Genesis 30:2

Genesis 30:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God’s stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?
• New International Version (NIV)Jacob became angry with her and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, "Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)And Jacob’s anger was aroused against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?”

Context of Genesis 30:2

1Rachel now knew that she could not give birth to any children for Jacob. So she became jealous of her sister. Rachel said to Jacob, ‘Please give me children. If not, I will die.’ Jacob became angry with Rachel. He said, ‘Am I God? God has stopped you from giving birth to children!’ 3Rachel said, ‘Take my servant Bilhah and have sex with her. Then she can have children on my behalf. Through her, I can have a family.’ 4So Rachel gave her servant Bilhah to Jacob to become his wife.

Genesis 30:2 word by word

וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֥ף יַעֲקֹ֖ב בְּרָחֵ֑ל וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הֲתַ֤חַת אֱלֹהִים֙ אָנֹ֔כִי אֲשֶׁר־מָנַ֥ע מִמֵּ֖ךְ פְּרִי־בָֽטֶן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Jacob’sיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
• angerאַף'aph · face: angerH639
• was kindledחָרָהchârâh · to be incensedH2734
• against Rachelרָחֵלrâchêl · RachelH7354
• and he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• I in God’sאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• stead, who hath withheldמָנַעmâna‛ · to withholdH4513
• from thee the fruitפְּרִיperîy · fruitH6529
• of the wombבֶּ֫טֶןbeţen · belly: wombH990

Cross-references for Genesis 30:2

• Genesis 31:36Then Jacob became angry and he quarrelled with Laban. He asked Laban, ‘What have I done wrong? What sin have I done against you so that you had to catch me?
• Exodus 32:19Then Moses arrived at the camp. He saw the gold calf. He saw that the people were dancing. He became very angry. He threw the two flat stones that he was carrying onto the ground. He broke them into pieces there at the bottom of the mountain.
• Matthew 5:22But what I now say to you is this: Anybody who is angry with his brother will have to stand in front of a judge. Or someone might call his brother by a bad name. Then he will have to stand in front of the Jewish leaders. They will judge him. But someone may say to his brother, “You are a fool.” God will judge that person. God may punish him in the fires of hell.
• Mark 3:5Jesus looked round at everybody. He felt angry with them. He also felt sad because they did not want to learn. Then he said to the man, ‘Lift up your hand.’ The man lifted his hand and it became well. He could use it again.
• Ephesians 4:26When you are angry, do not do anything bad as a result. Once the day comes to an end, do not continue to be angry.
• Genesis 16:2Sarai said to Abram, ‘The Lord has not let me have any children. Go and sleep with my servant. Then if she gives birth, her children will be my family.’ Abram agreed to do this.
• Genesis 25:21Rebekah could not have children. So Isaac prayed to the Lord for Rebekah. The Lord did as Isaac asked. And Isaac's wife, Rebekah, became pregnant.
• Genesis 50:19But Joseph said to them, ‘Do not be afraid of me. It is God who has the authority to punish people. I am not God!
• 1 Samuel 1:5Because Elkanah loved Hannah very much, he always gave twice as much meat to her. But the Lord had not let Hannah give birth to any children.
• 1 Samuel 2:5People who had plenty of food to eat have to work for it now. But the people who were hungry have enough food now. Women who could not have any children have now given birth to seven children. But those who had many children are now alone.
• 2 Kings 5:7When the king of Israel read the letter, he was very upset. He tore his clothes. He said, ‘I am not God, am I? I cannot kill people or make them alive again. Why does he think that I can make this man well again? I see that he is trying to start a fight with me.’
• Deuteronomy 7:13He will love you and he will bless you. He will give you many children so that you become a large nation. He will cause your fields to give you plenty of food: grain, wine and olive oil. He will cause your cows, sheep and goats to have many babies. That is how he will bless you in the land that he promised your ancestors to give you.
• Psalms 113:9He makes the wife who cannot give birth into a happy mother of children. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
• Psalms 127:3Children are a gift from the Lord. He blesses us with descendants.
• Luke 1:42She spoke to Mary in a loud voice, ‘God has made you very happy. He has been good and kind to you more than to other women. He has also been good and kind to your baby.

Commentaries on Genesis 30:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Amos I in God's stead - Amos I greater than God, to give thee what he has refused?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
• 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 30:2

• Bilhah
• Childlessness
• Children
• Emulation
• Family
• Jacob
• Polygamy
• Rachel

In the dictionaries

• Rachel
• Add
• Agate
• Barren
• Coming
• Concubine
• Fruit
• Happy
• Reproach
• Archaeology; Archaeology and Criticism

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