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

1When Rachel saw that she wasn’t having any children for Jacob, she became jealous of her sister. She pleaded with Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!” Then Jacob became furious with Rachel. “Am I God?” he asked. “He’s the one who has kept you from having children!” 3Then Rachel told him, “Take my maid, Bilhah, and sleep with her. She will bear children for me, and through her I can have a family, too.” 4So Rachel gave her servant, Bilhah, to Jacob as a wife, and he slept with her.

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 very angry, and he challenged Laban. “What’s my crime?” he demanded. “What have I done wrong to make you chase after me as though I were a criminal?
• Exodus 32:19When they came near the camp, Moses saw the calf and the dancing, and he burned with anger. He threw the stone tablets to the ground, smashing them at the foot of the mountain.
• Matthew 5:22But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.
• Mark 3:5He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored!
• Ephesians 4:26And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry,
• Genesis 16:2So Sarai said to Abram, “The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal.
• Genesis 25:21Isaac pleaded with the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children. The Lord answered Isaac’s prayer, and Rebekah became pregnant with twins.
• Genesis 50:19But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you?
• 1 Samuel 1:5And though he loved Hannah, he would give her only one choice portion because the Lord had given her no children.
• 1 Samuel 2:5Those who were well fed are now starving, and those who were starving are now full. The childless woman now has seven children, and the woman with many children wastes away.
• 2 Kings 5:7When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes in dismay and said, “Am I God, that I can give life and take it away? Why is this man asking me to heal someone with leprosy? I can see that he’s just trying to pick a fight with me.”
• Deuteronomy 7:13He will love you and bless you, and he will give you many children. He will give fertility to your land and your animals. When you arrive in the land he swore to give your ancestors, you will have large harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil, and great herds of cattle, sheep, and goats.
• Psalms 113:9He gives the childless woman a family, making her a happy mother. Praise the Lord!
• Psalms 127:3Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.
• Luke 1:42Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.

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