Study Desk

To the woman He said: "I will sharply increase your pain in childbirth; in pain you will bring forth children. You will desire your husband, and he will rule over you."

The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and afterward as well, when the sons of God had relations with the daughters of men. And they bore them children who became the mighty men of old, men of renown.

But Sarai was barren; she had no children.

So Sarai said to Abram, "Look now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go to my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family by her." Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

For I have chosen him, so that he will command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, in order that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has promised."

Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maidservants, so that they could again bear children-

She added, "Who would have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age."

Now, therefore, swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or descendants. Show to me and to the country in which you reside the same kindness that I have shown to you."

But the children inside her struggled with each other, and she said, "Why is this happening to me?" So Rebekah went to inquire of the LORD,

And once more, she conceived and gave birth to a son and said, "This time I will praise the LORD." So she named him Judah. Then Leah stopped having children.

When Rachel saw that she was not bearing any children for Jacob, she envied her sister. "Give me children, or I will die!" she said to Jacob.

Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, "Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?"

Then she said, "Here is my maidservant Bilhah. Sleep with her, and she will bear children for me, so that through her I too can build a family."

When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she gave her servant Zilpah to Jacob as a wife.

Give me my wives and children, for whom I have served you, and I will go on my way. You know how hard I have worked for you."

Surely all the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. So do whatever God has told you."

So Jacob got up and put his children and his wives on camels,

But Laban answered Jacob, "These daughters are my daughters, these sons are my sons, and these flocks are my flocks! Everything you see is mine! Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine or the children they have borne?

Please deliver me from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid that he may come and attack me, and also the mothers and their children with me.

Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming toward him with four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants.