The people cooperate fully by giving him everything, including earrings. Rachel: The beloved wife of Jacob who endured childlessness until God opened her womb. When Laban came to search her tent, Rachel asked him to excuse her for not rising, because she was menstruating. He tells her son, Joseph, that to “his sorrow she died on the journey and that he had to bury her alongside the road.” They could not be united even in death. He is ready to exert his authority. But his beloved Rachel dies, and Jacob must bury her. Read Genesis 35:16-30. After Jacob ran away from his brother Esau, he went to live with his mother’s family in Haran. The death of the body is but the departure of the soul to the world of spirits. He gave Jacob a dose… Nothing happens as a result, even though Jacob “hears about it.” Neither Jacob nor Reuben ever mention it again, – until Jacob speaks of it on his deathbed. 18 Rachel died while giving birth to the son. 16 Then they journeyed from Bethel. Rachel, Jacob's other wife, is said to be buried separately at what is known as Rachel's Tomb, near Bethlehem, at the site where she is believed to have died in childbirth. And Jacob set up a pillar over her grave; that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day (Genesis 35:16-20). Bethlehem is now an Arab-controlled town. Nobody knows. xxi., where the number 37 must be corrected to 36). Leah conceived a son that very evening, and bore him the next year. After this, God reveals himself to Jacob once again. When Jacob came to die in extreme old age, he spoke sorrowfully of the early loss of his beloved Rachel who through her years had been caught in a … Benjamin is Born, Rachel Dies … 18 And with her last breath—for she was dying—she named him Ben-oni. The Bible text doesn't shed too much light on Rachel's motivation. While none of this is new information, the fact that God repeats his promises at this point is highly significant. Rachel was the wife of Jacob (grandson of Abraham) and the mother of two sons—Joseph and Benjamin. But Rachel was not content with this. Tadshe, in Epstein, "Mi-Ḳadmoniyyot ha-Yehudim," Supplement, p. i 19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). There are a few theories regarding why Rachel stole her father Laban's idols. She hid these teraphim in her saddle bag, and sat on them. She bore another son and a daughter over the next two years. Scholars debate whether these are rings from their own ears or rings worn by the gods. Bethel is the site of God’s revelation to him when he was fleeing from Esau. (NIV) Genesis 27:14-17 So he went and got them and brought them to his mother, and she prepared some tasty food, just the way his father liked it. Rachel and Leah both took Jacob's side. [20] And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day. She And in a very small way, that could be what Reuben is trying to do, too. 1777 BC-1759 BC-1738 BC) was the second wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. Rachel gave birth to Joseph, one of the most important figures of the Old Testament, who saved the nation of Israel during a famine. Her name is found more than forty times in the Old Testament. She also covered his hands and the smooth part of his neck with the goatskins. Benoni is the only one of Jacob’s children who is born in the land of Canaan and the only instance in which Jacob is involved in the naming of a child. The Messiah The subject of a coming Messiah is woven into every part of the Old Testament. This time it is God that says, “From now on your name is Israel.” The angel had told him that as dawn was breaking after a night of wrestling. But then, Jacob is still on the other side of the Jordan. As I searched the Bible for references to midwives, my first discovery was that there are relatively few references to midwifery in the Scriptures. And it came about as her soul was departing (for she died), that she named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, and there Jacob told him all these things. [9][10][11], https://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Rachel&oldid=1269771. In Sivan of 2251 AM (May–June 1754 BC, or literally, "in the days of the wheat harvest"), Reuben went into the field and gathered mandrakes (Mandragora officinarum) for his mother Leah. [18] And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin. She said, “This time I will praise the Lord”; SO SHE NAMED HIM JUDAH.” – Genesis 29:34. Bilhah bore two sons, Dan and Naphtali, over the next two years.