וַתֵּ֣רֶא רָחֵ֗ל כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָֽלְדָה֙ לְיַעֲקֹ֔ב וַתְּקַנֵּ֥א רָחֵ֖ל בַּאֲחֹתָ֑הּ וַתֹּ֤אמֶר אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹב֙ הָֽבָה־לִּ֣י בָנִ֔ים וְאִם־אַ֖יִן מֵתָ֥ה אָנֹֽכִי׃

In sharp contrast to Leah’s fertility, Rachel saw that she did not bear for Jacob. Consequently, Rachel envied her sister; and she said to Jacob: Give me children, and if I will not bear children I am as one dead.

וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֥ף יַעֲקֹ֖ב בְּרָחֵ֑ל וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הֲתַ֤חַת אֱלֹהִים֙ אָנֹ֔כִי אֲשֶׁר־מָנַ֥ע מִמֵּ֖ךְ פְּרִי־בָֽטֶן׃

Jacob was incensed at Rachel; he said: Am I in place of God who withheld from you fruit of the womb? You should not turn to me, as I have been given children by God. If you are deprived of fertility, it is between you and Him.

וַתֹּ֕אמֶר הִנֵּ֛ה אֲמָתִ֥י בִלְהָ֖ה בֹּ֣א אֵלֶ֑יהָ וְתֵלֵד֙ עַל־בִּרְכַּ֔י וְאִבָּנֶ֥ה גַם־אָנֹכִ֖י מִמֶּֽנָּה׃

She said: Here is my maid Bilha, consort with her and she shall bear upon my knees, and I shall be built through her.

וַתִּתֶּן־ל֛וֹ אֶת־בִּלְהָ֥ה שִׁפְחָתָ֖הּ לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַיָּבֹ֥א אֵלֶ֖יהָ יַעֲקֹֽב׃

Jacob did not object. She gave him Bilha, her maidservant, as a wife, and Jacob consorted with her.

וַתַּ֣הַר בִּלְהָ֔ה וַתֵּ֥לֶד לְיַעֲקֹ֖ב בֵּֽן׃

Bilha conceived and bore Jacob a son.

וַתֹּ֤אמֶר רָחֵל֙ דָּנַ֣נִּי אֱלֹהִ֔ים וְגַם֙ שָׁמַ֣ע בְּקֹלִ֔י וַיִּתֶּן־לִ֖י בֵּ֑ן עַל־כֵּ֛ן קָרְאָ֥ה שְׁמ֖וֹ דָּֽן׃

Rachel treated the child as her own son, and therefore was the one who named him. She said: God judged me [ dananni ] as to whether I am worthy of children, and also heard my voice, and gave me a son; therefore she called his name Dan.

וַתַּ֣הַר ע֔וֹד וַתֵּ֕לֶד בִּלְהָ֖ה שִׁפְחַ֣ת רָחֵ֑ל בֵּ֥ן שֵׁנִ֖י לְיַעֲקֹֽב׃

Bilha, Rachel’s maidservant, conceived again, and bore Jacob a second son.

וַתֹּ֣אמֶר רָחֵ֗ל נַפְתּוּלֵ֨י אֱלֹהִ֧ים ׀ נִפְתַּ֛לְתִּי עִם־אֲחֹתִ֖י גַּם־יָכֹ֑לְתִּי וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ נַפְתָּלִֽי׃

Rachel said: I engaged in a great struggle [ naftulei ] with my sister. I fought with her in a primal, mighty battle over children. And I also prevailed, as another son was born to me. She called his name Naphtali. Although these were not her biological children, Rachel treated them as her own.

וַתֵּ֣רֶא לֵאָ֔ה כִּ֥י עָמְדָ֖ה מִלֶּ֑דֶת וַתִּקַּח֙ אֶת־זִלְפָּ֣ה שִׁפְחָתָ֔הּ וַתִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֛הּ לְיַעֲקֹ֖ב לְאִשָּֽׁה׃

Leah saw that she had ceased bearing after the birth of Judah; she took Zilpa her maidservant and gave her to Jacob as a wife.

וַתֵּ֗לֶד זִלְפָּ֛ה שִׁפְחַ֥ת לֵאָ֖ה לְיַעֲקֹ֥ב בֵּֽן׃

Zilpa, Leah’s maidservant, bore Jacob a son.

וַתֹּ֥אמֶר לֵאָ֖ה בגד [בָּ֣א] [גָ֑ד] וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ גָּֽד׃

Leah said: Fortune [ gad ] has come; she called his name Gad.

