New International VersionThen Leah said, “God has rewarded me for giving my servant to my husband.” So she named him Issachar.
New Living TranslationShe named him Issachar, for she said, “God has rewarded me for giving my servant to my husband as a wife.”
English Standard VersionLeah said, “God has given me my wages because I gave my servant to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar.
Berean Standard BibleThen Leah said, “God has rewarded me for giving my maidservant to my husband.” So she named him Issachar.
King James BibleAnd Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar.
New King James VersionLeah said, “God has given me my wages, because I have given my maid to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar.
New American Standard BibleThen Leah said, “God has given me my reward, because I gave my slave to my husband.” So she named him Issachar.
NASB 1995Then Leah said, “God has given me my wages because I gave my maid to my husband.” So she named him Issachar.
NASB 1977 Then Leah said, “God has given me my wages, because I gave my maid to my husband.” So she named him Issachar.
Legacy Standard Bible And Leah said, “God has given me my wages because I gave my servant-woman to my husband.” So she named him Issachar.
Amplified BibleThen Leah said, “God has given me my reward because I have given my maid to my husband.” So she named him Issachar.
Christian Standard BibleLeah said, “God has rewarded me for giving my slave to my husband,” and she named him Issachar.
Holman Christian Standard BibleLeah said, “God has rewarded me for giving my slave to my husband,” and she named him Issachar.
American Standard VersionAnd Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I gave my handmaid to my husband: and she called his name Issachar.
Contemporary English VersionLeah shouted, "God has rewarded me for letting Jacob marry my servant," and she named the boy Issachar.
English Revised VersionAnd Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I gave my handmaid to my husband: and she called his name Issachar.
GOD'S WORD® TranslationLeah said, "God has given me my reward because I gave my slave to my husband." So she named him Issachar [Reward].
Good News TranslationLeah said, "God has given me my reward, because I gave my slave to my husband"; so she named her son Issachar.
International Standard VersionThen Leah said, "God has paid me for giving my servant to my husband as his wife." So she named him Issachar.
NET BibleThen Leah said, "God has granted me a reward because I gave my servant to my husband as a wife." So she named him Issachar.
New Heart English BibleLeah said, "God has given me my wages, because I gave my servant to my husband." So she named him Issachar.
Webster's Bible TranslationAnd Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleThen Leah said, “God has rewarded me for giving my maidservant to my husband.” So she named him Issachar.
World English BibleLeah said, “God has given me my hire, because I gave my servant to my husband.” She named him Issachar. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionand Leah says, “God has given my hire, because I have given my maidservant to my husband”; and she calls his name Issachar.
Young's Literal Translation and Leah saith, 'God hath given my hire, because I have given my maid-servant to my husband;' and she calleth his name Issachar.
Smith's Literal TranslationAnd Leah will say, God gave me My hire because I gave my maid to my husband: and she will call his name Issachar. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd said: God hath given me a reward, because I gave my handmaid to my husband. And she called his name Issachar.
Catholic Public Domain VersionAnd she said, “God has given a reward to me, because I gave my handmaid to my husband.” And she called his name Issachar.
New American BibleLeah then said, “God has given me my wages for giving my maidservant to my husband”; so she named him Issachar.
New Revised Standard VersionLeah said, “God has given me my hire because I gave my maid to my husband”; so she named him Issachar. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd Leah said, God has rewarded me, because I have given my maid to my husband; so she called his name Issachar.
Peshitta Holy Bible TranslatedAnd Leah said, “God gave my reward for I have given my Maid to my husband”, and she called his name, Issakar. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And Leah said: 'God hath given me my hire, because I gave my handmaid to my husband. And she called his name Issachar.
Brenton Septuagint TranslationAnd Lea said, God has given me my reward, because I gave my maid to my husband; and she called his name Issachar, which is, Reward.
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah17And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore a fifth son to Jacob. 18Then Leah said, “God has rewarded me for giving my maidservant to my husband.” So she named him Issachar. 19Again Leah conceived and bore a sixth son to Jacob.…
Cross References Genesis 29:32And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.”
Genesis 49:13Zebulun shall dwell by the seashore and become a harbor for ships; his border shall extend to Sidon.
Deuteronomy 33:18Concerning Zebulun he said: “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your journeys, and Issachar, in your tents.
Judges 5:18Zebulun was a people who risked their lives; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the battlefield.
1 Chronicles 12:32From Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do: 200 chiefs with all their kinsmen at their command.
Psalm 127:3Children are indeed a heritage from the LORD, and the fruit of the womb is His reward.
Ruth 4:13-17So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And when he had relations with her, the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. / Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a kinsman-redeemer. May his name become famous in Israel. / He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.” ...
1 Samuel 1:20So in the course of time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD.”
1 Samuel 2:21So the LORD attended to Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD.
Isaiah 8:18Here am I, and the children the LORD has given me as signs and symbols in Israel from the LORD of Hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.
