Genesis 25 · Verse 22

Genesis 25:22

And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the Lord.
Genesis 25:22, King James Version

Genesis 25:22 in other translations

BSBBut the children inside her struggled with each other, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So Rebekah went to inquire of the LORD,
WEBThe children struggled together within her. She said, “If it is like this, why do I live?” She went to inquire of the LORD.
ASVAnd the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, wherefore do I live? And she went to inquire of Jehovah.
YLTand the children struggle together within her, and she saith, ‘If it is right--why am I thus?' and she goeth to seek Jehovah.
DARBYAnd the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of Jehovah.
BBEAnd the children were fighting together inside her, and she said, If it is to be so, why am I like this? So she went to put her question to the Lord.
WebsterAnd the children struggled together within her: and she said, If it is so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the LORD.

What does Genesis 25:22 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 22 The children struggled together - יתרצצו yithrotsatsu, they dashed against or bruised each other, there was a violent agitation, so that the mother was apprehensive both of her own and her children's safety; and, supposing this was an uncommon case, she went to inquire of the Lord, as the good women in the present day would go to consult a surgeon or physician; for intercourse with God is not so common now, as it was in those times of great primitive simplicity. There are different opinions concerning the manner in which Rebekah inquired of the Lord. Some think it was by faith and prayer simply; others, that she went to Shem or Melchizedek; but Shem is supposed to have been dead ten years before this time; but as Abraham was yet alive, she might have gone to him, and consulted the Lord through his means. It is most likely that a prophet or priest was applied to on this occasion. It appears she was in considerable perplexity, hence that imperfect speech, If so, why am I thus? the simple meaning of which is probably this; if I must suffer such things, why did I ever wish to have a child? A speech not uncommon to mothers in their first pregnancy.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 25:19-26

Isaac seems not to have been much tried, but to have spent his days in quietness. Jacob and Esau were prayed for; their parents, after being long childless, obtained them by prayer. The fulfilment of God's promise is always sure, yet it is often slow. The faith of believers is tried, their patience exercised, and mercies long waited for are more welcome when they come. Isaac and Rebekah kept in view the promise of…

Read the full comment on Genesis 25:19-26 →

Genesis 25:22 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּתְרֹֽצֲצ֤וּvai.yit.ro.tza.Tzuand they struggled togetherH7533
הַבָּנִים֙ha.ba.Nimthe childrenH1121
בְּקִרְבָּ֔הּbe.kir.Bahin inward part[s] herH7130
וַתֹּ֣אמֶרva.To.merand she saidH559
אִם\־'im-ifH518
כֵּ֔ןKenthusH3651
לָ֥מָּהLa.mah<to> why?H4100
זֶּ֖הzehthisH2088
אָנֹ֑כִי'a.No.khi[am] IH595
וַתֵּ֖לֶךְva.Te.lekhand she wentH1980
לִדְרֹ֥שׁlid.Roshto consultH1875
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
יְהוָֽה\׃Yah.wehYahwehH3068

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 25:22

  • 1 Samuel 9:9

    (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)

  • 1 Samuel 28:6

    And when Saul enquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.

  • 1 Samuel 30:8

    And David enquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.

  • 1 Samuel 10:22

    Therefore they enquired of the Lord further, if the man should yet come thither. And the Lord answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.

  • Ezekiel 20:31

    For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be enquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be enquired of by you.

  • Ezekiel 36:37

    Thus saith the Lord God; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock.

  • 1 Samuel 22:15

    Did I then begin to enquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
A.M. 2168. B.C. 1836. enquire.
1Sa 9:9; 10:22; 22:15; 28:6; 30:8; Eze 20:31; 36:37

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 25:21

    And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

  • Genesis 25:22

    And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the Lord.

  • Genesis 25:23

    And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.

Read all of Genesis 25

Genesis 25:22 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y los hijos se combatían dentro de ella; y dijo: Si es así ¿para qué vivo yo? Y fué á consultar á Jehová.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et les enfants s’entre-poussaient dans son sein; et elle dit: S’il en est ainsi, pourquoi suis-je là? Et elle alla consulter l’ Éternel.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und die Kinder stießen sich in ihr; und sie sprach: Wenn es so steht, warum bin ich dies? Und sie ging hin, Jehova zu befragen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Sed collidebantur in utero ejus parvuli; quæ ait: Si sic mihi futurum erat, quid necesse fuit concipere? perrexitque ut consuleret Dominum.