Genesis 30:1

New King James Version

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!"

Parallel Translations

English Standard Version
When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, "Give me children, or I shall die!"

Update Bible Version
And when Rachel saw that she did not bear for Jacob, Rachel envied her sister; and she said to Jacob, Give me sons, otherwise I will die.

New Century Version
When Rachel saw that she was not having children for Jacob, she envied her sister Leah. She said to Jacob, "Give me children, or I'll die!"

New English Translation
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!"

Webster's Bible Translation
And when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said to Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.

World English Bible
When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister. She said to Jacob, "Give me children, or else I will die."

Amplified Bible
When Rachel saw that she conceived no children for Jacob, she envied her sister, and said to Jacob, "Give me children, or else I will die."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe Rachel seiy, that sche was vnfruytful, and hadde enuye to the sister, and seide to hir hosebonde, Yyue thou fre children to me, ellis Y schal die.

Young's Literal Translation
And Rachel seeth that she hath not borne to Jacob, and Rachel is envious of her sister, and saith unto Jacob, `Give me sons, and if there is none -- I die.'

Berean Standard Bible
When Rachel saw that she was not bearing any children for Jacob, she envied her sister. "Give me children, or I will die!" she said to Jacob.

Contemporary English Version
Rachel was very jealous of Leah for having children, and she said to Jacob, "I'll die if you don't give me some children!"

Complete Jewish Bible
When Rachel saw that she was not bearing children for Ya‘akov, she envied her sister and said to Ya‘akov, "Give me children, or I will die!"

American Standard Version
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.

Bible in Basic English
Now Rachel, because she had no children, was full of envy of her sister; and she said to Jacob, If you do not give me children I will not go on living.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Rachel when she sawe that she bare Iacob no children, she enuied her sister, and sayde vnto Iacob: Geue me children, or els I am but dead.

Darby Translation
And when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.

Easy-to-Read Version
Rachel saw that she was not giving Jacob any children. She became jealous of her sister Leah. So Rachel said to Jacob, "Give me children, or I will die!"

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and she said unto Jacob: 'Give me children, or else I die.'

King James Version (1611)
And when Rachel saw that shee bare Iacob no children, Rachel enuied her sister, and said vnto Iacob, Giue mee children, or els I die.

King James Version
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 Life Bible
When Rachel saw that she had not given birth to any children for Jacob, she became jealous of her sister. She said to Jacob, "Give me children, or else I am going to die!"

New Revised Standard
When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister; and she said to Jacob, "Give me children, or I shall die!"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Rachel saw she had borne no children unto Jacob, so Rachel became envious of her sister, - and said unto Jacob, Come! give me children, or else, I die.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And when Rahel saw that she bare Iaakob no children, Rahel enuied her sister, and said vnto Iaakob, Giue me children, or els I dye.

George Lamsa Translation
AND when Rachel saw that she was not bearing children to Jacob, she envied her sister; and said to Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.

Good News Translation
But Rachel had not borne Jacob any children, and so she became jealous of her sister and said to Jacob, "Give me children, or I will die."

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Rachel seeing herself without children, envied her sister, and said to her husband: Give me children, otherwise I shall die.

Revised Standard Version
When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister; and she said to Jacob, "Give me children, or I shall die!"

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Rachel having perceived that she bore Jacob no children, was jealous of her sister; and said to Jacob, Give me children; and if not, I shall die.

English Revised Version
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.

Christian Standard Bible®
When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she envied her sister. “Give me sons, or I will die!” she said to Jacob.

Hebrew Names Version
When Rachel saw that she bore Ya`akov no children, Rachel envied her sister. She said to Ya`akov, "Give me children, or else I will die."

Lexham English Bible
When Rachel saw that she could not bear children to Jacob, Rachel envied her sister. And she said to Jacob, "Give me children—if not, I will die!"

Literal Translation
And Rachel saw that she did not bear to Jacob, and Rachel was jealous of her sister. And she said to Jacob, Give me sons; and if there is none, I shall die.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
When Rachel sawe that she bare no children vnto Iacob, she had enuye at hir sister, & saide vnto Iacob: Geue me childre also, or els I am but deed.

THE MESSAGE
When Rachel realized that she wasn't having any children for Jacob, she became jealous of her sister. She told Jacob, "Give me sons or I'll die!"