[1][2][3]. Isaac dies at the age of 180, and both Jacob and Esau unite to bury him. The pains were very bad, and Rachel suffered terribly. [ a ] But Jacob called him Benjamin. It appears from 1 Samuel that she died and was buried in the vicinity of Ramah. Rachel asked Leah for a portion of them, and Leah protested that Rachel already had the favor of Jacob, and now was asking for a supply of the one thing that each woman supposed would make her fertile. He buries her by the side of the road, raising a pillar over her grave. However, the text of Genesis 35:9-15 is a narrative that begins with a recapitulation of an earlier incident: the second appearance of God to Jacob and the renaming of Jacob to Israel. Rachel unquestionably had Jacob's favor, but Rachel was sterile, while Leah was fertile. Rachel's sons became heads of the twelve tribes of Israel. Rachel took Jacob to Laban who gave Jacob a … Note that it was only about 10 years later (refer Gen 47:9) that Jacob and descendants entered Egypt. ] 12 He had told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and a son of Rebekah. Jacob told her that he was the son of her aunt Rebekah. Who was Rachel in the Bible? Before dying, she named the boy Benoni. In giving birth to Benjamin she died, and was buried near Bethlehem (Genesis 35:19). So in noting an irony or two surrounding Rachel’s death in Genesis, I am in no way suggesting that she merited her death. In part two of this series, we looked at the geographical and historical context of Jeremiah 31:15. Rebecca became the wife of Isaac, who was the promised son of Abraham and Sarah. Some have suggested he is hedging his bet by knowing he can always retrieve them later. “Then she became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. Rachel was the younger sister of Leah and daughter of Laban. After the polluting desecration of Shechem, Jacob feels the need for purification. The last section of the chapter lists the names of Jacob’s sons and ends with his visit to Isaac. While looking for his uncle Laban, Jacob met Rachel, Laban’s daughter. She died in childbirth. 2. 19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). When she finally bore Joseph, her hard-won first son, she proclaims, “God has taken away my reproach” (Gen 30:1, Gen 23). 17 And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for # ch. Laban immediately said that if Jacob would serve him for an additional seven years, he could marry Rachel as well. 1. She was an idolator (idol-worshipper) herself. (By the time Genesis ends, everybody significant in the book except God has died anyway.) Nevertheless, such an action is replete with symbolism. Now she is dying because she is giving birth to a son. In addition to throwing out the alien gods, Jacob tells them to purify themselves. Those were the last children she would have. The text states that the pillar is there “to this day.” Interestingly on his own deathbed, Jacob will speak of his beloved Rachel. Rebecca was the daughter of Bethuel, the great-niece of Abraham, and the sister of Laban. This is one of many claims used to discredit the Bible and Christianity. The promises made to Abraham have been successfully transferred to Jacob. Because of the resentment or lack of love that Jacob had for her, God blessed Leah with four sons. He tells her son, Joseph, that to “his sorrow she died on the journey and that he had to bury her alongside the road.” They could not be united even in death. Answer: Rachel is a major character in the early Old Testament; she was a daughter of Laban, sister of Leah, favored wife of Jacob, and mother of two of Jacob’s children. 1 The Biblical Facts. Rebecca appears in the Hebrew Bible as the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob and Esau.According to biblical tradition, Rebecca's father was Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram, also called Aram-Naharaim. The following scriptural facts are used to establish Rebekah’s age at her marriage to Isaac. ; Midr. h But his father named him Benjamin. Rachel’s first son, Joseph, would end up being critically important for the people of Israel to survive after he would bring his entire family into … And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. It is true that Isaac says, “I am old; I do not know the day of my death,” but the reality is that he lives for a very long time afterwards. Before she died, she said that the child should be named Ben-oni, or "son of my pain." Both Abraham and Jacob encounter God at Bethel. But Laban substituted Leah, Rachel's older sister, in her place. It says from here on that Leah stopped having