What does Genesis 30:18 mean?
Leah and her sister Rachel are engaged in a "birth race," competing for personal pride and for the affection of their mutual husband, Jacob. Leah initially was able to bear four children of her own (Genesis 29:31–35), before Rachel seems to have jealously convinced Jacob to stop sleeping with her. Rachel, on her part, was unable to have her own children, so she obtained two through her female servant, Bilhah. Leah had seen this and responded in kind, producing two more sons through her servant Zilpah. When Leah's oldest child found fertility-enhancing mandrakes, Leah sold some of them to Rachel with the understanding that Leah be allowed to sleep with Jacob for a night (Genesis 30:14–17). The result of that sale is another natural son for Leah, her fifth, her seventh combined, and Jacob's ninth son overall.Leah names this son based on her understanding that God is repaying her for giving her servant Zilpah to Jacob as a wife. That seems to indicate that Leah saw this sharing of Zilpah with Jacob, even for the sake of having more sons, as a sacrificial act for the better good of Jacob. The name Yissaskar is similar to the word used in this verse for wages, sakar, so the name might also mean "my hire" or "man of hire," referring to the night with Jacob that Leah bought by giving her mandrake plants to Rachel. Alternatively, the name may mean "may God be gracious."
Genesis 30:1–24 describes the birth of eight more sons to Jacob, as well as one daughter. While Rachel remains barren, her servant woman bears to Jacob two sons. Then Leah's servant woman does so, as well. Next, Leah herself has three more children. Then, finally, God remembers Rachel. She gives birth to Joseph, giving him a name that is essentially a prayer for another son to follow. As the section ends, Jacob now has 11 sons, at least one daughter, and a plan to return home to his own people.
God alone gives children. He causes babies to be born. He even determines what color baby sheep and goats will be. Genesis 30 describes the urgent desire of Rachel and Leah to have sons for Jacob and how God hears and grants their prayers in His own time. In addition, God blesses Jacob's unusual breeding practices with Laban's flocks to finally allow Jacob to overcome his father-in-law's schemes to keep Jacob under his service.