Matthew 1:2Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.
Luke 1:57-58When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son. / Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they rejoiced with her.
Luke 1:13-14But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. / He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth,
John 16:21A woman has pain in childbirth because her time has come; but when she brings forth her child, she forgets her anguish because of her joy that a child has been born into the world.
Romans 9:7-8Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.” / So it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring.
Genesis 35:23
The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun: Genesis 46:13
And the sons of Issachar; Tola, and Phuvah, and Job, and Shimron. Genesis 49:14,15
Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens: … Issachar. Jump to Previous Handmaid Hire Husband Issachar Is'sachar Leah Maid Maiden Maidservant Maid-Servant Payment Rewarded Servant-Girl WagesJump to Next Handmaid Hire Husband Issachar Is'sachar Leah Maid Maiden Maidservant Maid-Servant Payment Rewarded Servant-Girl WagesGenesis 30 1. Rachel, in grief for her barrenness, gives Bilhah her maid unto Jacob.5. Bilhah bears Dan and Naphtali.9. Leah gives Zilpah her maid, who bears Gad and Asher.14. Reuben finds mandrakes, 15. with which Leah buys her husband's company of Rachel.17. Leah bears Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah.22. Rachel bears Joseph.25. Jacob desires to depart.27. Laban detains him on a new agreement.37. Jacob's policy, whereby he becomes rich.Then Leah said,Leah, the first wife of Jacob, is speaking here. Her role in the narrative is significant as she is the mother of six of the twelve tribes of Israel. Leah's statement reflects her ongoing struggle for her husband Jacob's affection, which is a recurring theme in her story. Her words often reveal her deep desire for love and recognition within her family dynamics. “God has rewarded me
Leah attributes the birth of her son to divine intervention, acknowledging God's role in her life. This reflects the belief in God's sovereignty and involvement in human affairs, a common theme throughout the Bible. Leah's understanding of reward here is tied to her actions and the cultural context of her time, where children were seen as a blessing and a sign of favor from God. for giving my maidservant to my husband.”
This refers to the practice of surrogate motherhood, which was culturally accepted in the ancient Near East. Leah gave her maidservant Zilpah to Jacob as a wife to bear children on her behalf, similar to the earlier account of Sarah and Hagar. This practice highlights the importance of lineage and inheritance in biblical times, as well as the lengths to which individuals would go to secure their family's future. So she named him Issachar.
The name Issachar is significant and is often interpreted to mean "reward" or "there is recompense." Naming in the Bible often reflects circumstances of birth or prophetic insights into the child's future. Issachar would become one of the tribes of Israel, known for its agricultural prosperity and later, its role in supporting King David. The naming of Issachar ties back to Leah's perception of divine reward and her ongoing narrative of seeking validation and blessing through her children. Persons / Places / Events 1. LeahThe first wife of Jacob, Leah is the sister of Rachel. She feels unloved compared to Rachel and seeks to earn Jacob's affection through bearing children. 2. IssacharThe fifth son of Leah and the ninth son of Jacob. His name is derived from the Hebrew word "sakar," meaning "wages" or "reward," reflecting Leah's belief that God rewarded her for giving her maidservant to Jacob. 3. JacobThe patriarch who becomes the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. His relationships with Leah and Rachel are central to the account of Genesis. 4. GodThe divine being who Leah credits with giving her a son as a reward for her actions. 5. MaidservantRefers to Zilpah, Leah's maidservant, whom Leah gave to Jacob as a wife to bear children on her behalf. Teaching Points God's Sovereignty in Family DynamicsLeah's account reminds us that God is at work even in complex and difficult family situations. He can bring about His purposes through human actions, even when they are flawed. The Desire for ApprovalLeah's naming of Issachar reflects her deep desire for approval and love. This can prompt us to consider where we seek validation and how we can find our worth in God's love rather than human approval. The Role of Faith in NamingIn biblical times, names often reflected faith and circumstances. Leah's choice to name her son Issachar shows her belief in God's provision and justice. Understanding God's RewardsLeah interprets Issachar's birth as a reward from God. This can lead us to reflect on how we perceive God's blessings and rewards in our own lives. The Complexity of Human RelationshipsThe account of Leah, Rachel, and Jacob illustrates the complexity of human relationships and the need for grace and understanding in our interactions with others. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Genesis 30:18?
2. How does Leah's statement in Genesis 30:18 reflect her faith in God?
3. What does Genesis 30:18 reveal about God's response to Leah's situation?
4. How can we apply Leah's gratitude in Genesis 30:18 to our lives?
5. Compare Genesis 30:18 with James 1:17 on recognizing God's blessings.
6. How does Leah's experience in Genesis 30:18 encourage perseverance in prayer?
7. How does Genesis 30:18 reflect God's involvement in human affairs and family dynamics?
8. What does Genesis 30:18 reveal about the cultural significance of childbirth in biblical times?
9. How does Leah's statement in Genesis 30:18 challenge modern views on divine reward and justice?
10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Genesis 30?