any children. When one of David’s sons sleeps with his father’s concubines, he does it on the rooftop – in view of the entire city. 4. Her first son was Joseph, the future viceroy of Egypt. Somehow, though, Deborah ends up with Jacob, and scholars estimate her age to be well over 100. She died after bearing her second son, in 2266 AM. Rebekah had sent him there to be safe from his angry twin brother, Esau. So Rachel offered her handmaid, Bilhah, as her surrogate. Answer: Benjamin was a son of Jacob and head of one of the twelve tribes of Israel.Benjamin was the twelfth-born and youngest son in Jacob’s family. Jacob offered to serve Laban for seven years, in exchange for the right to marry Rachel. True, they might have been very close in age, since Reuben was the firstborn and she was a servant girl. And there is hope for your future – declares the Lord: your children shall return to their country” (Jer. She was the second daughter of Laban, Rebecca's brother, making Jacob her first cousin. This page was last modified on 11 August 2016, at 17:07. With the birth of Benjamin, Jacob is now the proud father of twelve sons (and one daughter). I am simply noting possible literary connections and trying to probe what they mean. Scholars have also noted that the route Jacob follows mimics the one Abraham took as he entered into the Promised Land. This is the first indication that she is pregnant. [1] In 1620, the Ottoman Turks surrounded the supposed grave with a cube surmounted by a dome. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud. After that, no one wants to go after them. He reiterates Jacob’s new name and the promises made to Abraham and Isaac. But the Bible makes no specific statement to this effect. The midwife comforts and encourages her by saying she is having a son. Despite God’s admonition to remain at Bethel, a few verses later, Jacob and his entourage are on the move. Some rabbinical writings suggest that Rachel and Leah were twins, and were fourteen years old at the time of Jacob's first meeting with Rachel. She followed the guidance of God to hide her son when Pharaoh was killing baby boys. Additionally, the people might have been influenced by the cultic behaviors of the neighboring tribes. He changes Benoni’s name to Benjamin, meaning “son of my good fortune,” or “son of my right hand.” Some scholars think the reference to “my right hand” is a metaphor for strength. We also saw how God chastised Jacob. Rachel is also the younger sister of Leah, Jacob’s first wife, and Jacob’s first cousin.Her father is Laban, the brother of Rebekah.Rebekah is Jacob’s mother. Rachel is also the mother of Joseph and Benjamin, Jacob’s two youngest sons. And while the people are getting ready to set out, the Lord sends a paralyzing fear upon the neighboring tribes. As Rachel's death occurred fifteen years after her marriage, she must have died at the age of thirty-six (Seder 'Olam Rabbah l.c. Jacob retorted in anger that he did not stand in the place of God, Who alone decided questions of that sort. He suggests that the Apostles were also numbered twelve, though Judas Iscariot was dead by that time, (John 20:24 ) and cites Saint Augustine to support him. That was a lie. The Bible does not say when Rachel was born, nor how old she was when she married Jacob, nor how long she lived. They shall return from the enemy’s land. Laban agreed. [2] Thus Leah would be the older sister only in the sense of having been born first. The irony hurts. In 1860, Sir Moses Montefiore enlarged this structure. Rachel was cheated by her father. He is the firstborn son, the legitimate heir. Then Rebekah took the best clothes of Esau her older son, which she had in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob. While they are in that region, Reuben goes in and sleeps with Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaiden and his father’s concubine. As far as scholars know, that never happened. A beautiful young woman, she won the heart of her cousin Jacob and became his second wife. 18 As she breathed her last—for she was dying—she named her son Ben-Oni. Now, after the tragedy at Shechem, he returns to Bethel and builds another altar. Sarah was 90 when Abraham was 100 (Genesis 17:17). This time things did not go well for her. The more typical method of destroying idols was to incinerate or pulverize them. God states that Jacob will have land and many descendants. So she said to Jacob, ‘Give me children, or I’ll die!’” ( Genesis 30:1 ). 