14 One day during the wheat harvest Reuben found some mandrakes in the field and brought them home to his mother Leah. Rachel asked Leah, "Could I please have some of your son's mandrakes?" 15 Leah said, "Wasn't it enough that you got my husband away from me? And now you also want my son's mandrakes?" Rachel said, "All right. I'll let him sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son's love-apples." 16 When Jacob came home that evening from the fields, Leah was there to meet him: "Sleep with me tonight; I've bartered my son's mandrakes for a night with you." So he slept with her that night. 17 God listened to Leah; she became pregnant and gave Jacob a fifth son. 18 She said, "God rewarded me for giving my maid to my husband." She named him Issachar (Bartered). 19 Leah became pregnant yet again and gave Jacob a sixth son, 20 saying, "God has given me a great gift. This time my husband will honor me with gifts - I've given him six sons!" She named him Zebulun (Honor). 21 Last of all she had a daughter and named her Dinah. 22 And then God remembered Rachel. God listened to her and opened her womb. 23 She became pregnant and had a son. She said, "God has taken away my humiliation." 24 She named him Joseph (Add), praying, "May God add yet another son to me."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 30:14-24
Commentary on Genesis 30:14-24
(Read Genesis 30:14-24)
The desire, good in itself, but often too great and irregular, of being the mother of the promised Seed, with the honour of having many children, and the reproach of being barren, were causes of this unbecoming contest between the sisters. The truth appears to be, that they were influenced by the promises of God to Abraham; whose posterity were promised the richest blessings, and from whom the Messiah was to descend.