New English Translation
Genesis 30:1
1When Rachel saw that she could not give Jacob children, 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
When Rachel saw that she could not give Jacob children, she became jealous of her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children or I’ll die!” 2Jacob became furious with Rachel and exclaimed, “Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?” 3She replied, “Here is my servant Bilhah! Have sexual relations with her so that she can bear children for me and I can have a family 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 that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to become pregnant while Rachel remained childless.
- Genesis 37:11His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept in mind what Joseph said.
- 1 Samuel 1:4Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he used to give meat portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.
- Psalms 106:16In the camp they resented Moses, and Aaron, the Lord’s holy priest.
- Proverbs 14:30A tranquil spirit revives the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones.
- Ecclesiastes 4:4Then I considered all the skillful work that is done: Surely it is nothing more than competition between one person and another. This also is profitless – like chasing the wind.
- 1 Corinthians 3:3for you are still influenced by the flesh. For since there is still jealousy and dissension among you, are you not influenced by the flesh and behaving like unregenerate people?
- Galatians 5:21envying, murder, drunkenness, carousing, and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!
- James 3:14But if you have bitter jealousy and selfishness in your hearts, do not boast and tell lies against the truth.
- James 4:5Or do you think the scripture means nothing when it says, “The spirit that God caused to live within us has an envious yearning”?
- Genesis 35:16They traveled on from Bethel, and when Ephrath was still some distance away, Rachel went into labor – and her labor was hard.
- Numbers 11:15But if you are going to deal with me like this, then kill me immediately. If I have found favor in your sight then do not let me see my trouble.”
- 1 Kings 19:4while he went a day’s journey into the desert. He went and sat down under a shrub and asked the Lord to take his life: “I’ve had enough! Now, O Lord, take my life. After all, I’m no better than my ancestors.”
- Job 3:1After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day he was born.
- Job 5:2For wrath kills the foolish person, and anger slays the silly one.
- Job 13:19Who will contend with me? If anyone can, 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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