What does Genesis 30:20 mean?
Sisters Leah and Rachel are engaged in a "birth war," competing for the affections of their mutual husband, Jacob (Genesis 29:18–30). Following her pattern, Leah names her sixth naturally-born son according to her feelings about the circumstances of the moment. Again, she credits God for giving her another son. Specifically, Leah says God has endowed or presented to her a good gift, using the Hebrew word zabad. Leah's faith in and gratitude to God seems to be a constant in her life.The other constant in Leah's life seems to be a deep desire to be loved and valued by her husband Jacob. That desire has often gone unmet, according to the details of this chapter (Genesis 30:15). Now that she has born him a sixth child, with two more through her servant Zilpah, Leah expresses her deep hope that perhaps her husband will at least "honor" or perhaps "live with" her, depending on the translation of the Hebrew word zabal.
She connects these two expressions, gratitude to God for this gift and confidence that her husband will honor her, with the name Zebulun. That name, Zabuwluwn in Hebrew, contains references to both "gift" and "honor."
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.
