Contradiction with Leviticus 18:18
This verse contradicts Genesis 30:3 by prohibiting a man from marrying his wife's sister as a rival wife, which is implicitly encouraged by Rachel's request to Jacob.
Leviticus 18:18: Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex [her], to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life [time]. [a wife...: or, one wife to another]
Contradiction with Deuteronomy 21:15-16
These verses provide a law for inheritance that suggests fairness between sons of different wives, which contrasts with the preferential treatment implicit in Rachel's offer of Bilhah to Jacob.
Deuteronomy 21:15-16: If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, [both] the beloved and the hated; and [if] the firstborn son be hers that was hated:
Contradiction with Matthew 19:6
This verse speaks to the ideal of two becoming one flesh in marriage, which contradicts the idea of introducing a third party into the marriage as described in Genesis 30:3.
Matthew 19:6: Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
Contradiction with Mark 10:8-9
These verses emphasize the inseparability of the marriage union, contrasting with the inclusion of another woman in Genesis 30:3.
Mark 10:8-9: And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
Contradiction with 1 Corinthians 7:2
This verse advises each man to have his own wife and each woman her own husband, advocating for monogamy, which opposes the polyamorous situation in Genesis 30:3.
1 Corinthians 7:2: Nevertheless, [to avoid] fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
Paradox #1
The possible contradiction with Genesis 30:3 is related to the practice of using a surrogate to bear a child, which seems to conflict with other biblical teachings that uphold marriage and family structures more traditionally, emphasizing one man and one woman. In this narrative, the use of a surrogate could be seen as conflicting with these principles.
Paradox #2
One potential contradiction in Genesis 30:3 could involve the cultural practice of surrogate motherhood described in the verse. In ancient times, it was not uncommon for a wife to offer her maidservant to her husband as a surrogate if she could not bear children. However, this practice might conflict with later cultural or religious views that emphasize monogamous relationships and more restrictive views on surrogacy. Additionally, the social and legal status of the maidservant and the children born through this arrangement could have been contentious or seen differently in later historical or cultural contexts.
Paradox #3
The contradiction in Genesis 30:3 could be seen as the conflict between using someone else to have children, which may raise ethical concerns about consent and human dignity, versus the desire to fulfill cultural or personal expectations of having a family. This could be seen as prioritizing cultural norms over an individual's rights.