Polygamous Life (Genesis 30)

Does Jacob’s life reveal why polygamy does not work? Did Leah suffer because of this selfish lifestyle? Did competition between wives make family harmony difficult? Did God bless Jacob despite his personal failings? Did God know what He was doing when He designed marriage to be between one man and one woman? Let’s look at Genesis 30.

What was Rachel’s solution for her inability to have children?

And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her. And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her. (Genesis 30:1-4 KJV)

Which children did Bilhah bear? In the midst of an imperfect life, did Rachel still look to God?

Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me, and has indeed heard my voice and has given me a son.” Therefore she named him Dan [judge]. And Rachel’s slave Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. So Rachel said, “With mighty wrestling I have wrestled with my sister, and I have indeed prevailed.” And she named him Naphtali [wrestling]. (Genesis 30:5-8 NASB)

Which children did Zilpah bear? Did Leah thank God or good luck?

When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. Then Leah said, “What good fortune!” So she named him Gad [troop]. Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. Then Leah said, “How happy I am! The women will call me happy.” So she named him Asher [happy]. (Genesis 30:9-13 NIV)

A mandrake is a hallucinogenic and partly poisonous plant that generations believed helped barren women become pregnant. We can see why Rachel wanted them. What happened?

Now Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” But she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes also?” And Rachel said, “Therefore he will lie with you tonight for your son’s mandrakes.” (Genesis 30:14-15 NKJV)

Did Leah continue to suffer in her marriage? Did God answer Leah’s prayers? Did she believe that God approved of this surrogate birth? Did He or was He simply showing mercy?

So that evening, as Jacob was coming home from the fields, Leah went out to meet him. “You must come and sleep with me tonight!” she said. “I have paid for you with some mandrakes that my son found.” So that night he slept with Leah. And God answered Leah’s prayers. She became pregnant again and gave birth to a fifth son for Jacob. She named him Issachar [recompense, reward], for she said, “God has rewarded me for giving my servant to my husband as a wife.” Then Leah became pregnant again and gave birth to a sixth son for Jacob. She named him Zebulun [exalted], for she said, “God has given me a good reward. Now my husband will treat me with respect, for I have given him six sons.” Later she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah [judgment]. (Genesis 30:16-21 NLT)

Did Rachel finally get pregnant? What did Jacob request of his father-in-law?

God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her, and opened her womb. She conceived, bore a son, and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” She named him Joseph [YHWH has added], saying, “May Yahweh add another son to me.” When Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own place, and to my country. Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go; for you know my service with which I have served you.” Laban said to him, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, stay here, for I have divined that Yahweh has blessed me for your sake.” He said, “Appoint me your wages, and I will give it.” (Genesis 30:22-28 WEB)

What payment arrangement did Jacob suggest? Was it the speckled animals in the flock?

Jacob said to him, “You know how I’ve worked for you, and how well your livestock have done with me. While in my care, what little you had has multiplied a great deal. The Lord blessed you wherever I took your livestock. Now, when will I be able to work for my own household too?” Laban said, “What will I pay you?” Jacob said, “Don’t pay me anything. If you will do this for me, I will take care of your flock again, and keep a portion. I will go through the entire flock today, taking out all of the speckled and spotted sheep, all of the black male lambs, and all of the spotted and speckled female goats. That will be my price. I will be completely honest with you: when you come to check on our agreement, every female goat with me that isn’t speckled or spotted and every male lamb with me that isn’t black will be considered stolen.” (Genesis 30:29-33 CEB)