19 After Herod 32 had died, an 33 angel of the Lord 34 appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 saying, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.” 21 So 35 he got up and took the child and his mother and returned to the land of Israel. Jacob insisted on giving the child the name of Benjamin, or "son of my right hand."[1]. She lives only long enough to give him a name. To comfort her the midwife told her it would be a boy. Rachel once said that if she didn’t have children that she’d die (Gen. 30:1) but ironically, she died after having her second child, Benjamin. The nation of Israel came from Jacob, and the line of Esau became the Edomites. Unfortunately, they are in the middle of nowhere. Following the massacre at Shechem, Jacob fears that the neighboring tribes will seek retribution. Jacob protested, and Laban answered that local custom did not permit a younger sister to marry before the older sister. Question: "Who was Benjamin in the Bible?" He wants everyone to know he is taking over the reigns from his father. Question: "Who was Rachel in the Bible?" 20 Over her tomb Jacob set up a pillar, and to this day that pillar marks Rachel’s tomb. She was caring for her father’s sheep. In any case, Rachel cannot have conceived Benjamin earlier than the springtime. Needless to say, there is plenty of speculation, but no definitive answer about this. Rachel lived in Harran, or Paddan Aram, and that’s where she met her cousin Jacob. Sarah died at aged 127 (Genesis 23:1-2). Earlier in the story, Rachel said she would die if she … 2227 AM-m. 2245 AM-2266 AM) (ca. Rachel was most well-known as the favorite wife of Jacob.She can be found on the Bible Timeline Poster around 1704 B.C. Also, changing clothes has the connotation of leaving the old life behind. Abraham was 100 when Isaac was born (Genesis 21:5). After the famine when he comes back from Egypt, he returns to Bethel and once again calls on the Lord. The 49-year-old host sat down with Rachel Lindsay, who made history as the first Black Bachelorette in 2017, for an interview with Extra on Tuesday, February 9. Regardless, the idols are left behind. At last Rachel prayed to God, and God caused her to conceive. Copyright © 2021 BibleWise.com. 18 As she breathed her last—for she was dying—she named her son Ben-Oni. She told Jacob that if he didn't "give" her children, she would die. Ussher[8] disputes the notion that Benjamin may be counted among the sons born or engendered in Padan-aram. Scholars can’t help but point out that fifty to eighty years earlier (depending on the timeframe), this same Isaac is so frail and infirmed that Jacob is able to steal the blessing intended for Esau, thereby setting all these events into motion. Genesis 27:1-46 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son and said to him, “My son”; and he answered, “Here I am.” Prior to their departure, Jacob tells everyone to “throw out all the alien gods which you have, wash yourselves, and change your clothes.” Some of these gods might have been pilfered from Shechem, but others might have been with them from the beginning of the journey. In a sense, she could represent the final connection to Jacob’s old life, thereby making his rededication/renewal to God complete. The Bible does not tell us. (Genesis 32:24-30 ) The story of the birth of Benjamin and the death of Rachel follows this narrative directly and is continuous with it. All of the references are found in the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament). Continuing with the transition from one generation to the next, Chapter 23 begins with the death of Sarah. So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). Rachel, up to this point, has been barren. God will respond to her tears. The Bible says that this took place at sheep-shearing time,[5] which is always in the springtime. In the four years following their marriage, Leah had four sons; Rachel had none. The custom in those days was for a man to wait at least a week after arranging to marry a woman. But now, Jacob is looking to change all that. Thus she would be eighteen years of age when she married. After the week had passed, Jacob prepared for his wedding night. God tells him to stay there and to build an altar. Similarly, when Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, conceived despite being old and barren, she announced, the Lord “has taken away the disgrace that I have endured among my people” (Luke 1:7, Luke 1:25). The text states that the labor is hard; the birth is difficult. Another option is even more likely. At that time, he tells Reuben that he will not be the preeminent