11. What role did Issachar play among Jacob's sons?
12. What role did Issachar play among Jacob's sons?
13. Who are the Sons of Jacob?
14. Who are the Sons of Jacob?What Does Genesis 30:18 Mean Leah said• After years of feeling unloved (cf. Genesis 29:31), Leah speaks up, acknowledging what she believes God has done in her life. • Her words come in the middle of the child-bearing “competition” with Rachel (Genesis 30:1–9). She sees every birth as evidence that the LORD notices her. • By framing the moment with her own voice, Scripture highlights both her faith and her very human longing for affirmation.
God has rewarded me• Leah credits the LORD, not chance, for her new son, underscoring divine sovereignty in family matters (Psalm 127:3; James 1:17). • The term “rewarded” shows she views God as attentive and responsive. Similar language appears in Hebrews 11:6, where God “rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” • Though Jacob’s household is mired in rivalry, God graciously works through flawed people, proving Romans 8:28 true long before Paul wrote it.
For giving my maidservant to my husband• Leah refers to her earlier decision to offer Zilpah (Genesis 30:9–13). In that culture, a wife could claim her servant’s children as her own (cf. Genesis 16:2 with Hagar and Sarah). • She interprets her present blessing as divine approval of that act. Scripture records her perception without endorsing every motive behind it; God often blesses despite human imperfection (Genesis 50:20). • This moment reminds us that while choices have consequences, God’s overarching plan is never thwarted (Proverbs 19:21).
So she named him Issachar• Naming in Scripture frequently marks spiritual insight or personal testimony (Genesis 4:25; 1 Samuel 1:20). • “Issachar” sounds like “wages” or “reward,” forever linking the child to Leah’s conviction that God repays faithfulness (cf. Ruth 2:12). • The tribe that descends from Issachar later receives fertile territory in Canaan (Joshua 19:17–23), echoing the theme of divine provision.
summaryLeah’s declaration in Genesis 30:18 captures her belief that God actively notices, values, and recompenses her. In the heat of sibling rivalry and cultural complexities, she still recognizes the LORD’s hand, names her son to celebrate that conviction, and shows that even messy family stories can become threads in God’s redemptive tapestry. (18) Issachar.--Heb., there is hire. As is so often the case in Hebrew names, there is a double play in the word: for, first, it alluded to the strange fact that Jacob had been hired of Rachel by the mandrakes; but, secondly, Leah gives it a higher meaning, "for God," she says, "hath given me my hire." In her eyes the birth of her fifth son was a Divine reward for the self-sacrifice involved in giving her maid to Jacob, and which had been followed by years of neglect of herself. As, too, it is said that "God hearkened unto Leah," we may feel sure that she had prayed for God's blessing upon her re-union with her husband; for Calvin's objection that prayer would scarcely accompany such odious courses has little weight. Leah and Rachel were uneducated and untrained country women, whose sole anxiety was to have offspring. Leah was the most religious and best disciplined of the two; and the shame ideally was that she should have been forced thus to buy her husband's attentions. Verse 18. - And Leah said, God - Elohim; a proof of the lower religious consciousness into which Leah had fallen (Hengstenberg), though perhaps on the above hypothesis an e vidence of her piety and faith (Keil, Lange) - hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: - i. e. as a reward for my self-denial (Keil, Murphy); an exclamation in which appears Leah's love for Jacob (Lange), if not also a tacit acknowledgment that she had her fears lest she may have sinned in asking him to wed Zilpah (Rosenmüller) - and she called his name Issachar - "There is Reward," or "There is Hire;" containing a double allusion to her hire of Jacob and her reward for Zilpah
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew Then Leahלֵאָ֗ה (lê·’āh)Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3812: Leah -- 'weary', a wife of Jacobsaid,וַתֹּ֣אמֶר (wat·tō·mer)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say“Godאֱלֹהִים֙ (’ĕ·lō·hîm)Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlativehas rewardedנָתַ֤ן (nā·ṯan)Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, setme forאֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-)Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order thatgivingנָתַ֥תִּי (nā·ṯat·tî)Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, setmy maidservantשִׁפְחָתִ֖י (šip̄·ḥā·ṯî)Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 8198: Maid, maidservantto my husband.”לְאִישִׁ֑י (lə·’î·šî)Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male personSo she named himוַתִּקְרָ֥א (wat·tiq·rā)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7121: To call, proclaim, readIssachar.יִשָּׂשכָֽר׃ (yiś·śā·š·ḵār)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3485: Issachar -- perhaps 'there is recompense', a son of Jacob and Leah, also a son of Obed-edom
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OT Law: Genesis 30:18 Leah said God has given me my (Gen. Ge Gn) |
