Genesis 30:18

30:18 Then Leah said, “God has granted me a reward ¹  because I gave my servant to my husband as a wife.” ²  So she named him Issachar. ³ 

Genesis 30:32-33

30:32 Let me walk among ⁴  all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb, ⁵  and the spotted or speckled goats. ⁶  These animals will be my wages. ⁷  30:33 My integrity will testify for me ⁸  later on. ⁹  When you come to verify that I’ve taken only the wages we agreed on, ¹⁰  if I have in my possession any goat that is not speckled or spotted or any sheep that is not dark-colored, it will be considered stolen.” ¹¹ 

[30:18]  ¹ tn Heb “God has given my reward.”

[30:18]  ² tn The words “as a wife” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for clarity (cf. v. 9).

[30:18]  ³ sn The name Issachar (יְשָּׁשכָר, yishakhar) appears to mean “man of reward” or possibly “there is reward.” The name plays on the word used in the statement made earlier in the verse. The Hebrew noun translated “reward” is derived from the same root as the name Issachar. The irony is that Rachel thought the mandrakes would work for her, and she was willing to trade one night for them. But in that one night Leah became pregnant.

[30:32]  ⁴ tn Heb “pass through.”

[30:32]  ⁵ tn Or “every black lamb”; Heb “and every dark sheep among the lambs.”

[30:32]  ⁶ tn Heb “and the spotted and speckled among the goats.”

[30:32]  ⁷ tn Heb “and it will be my wage.” The referent collective singular pronoun (“it) has been specified as “these animals” in the translation for clarity.

[30:33]  ⁷ tn Heb “will answer on my behalf.”

[30:33]  ⁸ tn Heb “on the following day,” or “tomorrow.”

[30:33]  ⁹ tn Heb “when you come concerning my wage before you.”

[30:33]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “every one which is not speckled and spotted among the lambs and dark among the goats, stolen it is with me.”