A Lamp Unto My Feet Bible Study Website
GENESIS 29:31 – 30:24
Lesson #45
PROPHETIC MESSAGES THROUGH 12 SONS
- Memory verse: Deuteronomy 8:5
- Read Gen 29:31-35 God favors lLeah with 4 sons
- At the end of chapter 29 and into chapter 30 we see the polygamous family with all its difficult problems including: hatred, jealousy, and rivalry
- Every Jewish woman desired to be a mother in hopes that her son would be the Messiah.
- The Hebrew’s love of a play-on-words is very obvious with the naming of each son.
- The play-on-words also helps the Jewish reader to memorize the list of names more easily.
- The scripture tells us that God purposely favored Leah with sons because she was unloved by her husband.
- However, the list of all of Jacob’s sons has more important significance, as we shall see later.
- Every Jewish woman desired to be a mother in hopes that her son would be the Messiah.
- Leah’s first 3 sons mirror her unhappy relationship with Jacob.
- Son #1 – Reuben born to Leah
- His name means = “see, a son”.
- It is related to the fact that God has seen her misery, and maybe now Jacob would notice her.
- Son #2 – Simeon born to Leah
- His name means = “one who hears”.
- It is related to the fact that God had heard that she was unloved. (29:33)
- Son #3 – Levi born to Leah
- His name means = “attachment”.
- It reflects Leah’s desire that her husband would become attached to her.
- Son #4 – Judah born to Leah
- Leah’s fourth son mirror’s a different attitude:
- His name means = “I will praise the Lord”
- This son became the tribe through which Jesus Christ came.
- Son #1 – Reuben born to Leah
- At the end of chapter 29 and into chapter 30 we see the polygamous family with all its difficult problems including: hatred, jealousy, and rivalry
- Read Gen 30:1-8 Sons for Rachel through Bilhah
- Rachel’s envy of Leah caused her to blame Jacob for her own lack of fertility.
- She says to Jacob, “give me children, or I’ll die” (30:1)
- These words were ironically and tragically prophetic, for Rachel did eventually die in childbirth giving birth to Benjamin in Gen 35:18.
- We see the same situation in Jacob’s family that we saw in Abraham’s. When Sarah couldn’t have children. She gave Hagar to Abraham as a wife.
- Now we see Rachel give her maid, Bilhah to Jacob as a wife.
- Son #5 – Dan born to Bilhah
- His name means = “he has vindicated” or “judged”.
- It indicates that Rachel felt God had judged that she was worthy.
- Son #6 – Naphtali born to Bilhah
- His name means = “my struggle”.
- It reflects Rachel’s struggle with her sister, Leah.
- Rachel’s envy of Leah caused her to blame Jacob for her own lack of fertility.
- Read Gen 30:9-13 Sons for Leah through Zilpah
- Leah’s jealousy causes her to give Jacob her maid, Zilpah, as a wife.
- Son #7 – Gad born to Zilpah
- His name means = “a company” or “good fortune”.
- It indicates Leah’s attitude that she still has preeminence over her sister in the number of sons.
- Son #8 – Asher born to Zilpah
- His name means = “How happy I am!”
- “Women will call me happy!”
- Son #7 – Gad born to Zilpah
- Leah’s jealousy causes her to give Jacob her maid, Zilpah, as a wife.
- Read Gen 30:14-21 More children for Leah
- Mandrakes
- This is a narcotic, a short-stemmed European plant of the night shade family. It has a fleshy root, it’s form resembling a man’s body.
- Therefore, it was superstitiously thought to be an aphrodisiac (something that would arouse sexual desire and aid in conception if eaten)
- Rachel bargains for some of the mandrakes collected by Leah’s son, Reuben, in exchange for a night with Jacob.
- Son #9 – Issachar born to Leah
- His name means = “reward” or “hired”.
- She thought God had rewarded her for giving Zilpah to Jacob. The name also means “hired” because she hired her husband in exchange for the mandrakes.
- Son #10 – Zebulun born to Leah
- His name means = “honor” or “dwelling”.
- She thought Jacob would now honor her by dwelling with her for giving him 6 sons.
- Son #9 – Issachar born to Leah
- A daughter, Dinah, born to Leah
- There were probably other daughters born to Leah, to Zilpah, and to Bilhah, but they are not mentioned. Why is this one daughter important enough to mention?
- We won’t see the reason for this until later in Genesis.
- However, to give you a clue, she has something to do with who will inherit the birthright.
- Read Gen 30:22-24 A son for Rachel
- God extends his mercy to Rachel and she gives Jacob a son.
- Son #11 – Joseph born to Rachel
- His name means = “may he add”.
