Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
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(2.) Her heart is inordinately set upon it, and, if she have not what she would have, she will throw away her life, and all the comforts of it. "Give them to me, or else I die," that is, "I shall fret myself to death; the want of this satisfaction will shorten my days." Some think she threatens Jacob to lay violent hands upon herself, if she could not obtain this mercy.
(3.) She did not apply to God by prayer, but to Jacob only, forgetting that children are a heritage of the Lord, Ps 127:3. We wrong both God and ourselves when our eye is more to men, the instruments of our crosses and comforts, than to God the author. Observe a difference between Rachel's asking for this mercy and Hannah's, 1Sa 1:10, 11, &c. Rachel envied; Hannah wept. Rachel must have children, and she died of the second; Hannah prayed for one child, and she had four more. Rachel is importunate and peremptory; Hannah is submissive and devout. If thou wilt give me a child, I will give him to the Lord. Let Hannah be imitated, and not Rachel; and let our desires be always under the direction and control of reason and religion.
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?
Jacob chides, and most justly. He loved Rachel, and therefore reproved her for what she said amiss, Ge 30:2. Note, Faithful reproofs and products and instances of true affection, Ps 141:5, Pr 27:5, 6. Job reproved his wife when she spoke the language of the foolish women, Job 2:10. See 1Co 7:16. He was angry, not at the person, but at the sin; he expressed himself so as to show his displeasure. Note, sometimes it is requisite that a reproof should be given warm, like a medical potion; not too hot, lest it scald the patient; yet not cold, lest it prove ineffectual. It was a very grave and pious reply which Jacob gave to Rachel's peevish demand: Am I in God's stead? The Chaldee paraphrases it well, Dost thou ask sons of me? Oughtest thou not to ask them from before the Lord? The Arabic reads it, "Am I above God? Can I give thee that which God denies thee?" This was said like a plain man. Observe,