one because he has defiled his father’s bed. While still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel goes into labor. This well had a heavy stone to cap it by night, and Rachel was accustomed to waiting for someone to roll the stone away when all the flocks were gathered. At such an age, a girl might be given adult responsibility in a family that did not (yet) have sons. Rachel will come to represent a dispersed people. Rachel first met Jacob in 2245 AM (1759 BC), at the community well in Haran. Before dying, she named the boy Benoni. Jacob and Rachel- Old Testament Love Story. Ever since Jacob’s night of wrestling, he’s had some sort of limp; maybe he appears weakened to his sons. Leah, along with Jacob, Rachel, their maidservants and their livestock, left her native land of Haran and went to settle in Canaan. When Jacob is running away from Esau, he stops at Bethel and builds an altar. All rights reserved. Rebecca bore two sons, Esau and Jacob. Perhaps it is Reuben’s intent to solidify his mother’s position as chief wife. It appears that such religious practices were tolerated. But had she been obviously pregnant, she would not have been able to lie convincingly. The Hebrew term translated “the midwife” (hameyaledet) may literally be translated “the childbirth assisting woman.” This term occurs in the singular (“midwife”) just three times: in Genesis 35:17, Genesis 38:28 and in Exodus 1:16. Early on, Abraham built an altar at Bethel. With Rachel gone, he wants to make sure Bilhah’s status is in no way upgraded. Jacob favored Rachel because she was prettier. Rachel died while giving birth to Benjamin. Rachel was the beautiful daughter of Laban, brother of Isaac’s wife Rebecca.. Every afternoon when the heat of the day had passed, she watered her flock of sheep at a well near Haran, an outpost of the ancient city of Ur – see Map 1, Bible Maps. Others think it means “south,” referring either to the place of his birth or the future location of the Tribe of Benjamin as one of the southern tribes. Scholars don’t really know why he chooses to bury them. Also, remember when father and son finally reunited and on his dead bed, he gave a brief history of his mom’s, Rachel’s death, to Joseph. Leah suddenly found herself sterile after the birth of Judah, and offered Jacob her own handmaid as well. Rachel probably conceived Benjamin, her second son, in the spring of 2265 AM (1739 BC). She disapproved of her father's (Laban's) … Benjamin's tribe produced the apostle Paul, the greatest missionary of ancient times. It was, but Rachel would not live to see him grow. She married Jacob (2245 AM) when she was old enough to carry an adult responsibility, because Jacob met her when she was leading a flock of sheep to water. Read Genesis 30:1-24 In chapter 29 we saw the that the LORD had compassion on Leah. Genesis 4: Cain and Abel and the Generations that Followed, Genesis 6: The Sons of God and the Daughters of Men, Genesis 10: The Table of Nations – Japheth, Genesis 10: The Table of Nations – Ham (6-20), Genesis 11: The Descendants of Shem and Terah (10-32), Genesis 21: The Birth of Isaac and Expulsion of Ishmael, Genesis 25: Jacob’s Birth and Stolen Birthright, Genesis 28: Jacob Leaves and Encounters God at Bethel, Genesis 29: Jacob Marries Rachel and Leah, Genesis 30-31: Jacob’s Dealings with Laban, Genesis 32-33: Jacob Wrestles at Peniel and Reunites with Esau, Genesis 34: Jacob’s Response to Dinah’s Rape, Genesis 37: Joseph is Sold by His Brothers, Genesis 40: Joseph, the Baker, and the Cupbearer, Genesis 42: Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt, Genesis 42: Joseph’s Brothers Return Home, Genesis 43: Joseph’s Brothers Return to Egypt, Genesis 46: Jacob and Family Move to Egypt, Genesis 47: Pharaoh Meets Joseph’s Family, Genesis 49: Jacob's Final Words to His Sons, Genesis 50: Jacob’s Death and Its Aftermath, Exodus 1: The Oppression of the Israelites, Exodus 2: The Birth and Early Life of Moses, Exodus 11: Announcing the Death of the Firstborn, Exodus 12: Introduction of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, Exodus 12: The Tenth Plague and the Exodus. How did she get there? Isaac died when Jacob was about 120 years old. Rachel had passionately said, Give me children, or else I die; and now that she had children, she died! This page has been accessed 31,086 times. Today a site exists along the road from Jerusalem to Bethlehem that most people say is the tomb of Rachel. For now, however, Jacob keeps going on his way only to set up camp at Migdal Eder. Others suggest that burying them neutralizes their significance. 