וַתֵּ֗לֶד זִלְפָּה֙ שִׁפְחַ֣ת לֵאָ֔ה בֵּ֥ן שֵׁנִ֖י לְיַעֲקֹֽב׃

Zilpa, Leah’s maidservant, bore a second son to Jacob.

וַתֹּ֣אמֶר לֵאָ֔ה בְּאָשְׁרִ֕י כִּ֥י אִשְּׁר֖וּנִי בָּנ֑וֹת וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ אָשֵֽׁר׃

Leah said: In my happiness [ be’oshri ], as women will be happy for me and encourage and strengthen me. She called his name Asher.

וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ רְאוּבֵ֜ן בִּימֵ֣י קְצִיר־חִטִּ֗ים וַיִּמְצָ֤א דֽוּדָאִים֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה וַיָּבֵ֣א אֹתָ֔ם אֶל־לֵאָ֖ה אִמּ֑וֹ וַתֹּ֤אמֶר רָחֵל֙ אֶל־לֵאָ֔ה תְּנִי־נָ֣א לִ֔י מִדּוּדָאֵ֖י בְּנֵֽךְ׃

Here the Torah relates a short story-within-a-story about Jacob’s growing family. Reuben, who was probably around four years old at the time, went during the days of wheat harvest, found mandrakes in the field, and brought them as a gift to Leah, his mother. As her firstborn son, Reuben was very close to his mother, as indicated by the name she gave him. Rachel said to Leah: Please give me from your son’s mandrakes. While some commentaries maintain that mandrakes were a folk remedy for barrenness, it is more likely that Rachel wanted them for the same reason as Reuben, for their beauty and fragrance.

וַתֹּ֣אמֶר לָ֗הּ הַמְעַט֙ קַחְתֵּ֣ךְ אֶת־אִישִׁ֔י וְלָקַ֕חַת גַּ֥ם אֶת־דּוּדָאֵ֖י בְּנִ֑י וַתֹּ֣אמֶר רָחֵ֗ל לָכֵן֙ יִשְׁכַּ֤ב עִמָּךְ֙ הַלַּ֔יְלָה תַּ֖חַת דּוּדָאֵ֥י בְנֵֽךְ׃

She, Leah, said to her: Is the taking of my husband insignificant? Is it not enough for you that you have taken my husband? Rachel had seized Jacob’s affections and attention. And you wish to take also my son’s mandrakes? Rachel said: Therefore, he shall lie with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes. Following the order apparently arranged between the women, that night was Rachel’s turn. Rachel suggested that she would give up Jacob for that night in exchange for the mandrakes, and Leah agreed.

וַיָּבֹ֨א יַעֲקֹ֣ב מִן־הַשָּׂדֶה֮ בָּעֶרֶב֒ וַתֵּצֵ֨א לֵאָ֜ה לִקְרָאת֗וֹ וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֵלַ֣י תָּב֔וֹא כִּ֚י שָׂכֹ֣ר שְׂכַרְתִּ֔יךָ בְּדוּדָאֵ֖י בְּנִ֑י וַיִּשְׁכַּ֥ב עִמָּ֖הּ בַּלַּ֥יְלָה הֽוּא׃

For reasons of custom and modesty, each of the wives had their own tent. Jacob came home from the field in the evening. Leah came out to meet him before he turned to Rachel’s tent, and said: You will consort with me for I have hired you from my sister with my son’s mandrakes. He lay with her that night. Jacob accepted the agreement between his wives.

וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־לֵאָ֑ה וַתַּ֛הַר וַתֵּ֥לֶד לְיַעֲקֹ֖ב בֵּ֥ן חֲמִישִֽׁי׃

God heeded Leah, and she conceived, and after a time without bearing children, she bore Jacob a fifth son.

וַתֹּ֣אמֶר לֵאָ֗ה נָתַ֤ן אֱלֹהִים֙ שְׂכָרִ֔י אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תִּי שִׁפְחָתִ֖י לְאִישִׁ֑י וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ יִשָּׂשכָֽר׃

Leah said: God has given my reward [ sekhari ], that I gave my maidservant to my husband. She called his name Issachar. This name also alludes to Jacob’s hiring [ sekhira ] by Leah, but she explicitly emphasizes her reward from Heaven for giving Zilpa to her husband.

