Thematic Bible: Sterility


Thematic Bible



When Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, she envied her sister and said unto Jacob, "Give me children, or else I am but dead." Then was Jacob wroth with Rachel saying, "Am I in God's stead which keepeth from thee the fruit of thy womb?" Then she said, "Here is my maid, Bilhah: go in unto her, that she may bear upon my lap, that I may be increased by her." read more.
And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife. And Jacob went in unto her: And Bilhah conceived and bare Jacob a son. Then said Rachel, "God hath given sentence on my side, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son." Therefore called she him Dan. And Bilhah, Rachel's maid, conceived again; and bare Jacob another son. And Rachel said, "God is turned, and I have made a change with my sister, and have gotten the upper hand." And she called his name Naphtali.

And Lea answered, "Is it not enough, that thou hast taken away my husband, but wouldest take away my son's mandragoras also?" Then said Rachel, "Well, let him sleep with thee this night, for thy son's mandragoras."

And God remembered Rachel, heard her, and made her fruitful: so that she conceived and bare a son, and said, "God hath taken away my rebuke." And she called his name Joseph, saying, "The LORD give me yet another son." read more.
As soon as Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, "Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place and country; give me my wives and my children for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest what service I have done thee." Then said Laban unto him, "If I have found favour in thy sight - for I suppose that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake - appoint what thy reward shall be, and I will give it thee." But he said unto him, "Thou knowest what service I have done thee, and in what taking thy cattle have been under me: For it was but little that thou hadst before I came, and now it is increased into a multitude, and the LORD hath blessed thee for my sake. But now when shall I make provision for mine own house also?" And he said, "What shall I give thee?" And Jacob answered, "Thou shalt give me nothing at all, if thou wilt do this one thing for me: And then will I turn again and feed thy sheep and keep them. I will go about all thy sheep this day, and separate from them all the sheep that are spotted and of divers colors, and all black sheep among the lambs, and the party and spotted among the kids: And then such shall be my reward. So shall my righteousness answer for me: when the time cometh that I shall receive my reward of thee: So that whatsoever is not speckled and party among the goats and black among the lambs, let that be theft with me." Then said Laban, "Lo, I am content that it be according as thou hast said."