Thematic Bible: Sterility
Thematic Bible
Rachel » consequences of » Grief » sterility
Rachel noticed that she was not bearing children for Jacob, so because she envied her sister Leah, she told Jacob, "If you don't give me sons, I'm going to die!" That made Jacob angry with Rachel, so he asked her, "Can I take God's place, who has not allowed you to conceive?" Rachel responded, "Here's my handmaid Bilhah. Go have sex with her. She can bear children on my knees so I can have children through her." read more.
So Rachel gave Jacob her woman servant Bilhah to be his wife, and Jacob had sex with her. Bilhah conceived and bore a son for Jacob. Then Rachel said, "God has vindicated me! He has heard my voice and has given me a son." Therefore, she named him Dan. Rachel's servant conceived again and bore a second son for Jacob, so Rachel said, "I've been through a mighty struggle with my sister and won." She named him Naphtali.
So Rachel gave Jacob her woman servant Bilhah to be his wife, and Jacob had sex with her. Bilhah conceived and bore a son for Jacob. Then Rachel said, "God has vindicated me! He has heard my voice and has given me a son." Therefore, she named him Dan. Rachel's servant conceived again and bore a second son for Jacob, so Rachel said, "I've been through a mighty struggle with my sister and won." She named him Naphtali.
In response, Leah asked her, "Wasn't it enough that you've taken away my husband? Now you also want to take my son's mandrakes!" But Rachel replied, "Okay, let's let Jacob sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes."
Then God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb, so she conceived, bore a son, and remarked, "God has removed my shame." Because she had been asking, "May God give me another son," she named him Joseph. read more.
After Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob told Laban, "Send me off so that I can go back to my place and country. Give me my wives and children for whom I've served you. Then I'll leave, since you're aware of my service to you." Then Laban responded, "If I've found favor in your sight, please stay with me, because I've learned through divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you. Name your wage, and I'll give it to you." But Jacob replied to Laban, "You know how I've served you and how your cattle thrived under my care. What you had previously was only a few head, but the herd has now multiplied, because the LORD has blessed you through my efforts. But now, when am I going to be able to provide for my own household?" "What do I have to give you?" Laban asked. Jacob responded, "You don't have to give me anything. Just do this for me: Let me tend your flock again and watch over it. Let me walk among your flocks today and remove every speckled or spotted sheep, along with every black lamb, and let me do the same with the speckled and spotted goats. These will be my wages. In the future, you'll be able to verify my honesty because, when you come to check what I've earned, if you find a goat that's not speckled or spotted or a sheep that's not black, then it will have been stolen by me." "Okay," Laban replied. "We'll do it the way you've asked."
After Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob told Laban, "Send me off so that I can go back to my place and country. Give me my wives and children for whom I've served you. Then I'll leave, since you're aware of my service to you." Then Laban responded, "If I've found favor in your sight, please stay with me, because I've learned through divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you. Name your wage, and I'll give it to you." But Jacob replied to Laban, "You know how I've served you and how your cattle thrived under my care. What you had previously was only a few head, but the herd has now multiplied, because the LORD has blessed you through my efforts. But now, when am I going to be able to provide for my own household?" "What do I have to give you?" Laban asked. Jacob responded, "You don't have to give me anything. Just do this for me: Let me tend your flock again and watch over it. Let me walk among your flocks today and remove every speckled or spotted sheep, along with every black lamb, and let me do the same with the speckled and spotted goats. These will be my wages. In the future, you'll be able to verify my honesty because, when you come to check what I've earned, if you find a goat that's not speckled or spotted or a sheep that's not black, then it will have been stolen by me." "Okay," Laban replied. "We'll do it the way you've asked."