Genesis 30:24

24. Joseph Which means adding, for she herewith expresses her faith that Jehovah will add to her another son . There seems also to be a play upon the word אס Š, hath taken away, used in the preceding verse . Thus the name takes on a twofold significance . Elohim has taken away her reproach, and Jehovah will add another son . While this faith showed a nobler spirit than she had manifested before, it also showed an impatience and ambition, which issued in sorrow and death, when the other son was added . See Genesis 35:18.

The dates of the birth of the above-named children of Jacob are not given, though Genesis 30:25 shows that on the birth of Joseph, Jacob had served out his fourteen years. Here, then, eleven children appear to have been born unto him in seven years, and yet during that period Leah for a time left bearing, (Genesis 29:35. ) All this, however, may be readily understood as follows . Dinah was born “afterwards,” (Genesis 30:21;) so she may be set aside from the seven years; and nothing necessarily hinders our supposing Zebulun, Leah’s sixth son, to have been born after Joseph . Leah probably bore the four sons named in Genesis 29:32-35, in rapid succession within the first four years after marriage . Then she left off bearing for two years, which would be noticeable after having borne four sons so quickly . Meanwhile, and probably before the birth of Judah, Leah’s fourth son, Rachel sought children by Bilhah, and during the fourth and fifth years the children of both the hand-maids were born . At the beginning of the seventh year Leah may have borne Issachar, and Zebulun at its close, or very soon after. So there is nothing improbable in the narrative of the eleven children being born in seven years.