Midrasch zu Bereschit 30:25

R. Chelbo again questioned R. Samuel b. Nachmeni: "It is written (Gen. 30, 25) And it came to pass, when Rachel had borne Joseph, etc. Why when Joseph was born?" And he answered: "Because Jacob our father saw that the descendants of Esau would become submissive only to the descendants of Joseph, as it is said (Oba. 1, 18) And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau stubble." R. Chelbo objected to him from (I. Sam. 30, 17) "And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of next day," etc. (Hence we see that they were submissive also to David, who was a descendant of Judah, and not of Joseph). Samuel answered: "The one who made you read the prophets did not read with thee Hagiographa, in which it is written (I Chron. 12, 21) And as he was going over to Ziklag… . captains of the thousands that belonged to Manasseh." [Hence they were submissive to the descendants of Joseph]. R. Joseph objected from (Ib. 4, 42, 43) And some of them, even of the sons of Simeon, five hundred men, went to Mount Seir, having at their head Pelatiyah and Nearyah and Rephayah, and Uzzie, the sons of Yishi. And they smote the rest of the Amalekites that had escaped, and dwelt there unto this day. Rabba b. Shila thereupon said: "Yishi was a descendant of Manasseh, as it is written (Ib. 5, 24) and the children of Manasseh were Epher and Yishi."

What is written above about the matter (in Gen. 30:25)? NOW IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN RACHEL HAB BORNE JOSEPH, THAT JACOB SAID UNTO LABAN: SEND ME AWAY < THAT I MAY GO TO MY OWN HOME AND MY LAND >. But, if you do not want to send me away, I am going without your permission. Laban said to him: With none of the sons that you sired except Joseph, have you said to me: SEND ME AWAY! He told him that he would bring Esau the Wicked to account. Ergo (in Gen. 30:25): SEND ME AWAY THAT I MAY GO < TO MY OWN HOME AND MY LAND >. (Gen. 30:27:) BUT LABAN SAID UNTO HIM…. I HAVE LEARNED BY DIVINATION < THAT THE LORD HAS BLESSED ME FOR YOUR SAKE >. On that very day at Jacob's feet he had found a treasure⁸⁰Codex Vaticanus Ebr. 34 adds: “i.e., a precious stone.” which would bring luck. He therefore says (in Gen. 30:27): I HAVE LEARNED BY DIVINATION. R. Berekhyah said: Laban had learned by divination, but Jacob did not know it. And what was he concerned about? (Gen. 30:27:) THAT THE LORD HAS BLESSED ME FOR YOUR SAKE. Laban said (in vs. 28): NAME YOUR WAGES. He said to him: You get the speckled < of the flock > and I get the mottled from whatever dams give birth. (Gen. 30:36:) AND JACOB WAS PASTURING THE FLOCK OF LABAN THAT REMAINED. What was it THAT REMAINED (HNWTRWT)? Resh Laqish said: The dams who were old, sterile, < and > sick.⁸¹This is the normal spelling of the Hebrew word, but the Masoretic Text spells it defectively as HNWTRT. Resh Laqish has deduced from the missing letter that the animals referred to were defective. See Gen. R. 73:9. By correcting the spelling, the Buber text has obscured the point. What is written (in vs. 37)? THEN JACOB TOOK A < FRESH > SHOOT OF WHITE POPLAR. R. Hosha'ya said: He fashioned an image; and, just as he fashioned, so they gave birth. He only failed to give them breath. They gave birth and multiplied before him. Laban went back on his < word >. Where is it shown? Where Jacob said so (in Gen. 31:7): AND HE CHANGED MY WAGES…. What did Jacob do when he delayed over him?⁸²Codex Vaticanus Ebr. 34 reads, “when he was obstinate with him.” He sent after the children of his house, as stated (in Gen. 31:4): SO JACOB SENT AND CALLED RACHEL AND LEAH TO THE FIELD. Why not within his house? R. Simeon ben Gamaliel said: For three things I like the children of the East:⁸³Gen. R. 74:2; PRK 4:3; Ber. 8b (bar.)

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