Revised Version 1895
Genesis 30:1
1And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and she said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I 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
And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and she said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. 2And 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? 3And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; that she may bear upon my knees, and I also may obtain children by 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
- Rachelרָחֵלrâchêl · RachelH7354
- sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- sheכִּיkîy · forH3588
- Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
- noלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- enviedקָנָאqânâ' · be jealousH7065
- herאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- sisterאָחוֹת'âchôth · sisterH269
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Giveיָהַבyâhab · to giveH3051
- dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
Cross-references for Genesis 30:1
- Genesis 29:31And the LORD saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.
- Genesis 37:11And his brethren envied him; but his father kept the saying in mind.
- 1 Samuel 1:4And when the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters portions:
- Psalms 106:16They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the LORD.
- Proverbs 14:30A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy is the rottenness of the bones.
- Ecclesiastes 4:4Then I saw all labour and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
- 1 Corinthians 3:3for ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you jealousy and strife, are ye not carnal, and walk after the manner of men?
- Galatians 5:21envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I forewarn you, even as I did forewarn you, that they which practise such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
- James 3:14But if ye have bitter jealousy and faction in your heart, glory not and lie not against the truth.
- James 4:5Or think ye that the scripture speaketh in vain? Doth the spirit which he made to dwell in us long unto envying?
- Genesis 35:16And they journeyed from Beth-el; and there was still some way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour.
- Numbers 11:15And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.
- 1 Kings 19:4But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
- Job 3:1After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.
- Job 5:2For vexation killeth the foolish man, and jealousy slayeth the silly one.
- Job 13:19Who is he that will contend with me? for now shall I hold my peace and give up the ghost.
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
Revised Version 1895 — 1895 — Public Domain
Commentaries