The chapter begins with two sisters who are both married to Jacob.
One sister, Leah, has already given Jacob several children. The other sister, Rachel, has not been able to have any. Rachel becomes deeply upset. She feels left out, forgotten, and even embarrassed because her sister keeps having children while she cannot. In her pain, she cries out to Jacob and says, “Give me children or I will die!”  Jacob tells her gently that he is not the one who gives life — only God can do that. Rachel then decides to give Jacob her helper so that the helper can have children on her behalf.

This was a common practice in those times. The helper has two boys for Rachel, and Rachel accepts them as her own. When Leah sees this, she becomes worried that she will lose her place in the family. So she gives Jacob her helper as well. That helper also has two sons.  This becomes a tough, emotional back-and-forth between the sisters. Both of them want to feel loved, seen, and secure.

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