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Rachel
Jacob worked fourteen years to marry her, and she longed for children.
Old and New Testament · Patriarchal era · Genesis, Jeremiah, Matthew · Also known as Wife of Jacob, Daughter of Laban
About Rachel
Rachel was Laban’s younger daughter, a shepherdess whom Jacob met at a well and loved at once. He served seven years for her, but Laban gave him her older sister Leah first, and Jacob served seven more. While Leah had sons, Rachel had none, and she told Jacob, "Give me children, or else I die." At last "God remembered Rachel," and she bore Joseph. She took her father’s household idols when the family left. She died giving birth to Benjamin on the road to Bethlehem, where Jacob set up a pillar over her grave.
The rivalry between Rachel and Leah runs through Genesis 29–30. Centuries later, Jeremiah pictured "Rachel weeping for her children" as Israel went into exile, and Matthew applied those words to the grief at Bethlehem after Jesus’ birth.
The story
At the well
Rachel came with her father’s sheep, "for she kept them." Jacob rolled the stone from the well’s mouth and watered the flock. "And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept," and told her he was her relative.
Genesis 29:9-12
Seven years, then seven more
"Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. And Jacob loved Rachel." He served seven years for her, but on the wedding night Laban gave him Leah. A week later Jacob married Rachel too, "and he loved also Rachel more than Leah," and served seven more years.
Genesis 29:16-30
Give me children
Leah had sons, but Rachel had none. "Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die." Years later, "God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her," and she bore a son: "God hath taken away my reproach." She called him Joseph.
Genesis 30:1-2; 30:22-24
On the way to Bethlehem
On the journey from Bethel, Rachel went into hard labour. As she was dying she named her son Ben-oni, "son of my sorrow," but Jacob called him Benjamin. "And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave."
Genesis 35:16-20
Key moments
- Meets Jacob at the well: He kissed her and wept. (Genesis 29:11)
- Marries Jacob: After Leah, by Laban’s trick. (Genesis 29:28)
- "Give me children": Years of waiting. (Genesis 30:1)
- Joseph is born: "God remembered Rachel." (Genesis 30:22-24)
- Dies giving birth to Benjamin: Buried on the way to Bethlehem. (Genesis 35:19)
Questions about Rachel
In meetBible these answers are given in Rachel’s voice. They are written by hand and checked against Scripture.
Why were you jealous of Leah?
Jacob loved me more, but Leah had son after son while I had none. Genesis says plainly, "Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die." Jacob answered angrily, "Am I in God’s stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?" Our rivalry shows in the names we gave our children.
Connected people
Read it yourself
Start with Genesis 29–30; 35.