God’s Word Translation
Genesis 30:1
1Rachel saw that she could not have children for Jacob, and she became jealous of her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!”
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
Rachel saw that she could not have children for Jacob, and she became jealous of her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!” 2Jacob became angry with Rachel and asked, “Can I take the place of God, who has kept you from having children?” 3She said, “Here’s my servant Bilhah. Sleep with her. She can have children for me, and I can build a family for myself through her.”
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 Leah was unloved, he made it possible for her to have children, but Rachel had none.
- Genesis 37:11So his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept thinking about these things.
- 1 Samuel 1:4Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he would give portions of it to his wife Peninnah and all her sons and daughters.
- Psalms 106:16In the camp certain men became envious of Moses. They also became envious of Aaron, the Lord’s holy one.
- Proverbs 14:30A tranquil heart makes for a healthy body, but jealousy is ⌞like⌟ bone cancer.
- Ecclesiastes 4:4Then I saw that all hard work and skillful effort come from rivalry. Even this is pointless. ⌞It’s like⌟ trying to catch the wind.
- 1 Corinthians 3:3because you’re still influenced by your corrupt nature. When you are jealous and quarrel among yourselves, aren’t you influenced by your corrupt nature and living by human standards?
- Galatians 5:21envy, drunkenness, wild partying, and similar things. I’ve told you in the past and I’m telling you again that people who do these kinds of things will not inherit God’s kingdom.
- James 3:14But if you are bitterly jealous and filled with self-centered ambition, don’t brag. Don’t say that you are wise when it isn’t true.
- James 4:5Do you think this passage means nothing? It says, “The Spirit that lives in us wants us to be his own.”
- Genesis 35:16Then they moved on from Bethel. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel went into labor and was having severe labor pains.
- Numbers 11:15If this is how you’re going to treat me, why don’t you just kill me? I can’t face this trouble anymore.”
- 1 Kings 19:4Then he traveled through the wilderness for a day. He sat down under a broom plant and wanted to die. “I’ve had enough now, Lord,” he said. “Take my life! I’m no better than my ancestors.”
- Job 3:1After all this, Job ⌞finally⌟ opened his mouth and cursed the day he was born.
- Job 5:2Certainly, anger kills a stubborn fool, and jealousy murders a gullible person.
- Job 13:19Who can make a case against me? If someone could, I’d 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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