וַתַּ֤הַר עוֹד֙ לֵאָ֔ה וַתֵּ֥לֶד בֵּן־שִׁשִּׁ֖י לְּיַעֲקֹֽב׃

Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son to Jacob.

וַתֹּ֣אמֶר לֵאָ֗ה זְבָדַ֨נִי אֱלֹהִ֥ים ׀ אֹתִי֮ זֵ֣בֶד טוֹב֒ הַפַּ֙עַם֙ יִזְבְּלֵ֣נִי אִישִׁ֔י כִּֽי־יָלַ֥דְתִּי ל֖וֹ שִׁשָּׁ֣ה בָנִ֑ים וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ זְבֻלֽוּן׃

Leah said: God has granted me a fine gift; now my husband will reside with me [ yizbeleni ], and his main residence will be with me, because I bore him six sons. Whether or not she was informed in a vision that Jacob would have twelve sons, as claimed by one tradition, six is still a substantial number. She called his name Zebulun.

וְאַחַ֖ר יָ֣לְדָה בַּ֑ת וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמָ֖הּ דִּינָֽה׃

And then she bore a daughter, and she called her name Dina.

וַיִּזְכֹּ֥ר אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־רָחֵ֑ל וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙ אֱלֹהִ֔ים וַיִּפְתַּ֖ח אֶת־רַחְמָֽהּ׃

After so many births by Jacob’s other wives, and after Rachel had prayed extensively for children, God remembered Rachel, and God heeded her, and He opened her womb.

וַתַּ֖הַר וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן וַתֹּ֕אמֶר אָסַ֥ף אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־חֶרְפָּתִֽי׃

She conceived and bore a son, and said: God has removed [ asaf ] my disgrace.

וַתִּקְרָ֧א אֶת־שְׁמ֛וֹ יוֹסֵ֖ף לֵאמֹ֑ר יֹסֵ֧ף יְהוָ֛ה לִ֖י בֵּ֥ן אַחֵֽר׃

She called his name Joseph, saying: May the Lord add [ yosef ] another son for me after Joseph. She did not choose the name Asaf, which would accord only with her earlier statement. The name Joseph alludes both to the removal of her disgrace and her wish for another son.

וַיְהִ֕י כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יָלְדָ֥ה רָחֵ֖ל אֶת־יוֹסֵ֑ף וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יַעֲקֹב֙ אֶל־לָבָ֔ן שַׁלְּחֵ֙נִי֙ וְאֵ֣לְכָ֔ה אֶל־מְקוֹמִ֖י וּלְאַרְצִֽי׃

It was when Rachel bore Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban: I have stayed and worked with you for years; now release me, and I will go to my place and to my land.

תְּנָ֞ה אֶת־נָשַׁ֣י וְאֶת־יְלָדַ֗י אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָבַ֧דְתִּי אֹֽתְךָ֛ בָּהֵ֖ן וְאֵלֵ֑כָה כִּ֚י אַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֔עְתָּ אֶת־עֲבֹדָתִ֖י אֲשֶׁ֥ר עֲבַדְתִּֽיךָ׃

Give me my wives and my children, those wives for whom I have worked for you, and I will go; for you know my labor that I performed for you. I have fulfilled all my obligations.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ לָבָ֔ן אִם־נָ֛א מָצָ֥אתִי חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ נִחַ֕שְׁתִּי וַיְבָרֲכֵ֥נִי יְהוָ֖ה בִּגְלָלֶֽךָ׃

Laban said to him: If now I have found favor in your eyes, please, I have divined, in an effort to unearth the cause of my financial success, and I have discovered that the Lord has blessed me on your account.

וַיֹּאמַ֑ר נָקְבָ֧ה שְׂכָרְךָ֛ עָלַ֖י וְאֶתֵּֽנָה׃

He, Laban, said to Jacob: You yourself stipulate your wages for me, to which you feel you are entitled, and I will give it. Up to this point you worked in exchange for two wives, but now that I realize that you have brought me good luck, you may state any amount you wish.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו אַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֔עְתָּ אֵ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֣ר עֲבַדְתִּ֑יךָ וְאֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־הָיָ֥ה מִקְנְךָ֖ אִתִּֽי׃

He, Jacob, said to him: You know how I have served you, and how your livestock was with me.