New American Standard Bible
Now when Rachel saw that she had not borne Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister; and she said to Jacob, "Give me children, or else I am going to die."

New Living Translation
When 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!"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she became jealous of her sister; and she said to Jacob, "Give me children, or else I die."

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, so she became jealous of her sister; and she said to Jacob, "Give me children, or else I die."

Contextual Overview

¹ 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!" ² 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?" ³ So she said, "Here is my maid Bilhah; go in to her, and she will bear a child on my knees, that I also may have children by her." ⁴ Then she gave him Bilhah her maid as wife, and Jacob went in to her. ⁵ And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. ⁶ Then Rachel said, "God has judged my case; and He has also heard my voice and given me a son." Therefore she called his name Dan. [fn] ⁷ And Rachel's maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. ⁸ Then Rachel said, "With great wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and indeed I have prevailed." So she called his name Naphtali. [fn] ⁹ When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing, she took Zilpah her maid and gave her to Jacob as wife. ¹⁰ And Leah's maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

when Rachel: Genesis 29:31

Rachel envied: Envy and jealousy are most tormenting passions to the breast which harbours them, vexatious to all around, and introductory to much impatience and ungodliness. "Who is able to stand before envy?" Genesis 37:11, 1 Samuel 1:4-8, Psalms 106:16, Proverbs 14:30, Ecclesiastes 4:4, 1 Corinthians 3:3, Galatians 5:21, Titus 3:3, James 3:14, James 4:5

or else I die: Genesis 35:16-19, Genesis 37:11, Numbers 11:15, Numbers 11:29, 1 Kings 19:4, Job 3:1-3, Job 3:11, Job 3:20-22, Job 5:2, Job 13:19, Jeremiah 20:14-18, John 4:3, John 4:8, 2 Corinthians 7:10

Reciprocal: Genesis 11:30 - barren Genesis 15:2 - childless Genesis 29:17 - Rachel Genesis 32:22 - his two wives Genesis 35:18 - her soul Exodus 1:1 - General Exodus 17:2 - Give us Ruth 4:11 - Rachel 2 Kings 4:14 - she hath no child 2 Kings 4:28 - Did I desire Psalms 106:33 - he spake Psalms 127:3 - children Luke 1:7 - they had Acts 7:8 - and Jacob 1 Corinthians 13:4 - envieth

Cross-References

Genesis 29:31
When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.

Genesis 30:1
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!"

Genesis 30:3
So she said, "Here is my maid Bilhah; go in to her, and she will bear a child on my knees, that I also may have children by her."

Genesis 30:4
Then she gave him Bilhah her maid as wife, and Jacob went in to her.

Genesis 30:8
Then Rachel said, "With great wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and indeed I have prevailed." So she called his name Naphtali. [fn]

Genesis 30:14
Now Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes."

Genesis 30:16
When Jacob came out of the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, "You must come in to me, for I have surely hired you with my son's mandrakes." And he lay with her that night.

Genesis 30:18
Leah said, "God has given me my wages, because I have given my maid to my husband." So she called his name Issachar. [fn]

Genesis 30:19
Then Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son.

Genesis 30:20
And Leah said, "God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons." So she called his name Zebulun. [fn]

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children,.... In the space of three or four years after marriage, and when her sister Leah had had four sons:

Rachel envied her sister; the honour she had of bearing children, and the pleasure in nursing and bringing them up, when she lay under the reproach of barrenness: or, "she emulated her sisters" z; was desirous of having children even as she, which she might do, and yet not be guilty of sin, and much less of envy, which is a very heinous sin:

and said unto Jacob, give me children, or else I die; Rachel could never be so weak as to imagine that it was in the power of Jacob to give her children at his pleasure, or of a barren woman to make her a fruitful mother of children; though Jacob at sight seems so to have understood her: but either, as the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it, that he would pray the Lord to give her children, as Isaac prayed for Rebekah; so Aben Ezra and Jarchi: or that he would, think of some means or other whereby she might have children, at least that might be called hers; and one way she had in view, as appears from what follows: or otherwise she suggests she could not live comfortably; not that she should destroy herself, as some have imagined; but that she should be so uneasy in her mind, that her life would be a burden to her; that death would be preferred to it, and her fretting herself for want of children, in all probability, would issue in it.

z תקנא "aemulata est", Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Schmidt.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

- 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 g^edûd, “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 the abbreviated form ישׂכר yı̂śākār.