19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem ). Today the site is surrounded by an armed fortress and under heavy guard. 20 Over her tomb Jacob set up a pillar, and to this day that pillar marks Rachel’s tomb. Rachel (Hebrew: רחל‎, Rāḫēl; "a ewe"[1]) (ca. Reuben is the firstborn. The child is born, and with her dying breath, Rachel names him Benoni, which means “son of my misfortune” or “son of my sorrow.” This is the woman who once had said she would die if she didn’t have sons. The fact that she is named upon her death is also unusual considering there is no comparable statement regarding Rebekah’s death. She “lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old.” She is the only matriarch whose age is recorded at her death. Generations later when her descendants will be sent off into exile, they will pass her grave. At the end of twenty years of service (seven each for Leah and Rachel, and six more for a portion of Laban's flocks), Jacob and Laban fell out. Rachel then offered to allow Leah to lie with Jacob that evening. Rachel immediately told her father Laban about the helpful stranger at the well. Reuben could easily be in his early thirties or forties; he’s a strong man and ready to take over. The plural form (“midwives”) occurs just seven times, and all i… Jacob, however, does not destroy them; he buries them – under a large oak tree! She refuses to be comforted for her children, who are gone.”. 3. Rachel is the mother of Joseph, who God used to deliver Egypt and Israel through years of famine. Thus Rachel knew that Jacob loved her more than he did Leah.[1][2][3][4]. Rachel became really frustrated and angry – she was not getting pregnant. This was the year in which Jacob fled in secret from Laban. Centuries later, the prophet, Jeremiah, will immortalize Rachel’s grave in his famous passage from 31:15, “Thus said the Lord: A cry is heard in Ramah – wailing, bitter weeping – Rachel weeping for her children. She will ask for mercy for them for it is written, “Thus said the Lord: Restrain your voice from weeping, your eyes from shedding tears, for there is a reward for your labor. Nonetheless, Jacob has changed the unfavorable nature of the name to one that is more favorable. This has puzzled scholars for a long time primarily because this is the first indication of her existence. Their passionate romance was marked by love's inspiring endurance and sacrifice as well as its ugly face of jealousy (Genesis 25—35). When Jacob first arrived he fell in love with Rachel, the younger … Matthew 19:16-19. More widely, the term patriarchs can be used to refer to the twenty male ancestor-figures between Adam and Abraham. He’s probably in his mid-nineties by now. There we discovered that in Jeremiah’s day, Rachel was weeping because it was from Ramah that the conquering Babylonians were deporting the captive Jews from Jerusalem. The restrictions on her date of birth are: 1. So it is that when God instructs him to go back to Bethel, Jacob doesn’t hesitate. The text interrupts the story by noting that Rebekah’s nurse, Deborah, dies. But his father called him Benjamin. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's kinsman, and that he was Rebekah's son, and she ran and told her father. Jochebed: The mother of Moses. It only states that she stole the idols. We only know that Rebecca and Rachel were old enough to work with the animals (Rebecca carrying heavy water-pitchers) and that Leah was older than Rachel. 13 As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he hurried to meet him. Therefore, Benjamin must have been conceived shortly before the flight from Laban and born nine months later. But as she approached, a stranger (Jacob) rolled the stone away for her and watered the sheep. The restrictions on her date of birth are: The maximum likely age for Rachel at the time of the birth of Benjamin is thirty-nine years. All of this is intended to illustrate a clean break from the past. This highlights her importance and raises some interesting questions about the age of Isaac on Mount Moriah. Though scholars differ as to why Reuben did this, most agree that he didn’t take Bilhah because he was interested in her. She stole the household idols (teraphim) that belonged to Laban, in the belief that those idols would confer some protective power. She was responsible for taking the sheep to the well for water every day. He surely isn’t the man he used to be. We don’t know the age-difference between the sisters; it could have been one year or ten.