Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 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!
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-13 - Rachel envied her sister: envy is grieving at the good of another, tha which no sin is more hateful to God, or more hurtful to our neighbour and ourselves. She considered not that God made the difference, an that in other things she had the advantage. Let us carefully watc against all the risings and workings of this passion in our minds. Le not our eye be evil towards any of our fellow-servants, because ou 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 an 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, Jaco took Bilhah her handmaid to wife, that, according to the usage of thos times, her children might be owned as her mistress's children. Had no Rachel's heart been influenced by evil passions, she would have though her sister's children nearer to her, and more entitled to her care tha Bilhah's. But children whom she had a right to rule, were mor desirable to her than children she had more reason to love. As an earl instance of her power over these children, she takes pleasure in giving them names that carry in them marks of rivalry with her sister. Se what roots of bitterness envy and strife are, and what mischief the make among relations. At the persuasion of Leah, Jacob took Zilpah he handmaid to wife also. See the power of jealousy and rivalship, an admire the wisdom of the Divine appointment, which joins together on man and one woman only; for God hath called us to peace and purity.
Original Hebrew ותרא7200 רחל7354 כי3588 לא3808 ילדה3205 ליעקב3290 ותקנא7065 רחל7354 באחתה269 ותאמר559 אל413 יעקב3290 הבה3051 לי בנים1121 ואם518 אין369 מתה4191 אנכי׃595
