Jacob's Kids

[Dr. Bob]

Found some odd stats when doing a chronology of the Patriarchs.

Jacob worked for Uncle Laban 7 years, got married to Leah (oops), then a week later to Rachel (yeah!)

He had to promise to work 7 more years to "pay" for Rachel.

How many children did Jacob have before that 7 year period was completed?

 

[Watchman]

Twelve; Eleven boys and a girl, Dinah.
Leah: 6 boys and Dinah
Bilhah: 2
Zilpah: 2
Rachel: Joseph. She would die in childbirth with Benjamin later.
If only one woman was pregnant at any one time, there is enough months for only 10 to be born. So, obviously, there was at least a couple of times when two or more were pregnant at the same time.
Did I get it right?

 

[Frogman]

I never was good at word problems

Teacher, can I go to the restroom???

 

[Dr. Bob]

You're excused, Dallas. Wash your hands when you're through.

Watchman is correct. Many think 11 (forgetting Dinah).

BTW, why did Leah give her handmaid to Jacob? And why is that ironic?

 

[menageriekeeper]

Because for some reason Leah quit getting pregnant for a while. She couldn't let Racheal get by with having her maid bear children for Jacob and Leah wasn't concieving so in with the maid.

This passage is one of the best arguments against polygamy I know. Can you imagine the jealousy that had to have precipated the action of giving one's maid to marry your husband?

Here is a question of my own: Did Leah and Racheal ever make peace with one another?

 

[Dr. Bob]

And irony of Leah "hitting menopause" (Gen 30:9) after having her fourth son was?

 

[GODzThunder]

Is it ironic because she heavily bragged of her fertility to her barren sister and then hit menopause just as her sister "bare" a child (through the adoption process of the day)???

If not then that is still pretty ironic

 

[GODzThunder]

Ok Dr Griffin, you have aroused my interest in this topic... Please do continue as I eagerly await to see where it goes!