Rachel
רָחֵל · ra.chel · H7354Ῥαχήλ · Rhachēl · G4478“sheep” Hitchcock's 186945 mentions in 5 books, most in Genesis (41)
Who she was
Rachel was the daughter of Laban and the younger sister of Leah (Genesis 29:16). She became the beloved wife of Israel (or 'Jacob'), who worked for Laban for fourteen years to marry her (Genesis 29:18–30). Rachel was initially unable to conceive, while Leah bore several children (Genesis 29:31–35). In her distress, Rachel gave her maidservant Bilhah to Jacob, and Bilhah bore Dan and Naphtali (Genesis 30:1–8). Eventually, God remembered Rachel, and she gave birth to Joseph (Genesis 30:22–24). When Jacob left Laban, Rachel stole her father's household idols (Genesis 31:19). She later hid them and deceived her father when he came searching for them (Genesis 31:34–35). As Jacob's family journeyed to Ephrath (Bethlehem), Rachel went into labor and gave birth to Benjamin, but she died during childbirth (Genesis 35:16–20). Jacob buried her on the way to Ephrath and set up a pillar on her grave (Genesis 35:20). Rachel's sons, Joseph and Benjamin, became two of the twelve tribes of Israel (Genesis 46:19–22). Her tomb became a landmark (1 Samuel 10:2) and is mentioned in Jeremiah 31:15, where her weeping is used as a symbol for Israel's mourning during the Babylonian exile. This passage is also quoted in Matthew 2:18 in relation to Herod's massacre of the innocents.
Article: STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0
Family
Family relations: STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0
Every mention
45 references, counted from STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0 · verse text: World English Bible (public domain)
Genesis41 mentions
Genesis 29:6He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well. See, Rachel, his daughter, is coming with the sheep.”Genesis 29:9While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she kept them.Genesis 29:10When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother’s brother, Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered…Genesis 29:11Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.Genesis 29:12Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative, and that he was Rebekah’s son. She ran and told her father.Genesis 29:16Laban had two daughters. The name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.Genesis 29:17Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and attractive.Genesis 29:18Jacob loved Rachel. He said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”Genesis 29:20Jacob served seven years for Rachel. They seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had for her.Genesis 29:25In the morning, behold, it was Leah! He said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Didn’t I serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?”Genesis 29:28Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. He gave him Rachel his daughter as wife.Genesis 29:29Laban gave Bilhah, his servant, to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.Genesis 29:30He went in also to Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him seven more years.Genesis 29:31Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.Genesis 30:1When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I will die.”Genesis 30:2Jacob’s anger burned against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in God’s place, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?”Genesis 30:6Rachel said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice, and has given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan.Genesis 30:7Bilhah, Rachel’s servant, conceived again, and bore Jacob a second son.Genesis 30:8Rachel said, “I have wrestled with my sister with mighty wrestlings, and have prevailed.” She named him Naphtali.Genesis 30:14Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother, Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”Genesis 30:15Leah said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes, also?” Rachel said, “Therefore he will lie with you tonight for your…Genesis 30:22God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her, and opened her womb.Genesis 30:25When Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own place, and to my country.Genesis 31:4Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field to his flock,Genesis 31:14Rachel and Leah answered him, “Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house?Genesis 31:19Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep; and Rachel stole the teraphim that were her father’s.Genesis 31:32Anyone you find your gods with shall not live. Before our relatives, discern what is yours with me, and take it.” For Jacob didn’t know that Rachel had stolen them.Genesis 31:33Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the tent of the two female servants; but he didn’t find them. He went out of Leah’s tent, and entered into Rachel’s tent.Genesis 31:34Now Rachel had taken the teraphim, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. Laban felt around all the tent, but didn’t find them.Genesis 33:1Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau was coming, and with him four hundred men. He divided the children between Leah, Rachel, and the two servants.Genesis 33:2He put the servants and their children in front, Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear.Genesis 33:7Leah also and her children came near, and bowed themselves. After them, Joseph came near with Rachel, and they bowed themselves.Genesis 35:16They traveled from Bethel. There was still some distance to come to Ephrath, and Rachel travailed. She had hard labor.Genesis 35:19Rachel died, and was buried on the way to Ephrath (also called Bethlehem).Genesis 35:20Jacob set up a pillar on her grave. The same is the Pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day.Genesis 35:24The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.Genesis 35:25The sons of Bilhah (Rachel’s servant): Dan and Naphtali.Genesis 46:19The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife: Joseph and Benjamin.Genesis 46:22These are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob: all the souls were fourteen.Genesis 46:25These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel, his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob: all the souls were seven.Genesis 48:7As for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died beside me in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was still some distance to come to Ephrath, and I buried her there on the way to…
What the dictionary says
Ewe, “the daughter”, “the somewhat petulant, peevish, and self-willed though beautiful younger daughter” of Laban, and one of Jacob’s wives (Gen. 29:6, 28).
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Read the article →Sources
- STEPBible TIPNR · Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References · CC BY 4.0 · github.com/STEPBible/STEPBible-Data
- Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869) · Public domain