כִּ֡י מְעַט֩ אֲשֶׁר־הָיָ֨ה לְךָ֤ לְפָנַי֙ וַיִּפְרֹ֣ץ לָרֹ֔ב וַיְבָ֧רֶךְ יְהוָ֛ה אֹתְךָ֖ לְרַגְלִ֑י וְעַתָּ֗ה מָתַ֛י אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֥ה גַם־אָנֹכִ֖י לְבֵיתִֽי׃

For the little that you had before me has increased abundantly; and the Lord has blessed you on my account. Jacob confirms Laban’s statement, but stresses that one need not resort to the occult arts to understand why Laban’s affairs have been blessed since his arrival. And now when shall I provide for my household as well? Apart from my wives and children I have nothing of my own, as I have worked all this time for you.

וַיֹּ֖אמֶר מָ֣ה אֶתֶּן־לָ֑ךְ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יַעֲקֹב֙ לֹא־תִתֶּן־לִ֣י מְא֔וּמָה אִם־תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־לִּי֙ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה אָשׁ֛וּבָה אֶרְעֶ֥ה צֹֽאנְךָ֖ אֶשְׁמֹֽר׃

He, Laban, said to Jacob: What shall I give you? What do you want? Jacob said: You do not give me anything. Do not pay me with silver or the equivalent from your current possessions. If you will do this matter for me: I will return and work for you. I will herd your flock and keep it.

אֶֽעֱבֹ֨ר בְּכָל־צֹֽאנְךָ֜ הַיּ֗וֹם הָסֵ֨ר מִשָּׁ֜ם כָּל־שֶׂ֣ה ׀ נָקֹ֣ד וְטָל֗וּא וְכָל־שֶׂה־חוּם֙ בַּכְּשָׂבִ֔ים וְטָל֥וּא וְנָקֹ֖ד בָּעִזִּ֑ים וְהָיָ֖ה שְׂכָרִֽי׃

I will pass with you through all your flock today; remove from there, among the flock, every speckled and spotted lamb with brown patches. The color of most of the sheep in the region was white, but there would sometimes occur a sheep with patches on its skin. And likewise, every brown lamb among the sheep that you find, and the spotted and speckled among the goats. Generally, goats are entirely black, but some have colorful patches. And it, all these unusual animals, if they should be born in the flock from now onward, after you have removed the ones currently there, shall be my wages.

וְעָֽנְתָה־בִּ֤י צִדְקָתִי֙ בְּי֣וֹם מָחָ֔ר כִּֽי־תָב֥וֹא עַל־שְׂכָרִ֖י לְפָנֶ֑יךָ כֹּ֣ל אֲשֶׁר־אֵינֶנּוּ֩ נָקֹ֨ד וְטָל֜וּא בָּֽעִזִּ֗ים וְחוּם֙ בַּכְּשָׂבִ֔ים גָּנ֥וּב ה֖וּא אִתִּֽי׃

Jacob suggested a way in which his wages could be set unambiguously, so that no arguments could arise. My honesty shall speak on my behalf on a future day, when you shall go over my wages before you: Upon paying me my wages you will know for certain that every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep is stolen with me.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לָבָ֖ן הֵ֑ן ל֖וּ יְהִ֥י כִדְבָרֶֽךָ׃

Laban said: Indeed, if only it will be in accordance with your statement. Laban considered this an excellent offer, as there were relatively few animals of the types described by Jacob.

וַיָּ֣סַר בַּיּוֹם֩ הַה֨וּא אֶת־הַתְּיָשִׁ֜ים הָֽעֲקֻדִּ֣ים וְהַטְּלֻאִ֗ים וְאֵ֤ת כָּל־הָֽעִזִּים֙ הַנְּקֻדּ֣וֹת וְהַטְּלֻאֹ֔ת כֹּ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־לָבָן֙ בּ֔וֹ וְכָל־ח֖וּם בַּכְּשָׂבִ֑ים וַיִּתֵּ֖ן בְּיַד־בָּנָֽיו׃

So that no more spotted or speckled sheep and goats would be born by interbreeding, he, Laban, removed that day the streaked, those which had various types of stripes in the area where the ankles are bound, and spotted older goats, and all the speckled and spotted birthing female goats, each goat that had white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the possession of his sons, in a distant location, so that they should not be mixed with Jacob’s flock.

וַיָּ֗שֶׂם דֶּ֚רֶךְ שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֔ים בֵּינ֖וֹ וּבֵ֣ין יַעֲקֹ֑ב וְיַעֲקֹ֗ב רֹעֶ֛ה אֶת־צֹ֥אן לָבָ֖ן הַנּוֹתָרֹֽת׃

He established a path of three days, a large distance for flock, between himself and Jacob. And Jacob herded the remaining flock of Laban elsewhere.

