Bereshis 30:2

2 And af Ya’akov was kindled against Rachel; and he said, Am I in place of Elohim, Who hath withheld from thee p’ri beten?

Bereshis 30:2 Meaning and 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 ( 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 thee the fruit of the womb?
children, ( Psalms 127:3 ) ; not Jacob, but the Lord.

Bereshis 30:2 In-Context

1 0 And when Rachel saw that she did not bear [banim] to Ya’akov, Rachel had kina toward her achot; and said unto Ya’akov, Give me banim, or else I die.

2 And af Ya’akov was kindled against Rachel; and he said, Am I in place of Elohim, Who hath withheld from thee p’ri beten?

3 And she said, Hinei my amah (maidservant) Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my birkayim, that I may also build up through her.

4 And she gave him Bilhah her shifchah (slave woman, maidservant) as isha; and Ya’akov went in unto her.

5 And Bilhah conceived, and bore Ya’akov ben.