Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel: Jacob becomes angry because Rachel’s demand accuses Jacob of withholding children from her. The Hebrew says literally “Jacob’s anger burned against Rachel.” In some languages this thought must be expressed metaphorically; for example, “Jacob’s face grew hot” or “Jacob’s eyes became red.”

Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?: Jacob’s rhetorical question is a denial that he has the means of fulfilling her demand. If the rhetorical question is not retained, we may translate, for example, “I am not God. It is God who keeps you from having children.” See Good News Translation. It may also be possible to restructure this as a statement followed by a rhetorical question, “God is the one who won’t let you have children. Do you think I am God?”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .