putting [it] on her shoulder. And he sent her away with the child, and she went, wandering about in the wilderness, in Beersheba. And when the water was finished from the skin, she put the child under one of the bushes. And she went and {she sat a good distance away}, for she said, "Let me not see the child's death." So she sat away from him and lifted up her voice and wept.
Then God said to Abraham, "{Do not be displeased} on account of the boy and on account of the slave woman. {Listen to everything that Sarah said to you}, for through Isaac [your] offspring will be named. And I will also make the son of the slave woman into a nation, for he is your offspring." Then Abraham rose up early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave [it] to Hagar, putting [it] on her shoulder. And he sent her away with the child, and she went, wandering about in the wilderness, in Beersheba. And when the water was finished from the skin, she put the child under one of the bushes. And she went and {she sat a good distance away}, for she said, "Let me not see the child's death." So she sat away from him and lifted up her voice and wept.
Polygamy » Domestic unhappiness » In elkanah's family
{On} the day Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he would give {a double portion}, because he loved Hannah, though Yahweh had closed her womb. (Now her rival wife would provoke her severely in order to upset her because Yahweh had closed her womb.) read more.
And so he used to do year after year; {whenever} she went up to the house of Yahweh, she would provoke her so that she would weep and would not eat.
And so he used to do year after year; {whenever} she went up to the house of Yahweh, she would provoke her so that she would weep and would not eat.