20. זבלוּן z^ebulûn, Zebulun, “dwelling.” There is here a play upon the two words זבד zābad, “to endow” and זבל zābal, “to dwell,” the latter of which, however, prevails in the name. They occur only here as verbs.

21. דינה dı̂ynâh, Dinah, “judgment.”

24. יסף yôsêph, Joseph, “he shall add.” There is, however, an obvious allusion to the thought. “God hath taken away (אסף 'āsap) my reproach.” Double references, we find, are usual in the giving of names (see Genesis 25:30).

This chapter is the continuation of the former, and completes the history of Jacob in Haran. The event immediately following probably took place after Leah had borne two of her sons, though not admitted into the narrative until she had paused for a short time.

Genesis 30:1-8

Bilhah, Rachel’s maid, bears two sons. Rachel becomes impatient of her barrenness and jealous of her sister, and unjustly reproaches her husband, who indignantly rebukes her. God, not he, has withheld children from her. She does what Sarah had done before her Genesis 16:2-3, gives her handmaid to her husband. No express law yet forbade this course, though nature and Scripture by implication did Genesis 2:23-25. “Dan.” “God hath judged me.” In this passage Jacob and Rachel use the common noun, God, the Everlasting, and therefore Almighty, who rules in the physical relations of things - a name suitable to the occasion. He had judged her, dealt with her according to his sovereign justice in withholding the fruit of the womb, when she was self-complacent and forgetful of her dependence on a higher power; and also in hearing her voice when she approached him in humble supplication. “Naphtali.” “Wrestlings of God,” with God, in prayer, on the part of both sisters, so that they wrestled with one another in the self-same act. Rachel, though looking first to Jacob and then to her maid, had at length learned to look to her God, and then had prevailed.

Genesis 30:9-13

Leah having stayed from bearing, resorts to the same expedient. Her fourth son was seemingly born in the fourth year of Jacob’s marriage. Bearing her first four sons so rapidly, she would the sooner observe the temporary cessation. After the interval of a year she may have given Zilpah to Jacob. “Gad.” “Victory cometh.” She too claims a victory. “Asher.” Daughters will pronounce her happy who is so rich in sons. Leah is seemingly conscious that she is here pursuing a device of her own heart; and hence there is no explicit reference to the divine name or influence in the naming of the two sons of her maid.

Genesis 30:14-21

“Reuben” was at this time four or five years of age, as it is probable that Leah began to bear again before Zilpah had her second son. “Mandrakes” - the fruit of the “mandragora vernaIis,” which is to this day supposed to promote fruitfulness of the womb. Rachel therefore desires to partake of them, and obtains them by a compact with Leah. Leah betakes herself to prayer, and bears a fifth son. She calls him “Issakar,” with a double allusion. She had hired her husband with the mandrakes, and had received this son as her hire for giving her maid to her husband; which she regards as an act of generosity or self-denial. “Zebulun.” Here Leah confesses, “God hath endowed me with a good dowry.” She speaks now like Rachel of the God of nature. The cherished thought that her husband will dwell with her who is the mother of six sons takes form in the name. “Dinah” is the only daughter of Jacob mentioned Genesis 46:7, and that on account of her subsequent connection with the history of Jacob Genesis 34:0. Issakar appears to have been born in the sixth year after Jacob’s marriage, Zebulun in the seventh, and Dinah in the eighth.

Genesis 30:22-24

“God remembered Rachel,” in the best time for her, after he had taught her the lessons of dependence and patience. “Joseph.” There is a remote allusion to her gratitude for the reproach of barrenness taken away. But there is also hope in the name. The selfish feeling also has died away, and the thankful Rachel rises from Elohim, the invisible Eternal, to Yahweh, the manifest Self-existent. The birth of Joseph was after the fourteen years of service were completed. He and Dinah appear to have been born in the same year.

Genesis 30:25-36

Jacob enters into a new contract of service with Laban. “When Rachel had borne Joseph.” Jacob cannot ask his dismissal until the twice seven years of service were completed. Hence, the birth of Joseph, which is the date of his request, took place at the earliest in the fifteenth year of his sojourn with Laban. Jacob now wishes to return home, from which he had been detained so long by serving for Rachel. He no doubt expects of Laban the means at least of accomplishing his journey. Laban is loath to part with him. “I have divined” - I have been an attentive observer. The result of his observation is expressed in the following words. “Appoint.” Laban offers to leave the fixing of the hire to Jacob. “Thy hire upon me,” which I will take upon me as binding. Jacob touches upon the value of his services, perhaps with the tacit feeling that Laban in equity owed him at least the means of returning to his home. “Brake forth” - increased. “At my foot” - under my guidance and tending of thy flocks.

