And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar.
Parallel translations
- WEB Leah said, “God has given me my hire, because I gave my servant to my husband.” She named him Issachar.
- BSB Then Leah said, “God has rewarded me for giving my maidservant to my husband.” So she named him Issachar.
- NKJV Leah said, “God has given me my wages, because I have given my maid to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar.
- NASB Then Leah said, “God has given me my reward, because I gave my slave to my husband.” So she named him Issachar.
- NLT She named him Issachar, for she said, “God has rewarded me for giving my servant to my husband as a wife.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Leah names this son Issachar, linking the name to her sense of God's 'reward.' She sees the child as recompense for giving her servant to Jacob.
Overview
Issachar becomes another of the twelve tribal patriarchs. Leah interprets her blessing as a wage from God, though her reasoning reflects the bargaining mindset of the household. Despite her flawed theology of merit, the Lord graciously continues to bless her and expand the covenant family.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- 1 Chr 12:32And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.
- Gen 46:13And the sons of Issachar; Tola, and Phuvah, and Job, and Shimron.
- Gen 35:23The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun:
- Gen 49:14–15Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens:
- Deut 33:18And of Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out; and, Issachar, in thy tents.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 30:18 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.