Genesis 30:1-13

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 30:1-13

We have here the bad consequences of that strange marriage which Jacob made with the two sisters. Here is, I. An unhappy disagreement between him and Rachel (Gen. 30:1, 2), occasioned, not so much by her own barrenness as by her sister's fruitfulness. Rebekah, the only wife of Isaac, was long childless, and yet we find no uneasiness between her and Isaac; but here, because Leah bears children, Rachel cannot live peaceably with Jacob. 1. Rachel frets. She envied her sister, Gen. 30:1. Envy is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 30:1

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" F26 תקנא "aemulata est", Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Schmidt. ; was desirous of having children even as she, which she... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 30:2

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 ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 30:3

And she said ,.... in order to pacify Jacob, and explain her meaning to him; which was, not that she thought it was in his power to make her the mother of children, but that he would think of some way or another of obtaining children for her, that might go for hers; so the Arabic version, "obtain a son for me": but, since no method occurred to him, she proposes one: behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her , take her and use her as thy wife: and she shall bear upon my knees ; either sit... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 30:4

And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid ,.... To be enjoyed as a wife, though she was no other than a concubine; yet such were sometimes called wives, and were secondary ones, and were under the proper lawful wife, nor did their children inherit; but those which Jacob had by his wives' maids did inherit with the rest: and Jacob went in unto her ; consenting to what Rachel his wife proposed to him: having concubines, as well as more wives than one, were not thought criminal in those times,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 30:5

And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son. This was so far countenanced by the Lord, that he blessed her with conception, and Jacob with a son by her. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 30:6

And Rachel said ,.... As soon as she heard that Bilhah had bore a son: God hath judged me : and hereby testified his approbation, as she understood it, of the step she had took in giving her maid to her husband, and she was justified in what she had done: and hath also heard my voice : of prayer; she had prayed to God that her maid might have a child, or she have one by her: and hath given me a son ; whom she reckoned her own, Bilhah being her servant, and so her children born of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 30:7

And Bilhah, Rachel's maid, conceived again ,.... Soon after the birth of her first child: and bare Jacob a second son ; this was his sixth son, but the second by Bilhah. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 30:8

And Rachel said, with great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister ,.... Or, "with the wrestlings of God" F1 נפתולי אלהים "luctationibus Dei", Montanus, Vatablus, Drusius, Cartwright. , wrestling and striving in prayer with God; being vehement and importunate in her petitions to him, that she might have children as well as her sister: some render it, "I used the craftinesses of God", or "great craftiness with my sisters" F2 "Calliditatibus Dei, Oleaster, astutiis Dei",... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 30:9

When Leah saw that she had left bearing ,.... For a little while, for she afterwards bore again, and observing also what her sister had done: she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife : in this she was less excusable than Rachel, since she had four children of her own, and therefore might have been content without desiring others by her maid; nor had she long left off bearing, and therefore had no reason to give up hope of having any more. read more

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