Gen 30:3-13 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Gen 30:3-4: 30:3-4 Rachel’s decision to have children through her servant, and Jacob’s compliance, recall Sarai’s use of Hagar (16:1-4 ).

a30:3-4►

b16:1-4►

c30:5-6►

d30:7-8►

f30:10-13►

‏ Genesis 30:3-13

Summary for Gen 30:3-4: 30:3-4 ^a Rachel’s decision to have children through her servant, and Jacob’s compliance, recall Sarai’s use of Hagar (16:1-4 ^b).
Summary for Gen 30:5-6: 30:5-6 ^c Dan means “he judged” or “he vindicated.” Rachel felt vindicated (Hebrew dananni) by Dan’s birth.
Summary for Gen 30:7-8: 30:7-8 ^d The name Naphtali is related to the clause I have struggled hard (Hebrew naptule ’elohim niptalti, “I have struggled the struggles of God”).
30:9 ^e When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing children, she countered Rachel’s effort by giving her servant ... to Jacob as a wife even though she already had four sons.
Summary for Gen 30:10-13: 30:10-13 ^f Gad was the name of a god of fortune. Asher was the name of a god of luck. These names reflect Leah’s pagan background, but there is no indication that she believed in these gods.