Christian Standard Bible
Genesis 30:1
1When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she envied her sister. “Give me sons, or I will die!” she said to Jacob.
Genesis 30:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.
- New International Version (NIV)When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister. So she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!”
- English Standard Version (ESV)When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, "Give me children, or I shall die!"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I die!”
Context of Genesis 30:1
When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she envied her sister. “Give me sons, or I will die!” she said to Jacob. 2Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God? He has withheld offspring from you!” 3Then she said, “Here is my maid Bilhah. Go sleep with her, and she’ll bear children for me so that through her I too can build a family.”
Read all of Genesis 30Genesis 30:1 word by word
וַתֵּ֣רֶא רָחֵ֗ל כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָֽלְדָה֙ לְיַעֲקֹ֔ב וַתְּקַנֵּ֥א רָחֵ֖ל בַּאֲחֹתָ֑הּ וַתֹּ֤אמֶר אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹב֙ הָֽבָה־לִּ֣י בָנִ֔ים וְאִם־אַ֖יִן מֵתָ֥ה אָנֹֽכִי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And when Rachelרָחֵלrâchêl · RachelH7354
- sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- that she bareיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
- Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
- enviedקָנָאqânâ' · be jealousH7065
- her sisterאָחוֹת'âchôth · sisterH269
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Giveיָהַבyâhab · to giveH3051
- me childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- or elseאַ֫יִן'ayin · nothingH369
- I dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
Cross-references for Genesis 30:1
- Genesis 29:31When the Lord saw that Leah was neglected, he opened her womb; but Rachel was unable to conceive.
- Genesis 37:11His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.
- 1 Samuel 1:4Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he always gave portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to each of her sons and daughters.
- Psalms 106:16In the camp they were envious of Moses and of Aaron, the Lord’s holy one.
- Proverbs 14:30A tranquil heart is life to the body, but jealousy is rottenness to the bones.
- Ecclesiastes 4:4I saw that all labor and all skillful work is due to one person’s jealousy of another. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
- 1 Corinthians 3:3because you are still worldly. For since there is envy and strife among you, are you not worldly and behaving like mere humans?
- Galatians 5:21envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things — as I warned you before — that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
- James 3:14But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and deny the truth.
- James 4:5Or do you think it’s without reason that the Scripture says: The spirit he made to dwell in us envies intensely?
- Genesis 35:16They set out from Bethel. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth, and her labor was difficult.
- Numbers 11:15If you are going to treat me like this, please kill me right now if I have found favor with you, and don’t let me see my misery anymore.”
- 1 Kings 19:4but he went on a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. He said, “I have had enough! Lord, take my life, for I’m no better than my ancestors.”
- Job 3:1After this, Job began to speak and cursed the day he was born.
- Job 5:2For anger kills a fool, and jealousy slays the gullible.
- Job 13:19Can anyone indict me? If so, I will be silent and die.
Commentaries on Genesis 30:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Give me children, or else I die - This is a most reprehensible speech, and argues not only envy and jealousy, but also a total want of dependence on God. She had the greatest share of her husband's affection, and yet was not satisfied unless she could engross all the privileges which her sister enjoyed! How true are those sayings, Envy is as rottenness of the bones! and, Jealousy is as cruel as the grave!Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-43Verses 1-43 - Jacob‘s Family and Wealth 6. דן dān Dan, “judge, lord.” 8. נפתלי naptālı̂y Naphtali, “wrestling.” 11. גד gād Gad, “overcoming, victory.” בגד bāgād “in victory or” =גד בא bā' gād “victory cometh.” גוּד gûd “press down.” גדוּד gedûd “troop.” 13. אשׁר 'ǎashēr Asher, “prosperity, happiness.” 18. ישׂשכר yı̂śāskār Jissakar, “reward.” The second Hebrew letter (ש s ) seems to have been merely a full mode of writing the word, instead of…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1A further account of Jacob's family. (1-13) Rachel beareth Joseph. (14-24) Jacob's new agreement with Laban to serve him for cattle. (25-43) Verses 1-13 Rachel envied her sister: envy is grieving at the good of another, than which no sin is more hateful to God, or more hurtful to our neighbours and ourselves. She considered not that God made the difference, and that in other things she had the advantage. Let us carefully watch against all the risings and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-2In that culture, for a woman not to have children could feel like a kind of death (compare 1 Samuel 1). Only God could enable Rachel to have children.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-241. Rachel envied her sister--The maternal relation confers a high degree of honor in the East, and the want of that status is felt as a stigma and deplored as a grievous calamity. Give me children, or else I die--either be reckoned as good as dead, or pine away from vexation. The intense anxiety of Hebrew women for children arose from the hope of giving birth to the promised seed. Rachel's conduct was sinful and contrasts unfavorably with that of Rebekah…Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 30:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 30
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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