The Book of Genesis

And Rachel seeing herself without children, envied her sister, and said to her husband: Give me children, otherwise I shall die.

And Jacob being angry with her, answered: Am I as God, who hath deprived thee of the fruit of thy womb?

But she said: I have here my servant Bala: go in unto her, that she may bear upon my knees, and I may have children by her.

And she gave him Bala in marriage: who,

When her husband had gone in unto her, conceived and bore a son.

And Rachel said: The Lord hath judged for me, and hath heard my voice, giving me a son; and therefore she called his name Dan.

And again Bala conceived, and bore another,

For whom Rachel said: God hath compared me with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called him Nephthali.

Lia perceiving that she had left of bearing, gave Zelpha, her handmaid, to her husband.

And when she had conceived, and brought forth a son,

She said: Happily. And therefore called his name Gad.

Zelpha also bore another.

And Lia said: This is for my happiness: for women will call me blessed. Therefore she called him Aser.

And Ruben going out in the time of the wheat harvest into the field, found mandrakes: which he brought to his mother Lia. And Rachel said: Give me part of thy son's mandrakes.

She answered: Dost thou think it a small matter, that thou hast taken my husband from me, unless thou take also my son's mandrakes? Rachel said: He shall sleep with thee this night, for thy son's mandrakes.

And when Jacob returned at even from the field, Lia went out to meet him, and said: Thou shalt come in unto me, because I have hired thee for my son's mandrakes. And he slept with her that night.

And God heard her prayers; and she conceived: and bore a fifth son:

And said: God hath given me a reward, because I gave my handmaid to my husband. And she called his name Issachar.

And Lia conceived again, and bore the sixth son,

And said: God hath endowed me with a good dowry; this turn also my husband will be with me, because I have borne him six sons: and therefore she called his name Zabulon.

After whom she bore a daughter, named Dina.

The Lord also remembering Rachel, heard her, and opened her womb.

And she conceived, and bore a son, saying: God hath taken away my reproach.

And she called his name Joseph: saying: The Lord give me also another son.

And when Joseph was born, Jacob said to his father-in-law: Send me away, that I may return into my country, and to my land.