“Do” - provide. “Thou shalt not give me anything.” This shows that Jacob had no stock from Laban to begin with. “I will pass through all thy flock today” with thee. “Remove thou thence every speckled and spotted sheep, and every brown sheep among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the goats.” These were the rare colors, as in the East the sheep are usually white, and the goats black or dark brown. “And such shall be my hire.” Such as these uncommon party-colored cattle, when they shall appear among the flock already cleared of them; and not those of this description that are now removed. For in this case Laban would have given Jacob something; whereas Jacob was resolved to be entirely dependent on the divine providence for his hire. “And my righteousness will answer for me.” The color will determine at once whose the animal is. Laban willingly consents to so favorable a proposal, removes the party-colored animals from the flock, gives them into the hands of his sons, and puts an interval of three days’ journey between them and the pure stock which remains in Jacob’s hands. Jacob is now to begin with nothing, and have for his hire any party-colored lambs or kids that appear in those flocks, from which every specimen of this rare class has been carefully removed.

Genesis 30:37-43

Jacob devises means to provide himself with a flock in these unfavorable circumstances. His first device is to place party-colored rods before the eyes of the cattle at the rutting season, that they might drop lambs and kids varied with speckles, patches, or streaks of white. He had learned from experience that there is a congruence between the colors of the objects contemplated by the dams at that season and those of their young. At all events they bare many straked, speckled, and spotted lambs and kids. He now separated the lambs, and set the faces of the flock toward the young of the rare colors, doubtless to affect them in the same way as the pilled rods. “Put his own folds by themselves.” These are the party-colored cattle that from time to time appeared in the flock of Laban. In order to secure the stronger cattle, Jacob added the second device of employing the party-colored rods only when the strong cattle conceived. The sheep in the East lamb twice a year, and it is supposed that the lambs dropped in autumn are stronger than those dropped in the spring. On this supposition Jacob used his artifice in the spring, and not in the autumn. It is probable, however, that he made his experiments on the healthy and vigorous cattle, without reference to the season of the year. The result is here stated. “The man brake forth exceedingly” - became rapidly rich in hands and cattle.

It is obvious that the preceding and present chapters form one continuous piece of composition; as otherwise we have no account of the whole family of Jacob from one author. But the names אלהים 'ĕlohı̂ym and יהוה y^ehovâh are both employed in the piece, and, hence, their presence and interchange cannot indicate diversity of authorship.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER XXX

Rachel envies her sister, and chides Jacob, 1.

He reproves her and vindicates himself, 2.

She gives him her maid Bilhah, 3, 4.

She conceives, and bears Daniel 5:6;

and afterwards Naphtali, 7, 8.

Leah gives Zilpah her maid to Jacob, 9.

She conceives and bears Gad, 10, 11,

and also Asher, 12, 13.

Reuben finds mandrakes, of which Rachel requests a part, 14.

The bargain made between her and Leah, 15.

Jacob in consequence lodges with Leah instead of Rachel, 16.

She conceives, and bears Issachar, 17,18,

and Zebulun, 19, 20,

and Dinah, 21.

Rachel conceives, and bears Joseph, 22-24.

Jacob requests permission from Laban to go to his own country, 25, 26.

Laban entreats him to tarry, and offers to give him what

wages he shall choose to name, 27, 28.

Jacob details the importance of his services to Laban, 29, 30,

and offers to continue those services for the speckled and

spotted among the goats, and the brown among the sheep, 31-33.

Laban consents, 34,

and divides all the ring-streaked and spotted among the

he-goats, the speckled and spotted among the she-goats,

and the brown among the sheep, and puts them under the

care of his sons, and sets three days' journey between

himself and Jacob, 35, 36.

Jacob's stratagem of the pilled rods, to cause the cattle

to bring forth the ring-streaked, speckled, and spotted, 37-39.

In consequence of which he increased his flock greatly,

getting all that was strong and healthy in the flock of

Laban, 40-43.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXX

Verse Genesis 30:1. Give 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!