Genesis 30:2

_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?_ No JFB commentary on these verses....

2._And Jacob’s anger was kindled_. The tenderness of Jacob’s affection rendered him unwilling to offend his wife; yet her unworthy conduct compelled him to do so, when he saw her petulantly exalt herself, not only against her sister, who piously, homily, and thankfully was enjoying the gifts of God; but even against God himself, of whom it is said that the fruit of the womb is his reward. (Psalms 127:3.) On this account, therefore, Jacob is angry, because his wife ascribes nothing to the providence of God, and, by imagining that children are the offspring of chance, would deprive God of the care and government of mankind. It is probable that Jacob had been already sorrowful on account of his wife’s barrenness. He now, therefore, fears lest her folly should still farther provoke God’s anger to inflict more severe strokes. This was a holy indignation, by which Jacob maintained the hono

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 workings of this passion in our minds. Let not our eye be evil towards any of our fellow-servants, because our Master's is good. Jacob loved Rachel, and therefore reproved her for what she said amiss. Faithful reproofs show true affection. God may be to us instead of any creature; but it is sin and folly to place any creature in God's stead, and to place that confidence in any creature, which should be placed in God only. At the persuasion of Rachel, Jacob took Bilhah her handmaid to wife, that, according to the usage of those times, her children might be owned as her mistress's ch...

Verse Genesis 30:2. _AM I IN GOD'S STEAD_] Am I greater than God, to give thee what _he_ has refused?...

- 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__e__dûd_, “troop.” 13. אשׁר _'ǎashēr_, Asher, “prosperity, happiness.”

EXPOSITION GENESIS 30:1 AND WHEN RACHEL SAW (apparently after, though probably before, the birth of Leah's fourth son) THAT SHE BARE JACOB NO CHILDREN (literally, _that she bare not to Jacob_),_ _RACHEL ENVIED HER SISTER (was jealous of her, the root referring to the redness with which the face of an angry woman is suffused); AND SAID UNTO JACOB, GIVE ME CHILDREN (sons), OR ELSE I DIE—literally, _and if not_,_ _I_ am a dead woman; i_._e_. for shame at her sterility. Rachel had three strong reasons for desiring children—that she might emulate her sister, become more dear to her husband, and above all share the hope of being a progenitrix of the promised Seed. If not warranted to infer that Rachel's

AND JACOB'S ANGER WAS KINDLED AGAINST RACHEL,.... Whom yet he dearly loved, hearing her talk in such an extravagant manner, as her words seemed to be, and were not: only expressive of great uneasiness and impatience, but implied what was not in the power of man to do: AND HE SAID, [AM] I IN GOD'S STEAD: do you take me to be God, or one that has a dispensing power from him to do what otherwise no creature can do; and which also he never gives to any? for, as the Targum of Jerusalem on Genesis 30:22 says, this is one of the four keys which God delivers not to an angel or a seraph; even the key of barrenness. Children are the gift of God, and his only, and therefore he is to be sought unto for them: hence Onkelos land Jonathan paraphrase it; "wherefore dost thou seek them of me? shouldest thou not seek them of the Lord?'' who hath withheld from

CHAPTER 30 JACOB WITH LABAN _ 1. The sons of Bilhah: Dan and Naphtali (Genesis 30:1)_ 2. The sons of Zilpah: Gad and Asher (Genesis 30:9) 3. The children of Leah: Issachar, Zebulon and Dinah (Genesis 30:14) 4. The birth of Joseph (Genesis 30:22) 5. Jacob's request to return (Genesis 30:25) 6. Laban's confession and Jacob's prosperity (Genesis 30:27) Little comment is needed on this. The avarice and dec

GENESIS 29:31 TO GENESIS 30:24. THE BIRTH OF JACOB'S CHILDREN. This section is from JE, with slight touches from P. Roughly Genesis 29:31; Genesis 30:9 is from J, Genesis 30:1; Genesis 30:8 is from E, Genesis 30:14 mainly from JE, the two strands here being hard to unravel. It records the origin of the tribes of Israel. It reflects conditions a good deal earlier than those kno

Genesis 29:31 to Genesis 30:24. Birth of Jacob's Children 31 35 (J); Genesis 30:1-24 (J, E and P) In this section is narrated the account of the birth of eleven sons and one daughter. Six of the sons, viz. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun, and the daughter Dinah, are the children of Leah; Gad and Asher are the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid; Dan and Naphtali are the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; and Joseph is the son of Rachel. These are all born to Jacob in Haran. The only son born in Canaan is Benjamin (see Genesis 35:16-19). It has been conjectured that this account not only