gen 30

Question	Answer	Note---10-02-2016
		30:1 It seems that Leah is more righteous than Rachel. Leah praises the Lord for her sons. Yet Rachel complains to Jacob about her in-ability to provide children.
		This is similar to the story of Hanna and Peninah. Hannah takes her complaint to the Lord, since she did not bear any children.
		30:3 Again the handmaids come into the family. And the work of men is substituted for the work of God.  In spite of the example and consequences left behind by Abraham who also employed this practice, still Jacob yields to the request of his wife Rachel and goes in unto the hand-maid..
		May be this practice was employed because of Abraham’s example. Rather than consider the damaging effects of the deed. The practice was continued because of lack of faith in God.
	Dan = "a judge"	30:6
	Naphtali = "wrestling"	Oh too soon has the praises of God left the lips of Rachel. It is no longer about what God will or will not do, but how can I outdo my sister.
		30:8 In the same way that Abraham was humbled, by waiting many to  have a son by Sarah, Rachel was supposed to have been humbled by watching her sister have children. However, the same sun that melts butter hardens clay. What was meant to soften Rachel, only made her harder and bitter.
		30:9 So Leah is pulled intot he competition. Here the influence of the unrighteous seemingly overtakes the righteous and unrighteous actions follow.
	Gad = "troop"	30:10-11 It seems that Jacob is supposed to have developed some amount of dexterity in all of this. It seems that he is a man that loves peace, and consequently comes over as a push over. He was supposed to rule his house hold as the man, however it seems that he household was ruling him.
	Asher = "happy"
What are mandrakes?	A mandrake is the root of a plant, historically derived either from plants of the genus Mandragora found in the Mediterranean region, or from other species, such as Bryonia alba, the English mandrake, which have similar properties. The plants from which the root is obtained are also called "mandrakes"
		30:15 From the story began, Jacob was fond of Rachel. Scarcely is Leah mentioned until she is deceitfully married to Jacob. However, in this verse, she claims right to Jacob over her sister, in spite of the fact that it was known that Jacob’s affection was towards Rachel.
		It would seem that Jacob had stopped visiting Leah’s tent all together. For her to make the outcry that Rachel has taken away her husband.
		30:15 Rachel seems to give permission for Jacob to go lie with Leah in exchange for some of the mandrakes. In spite the fact that Rachel does not have children for Jacob; Jacob’s love for her is not questioned. She knows that Jacob favors her and as such, one night with Leah does not in the least threaten her.
		30:16 Notice the communication that Leah has with Jacob. She states that he must lie with her that night because she has hired him with her son’s mandrakes.
	Issachar = "there is recompense"	30:18 It seems that Leah is saying God has opened her womb because of the fact that she had given her maidservant to Jacob. It seems that she understands that this was not something approved by God.
	Zebulun = "exalted"	30:20 Leah’s hopes of having Jacob love her and live with her never seems to be quenched in spite of the over whelming evidence that he is not growing attached to her.
	Dinah = "judgment"	30:21
	Joseph = "Jehovah has added"	30:24
Did Jacob manipulate the offspring of the flocks?	According to several sources he did. One of which is (http://www.mesora.org/ JacobandtheSpeckledFlocks.htm) This was not a dishonest act however as it was upon instruction by an angel that Jacob acted in the way that eh acted.	Note that Jacob received instructions in a dream 31:11. Also note that according to how it is recorded, Jacob might have been the one to encourage the breeding, but not necessarily the outcome of the cattle/sheep etc.