- This was Rachel’s prayer that God would give her more children.
- Son #12 – Benjamin born to Rachel
- His name means = son of my right hand.
- His birth does not occur until Gen 35:18
- Son #11 – Joseph born to Rachel
- God extends his mercy to Rachel and she gives Jacob a son.
- The significance of these 12 sons, the meaning of their names, and the order in which they are born:
- The meaning of the names gives us a beautiful picture of the gospel message.
- Prophetically the meaning of the names tells us the early history of the Jews.
| The Name & Meaning | The Gospel Message | Israel’s History | ||
| 1. Reuben, see a son | When we first hear the gospel, the Holy Spirit points us to Jesus Christ as though God is saying, “see, a son!”
Rom 10:17 |
God looked upon the affliction of his people and sent a son, Moses, to deliver them.
Exo 2:25 |
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| 2. Simeon, one who hears | We receive the message by faith when we hear the word of God.
(Rom 10:14) |
God says he heard the cry of his people for deliverance from Egypt. (Exo 3:7) | ||
| 3. Levi, attachment | Then when we accept Jesus as our Savior, we become attached to the family of God by the action of the Holy Spirit. (Rom 8:14) | Jehovah was joined to Israel, and she became the wife of God at the first Passover in Egypt.
(Exo 12 Jer 31:31-32) |
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| 4. Judah, I will praise the Lord | Once we are in the family of God, we begin to praise and worship the Lord.
(Joh 4:23) |
Israel praised God for their delivery from Egypt at the crossing of the Red Sea.
(Exo 15:11 Psa 106:11,12) |
||
| 5. Dan, he has vindicated or judged | God has judged our sins on the cross and now finds the believer worthy. Now the believer is to judge his own sins and die to his own desires. (1Co 11:31) | God found the Israelites worthy to deliver, but now in the wilderness they murmur against God and fail to judge their own sins, so he judges them. (Exo 16:7-8 Exo 17:3) | ||
| 6. Naphtali, my struggle | The believer struggles with his two natures within and chooses God.
(Rom 7:22-23) |
The Israelites struggle with the Amalekites
(Exo 17:11) |
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| 7. Gad, a company or good fortune | The believer is blessed by God in fellowship with other believers, but there is an enemy to defeat.
(Heb 10:24-25 Eph 6:12) |
The Israelites crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land. They were blessed by God but they were met by a large company of the enemy (7 nations). (Jos 3:10 ) |
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| 8. Asher, how happy I am! | The response of the believer living in God’s perfect will, defeat his enemies. (Deu 30:7-8) |
The Israelites rejoiced at the victory over these enemies. | ||
| 9. Issachar, reward or hired | The believer works to serve God and will be rewarded for his efforts.
(Mat 25:21) |
God gave the Israelites the Promised Land as their reward and they divided among the 12 tribes.
(Jos 15-21) |
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| 10. Zebulun, honor or dwelling | God promises he will honor those who dwell with him and walk with him through life. (2Cor 5:10) | The Israelites dwelt safely in the land for a short period of time. (Jos 24:31) | ||
| 11. Joseph, may he add | God will add all His blessings to your life because you will jointly inherit with Jesus Christ. (Psa 21:3-5) | There was a short time break before Joseph was born. There was an historical break while God added to their numbers and blessed them in the days of king Saul. | ||
| 12. Benjamin, son of my right hand | The believer will live forever in God’s presence as an honored child of God, having a dignified position.
(Joh 5:39 Joh 10:28 Eph 1:3) |
David became their king and then Solomon. In these days the nation of Israel reached the pinnacle of their glory and wealth. | ||
- Summary of the illustrations of Israel’s history:
| Sons of Leah
Reuben Simeon Levi Judah |
The names of these 4 sons illustrate the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt. |
| Sons of Bilhah
Dan Naphtali |
The names of these 2 sons illustrate the Israelites wandering in the wilderness. |
| Sons of Zilpah
Gad Asher Sons of Leah Issachar Zebulun |
The names of these 4 sons illustrate the Israelites’ occupation and enjoyment of the Promised Land. |
| Sons of Rachel
Joseph Benjamin |
The names of these 2 sons born after a period of time passed, illustrate the Israelite kingdom that was later established under Saul, David, and Solomon. |
Homework
Genesis 30:25 – 31:13
- Application of Gen 29:31 – 30:24
- Where are you in your walk with the Lord in relation to “the gospel message” in the center column in this lesson?
- Preparation for Gen 30:25-43
- Read Gen 30:25-43
- How did Laban attempt to deceive Jacob over the cattle and goats?
- What was Jacob’s counter deceit?
- Read Gen 30:25-43
- Memory verse: Psalms 5:12
