Now the LORDsawthat Leahwas unloved,and He openedher womb,but Rachelwas barren.
Saraiwas barren;she hadnochild.
Now Sarai,Abram'swifehad bornehim no[children], and she had an Egyptianmaidwhose namewas Hagar.
For the LORDhad closedfastallthe wombsof the householdof Abimelechbecauseof Sarah,Abraham'swife.
Isaacprayedto the LORDon behalfof his wife,becauseshe was barren;and the LORDansweredhim and Rebekahhis wifeconceived.
So Esauborea grudgeagainstJacobbecauseof the blessingwith whichhis fatherhad blessedhim; and Esausaidto himself,"The daysof mourningfor my fatherare near;then I will killmy brotherJacob."
So [Jacob] wentin to Rachelalso,and indeedhe lovedRachelmorethanLeah,and he servedwith Laban for anothersevenyears.
Leahconceivedand borea sonand namedhim Reuben,for she said,"Becausethe LORDhas seenmy affliction;surelynowmy husbandwill loveme."
Then GodrememberedRachel,and Godgaveheedto her and openedher womb.
the sonsof Leah:Reuben,Jacob'sfirstborn,then Simeonand Leviand Judahand Issacharand Zebulun;
Behold,childrenare a giftof the LORD,The fruitof the wombis a reward.
The LORDsaid,"I have surelyseenthe afflictionof My peoplewhoare in Egypt,and have givenheedto their crybecauseof their taskmasters,for I am awareof their sufferings.
but I have hatedEsau,and I have madehis mountainsa desolationand [appointed] his inheritancefor the jackalsof the wilderness."
"He who lovesfatherormothermorethanMe is not worthyof Me; and he who lovessonordaughtermore thanMe is not worthyof Me.
"No onecanservetwomasters;for eitherhe will hatethe oneand lovethe other,orhe will be devotedto oneand despisethe other.You cannotserveGodand wealth.
But they hadnochild,becauseElizabethwas barren,and they were bothadvancedin years.
"Ifanyonecomesto Me, and does not hatehis own fatherand motherand wifeand childrenand brothersand sisters,yes,and evenhis ownlife,he cannotbe My disciple.
"He who loveshis lifelosesit, and he who hateshis lifein thisworldwill keepit to lifeeternal.
"And He gavehim the covenantof circumcision;and so[Abraham] became the fatherof Isaac,and circumcisedhim on the eighthday;and Isaac[became the father of] Jacob,and Jacob[of] the twelvepatriarchs.
"Ifa manhastwowives,the onelovedand the otherunloved,and [both] the lovedand the unlovedhave bornehim sons,if the firstbornsonbelongs to the unloved,
So BoaztookRuth,and she becamehis wife,and he wentin to her. And the LORDenabledher to conceive,and she gavebirthto a son.
It cameabout in duetime,after Hannahhad conceived,that she gavebirthto a son;and she namedhim Samuel,[saying], "BecauseI have askedhim of the LORD."
"For thisboyI prayed,and the LORDhas givenme my petitionwhichI askedof Him.
but to Hannahhe would givea doubleportion,for he lovedHannah,but the LORDhad closedher womb.
The LORDvisitedHannah;and she conceivedand gavebirthto threesonsand twodaughters.And the boySamuelgrewbeforethe LORD.
