Then Jacob’s anger burned against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?”
Genesis 30:2 (NASB)
In the previous verse, Rachel cries out, “give me children, or I’ll die!”
This passage ties a past thread together. When Rebekah could not conceive, Isaac prayed for his wife and God answered. But in a way, Isaac was also praying for himself.
At this point in the story, Jacob has four sons, so the problem isn’t with him. God isn’t withholding children from *him.*
It is accurate, but it’s also a cruel thing for him say. Also, the text does not show that Isaac prayed for her.
We know Jacob favors Rachel, and he favors her sons when she has children later, but this callousness makes me wonder if Jacob is a bit like his father here: easily swayed.
Isaac favored Esau because he liked what Esau brought him.
Maybe Jacob favors Leah right now, and this is an unfair favoritism.