וַיִּֽקַּֽח־ל֣וֹ יַעֲקֹ֗ב מַקַּ֥ל לִבְנֶ֛ה לַ֖ח וְל֣וּז וְעֶרְמ֑וֹן וַיְפַצֵּ֤ל בָּהֵן֙ פְּצָל֣וֹת לְבָנ֔וֹת מַחְשֹׂף֙ הַלָּבָ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הַמַּקְלֽוֹת׃

Jacob took for himself rods from trees, of fresh poplar, and almond, and plane; he peeled white streaks in them by removing some of the bark, thereby exposing the white of the tree that was in the rods.

וַיַּצֵּ֗ג אֶת־הַמַּקְלוֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר פִּצֵּ֔ל בָּרֳהָטִ֖ים בְּשִֽׁקֲת֣וֹת הַמָּ֑יִם אֲשֶׁר֩ תָּבֹ֨אןָ הַצֹּ֤אן לִשְׁתּוֹת֙ לְנֹ֣כַח הַצֹּ֔אן וַיֵּחַ֖מְנָה בְּבֹאָ֥ן לִשְׁתּֽוֹת׃

He displayed the rods that he peeled in the receptacles of the water troughs from which the flocks would come to drink, facing the flocks, opposite the other sheep. This was the place where the flock was gathered together. And they, the flock, would come into heat to mate when they came to drink.

וַיֶּחֱמ֥וּ הַצֹּ֖אן אֶל־הַמַּקְל֑וֹת וַתֵּלַ֣דְןָ הַצֹּ֔אן עֲקֻדִּ֥ים נְקֻדִּ֖ים וּטְלֻאִֽים׃

The flocks came into heat due to the rods, and the flocks gave birth to streaked, speckled, and spotted young.

וְהַכְּשָׂבִים֮ הִפְרִ֣יד יַעֲקֹב֒ וַ֠יִּתֵּן פְּנֵ֨י הַצֹּ֧אן אֶל־עָקֹ֛ד וְכָל־ח֖וּם בְּצֹ֣אן לָבָ֑ן וַיָּֽשֶׁת־ל֤וֹ עֲדָרִים֙ לְבַדּ֔וֹ וְלֹ֥א שָׁתָ֖ם עַל־צֹ֥אן לָבָֽן׃

And Jacob separated the lambs and he placed the faces of the flocks toward the streaked and all the brown in the flocks of Laban, meaning that he positioned these at the head of the flock, and he established for himself droves alone, and did not place them with the flocks of Laban. In accordance with the conditions set between them, these were Jacob’s droves.

וְהָיָ֗ה בְּכָל־יַחֵם֮ הַצֹּ֣אן הַמְקֻשָּׁרוֹת֒ וְשָׂ֨ם יַעֲקֹ֧ב אֶת־הַמַּקְל֛וֹת לְעֵינֵ֥י הַצֹּ֖אן בָּרֳהָטִ֑ים לְיַחְמֵ֖נָּה בַּמַּקְלֽוֹת׃

And it was, whenever the strong flocks, the best animals, would come into heat, in that season, Jacob would place the rods before the eyes of the flocks at the troughs, to have them come into heat with the rods, when they saw them.

וּבְהַעֲטִ֥יף הַצֹּ֖אן לֹ֣א יָשִׂ֑ים וְהָיָ֤ה הָעֲטֻפִים֙ לְלָבָ֔ן וְהַקְּשֻׁרִ֖ים לְיַעֲקֹֽב׃

When the flocks were feeble and weak, when they were not in heat, he would not place them, the rods. Others interpret: When the sheep’s tails were not tied up and were in their natural state. Thus the feeble sheep and goats, which were not in heat at the proper time, were for Laban and the strong, the best animals, which multiplied well, were for Jacob, who did not want to expend effort upon the weaker ones.

וַיִּפְרֹ֥ץ הָאִ֖ישׁ מְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד וַֽיְהִי־לוֹ֙ צֹ֣אן רַבּ֔וֹת וּשְׁפָחוֹת֙ וַעֲבָדִ֔ים וּגְמַלִּ֖ים וַחֲמֹרִֽים׃

The man, Jacob, became exceedingly prosperous, and he had many flocks, and as he did not need them all, he bartered with them for other property, including maidservants and slaves, and camels and donkeys, and he became the head of a tribe.