Illustration created for this project.
Rachel
Beloved wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin; she died giving birth to Benjamin near Bethlehem.
What we know — and how we know it
Bible — stated in scripture (with verse) · 2
Archaeology — physical evidence · 1
Family & lineage
Death & legacy
Lehnert & Landrock — Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
ArchaeologyGenesis places Rachel's grave 'on the way to Ephrath, that is, Bethlehem', where she died giving birth to Benjamin. A domed shrine there — Rachel's Tomb — has been honoured as her burial place since at least the 4th century AD.
Rachel's Tomb, on the Bethlehem road; venerated as her grave since at least the Bordeaux Pilgrim (Itinerarium Burdigalense, AD 333); present domed structure remodelled by Moses Montefiore, 1841; cf. Genesis 35:19–20.
Where in scripture
GenesisRuth1 SamuelJeremiahMatthew
Genesis 29:6Genesis 29:28Genesis 31:4Genesis 31:14Genesis 31:19Genesis 31:32Genesis 31:33Genesis 31:34Genesis 33:1Genesis 33:2Genesis 33:7Genesis 35:16Genesis 35:18Genesis 35:19Genesis 35:20Genesis 35:24Genesis 35:25Genesis 46:19Genesis 46:22Genesis 46:25Genesis 48:7Ruth 4:111 Samuel 10:2Jeremiah 31:15
…and 1 more mentions
Family
In their own words — 9 recorded sayings
“Now Rachel, because she had no children, was full of envy of her sister; and she said to Jacob, If you do not give me children I will not go on living.” — Genesis 30:1
“Then she said, Here is my servant Bilhah, go in to her, so that she may have a child on my knees, and I may have a family by her.” — Genesis 30:3
“Then Rachel said, God has been my judge, and has given ear to my voice, and has given me a son; so he was named Dan.” — Genesis 30:6
“And Rachel said, I have had a great fight with my sister, and I have overcome her: and she gave the child the name Naphtali.” — Genesis 30:8
“Now at the time of the grain-cutting, Reuben saw some love-fruits in the field, and took them to his mother Leah. And Rachel said to her, Let me have some of your son's love-fruits.” — Genesis 30:14
“But Leah said to her, Is it a small thing that you have taken my husband from me? and now would you take my son's love-fruits? Then Rachel said, You may have him tonight in exchange for your son's love-fruits.” — Genesis 30:15
“And she was with child, and gave birth to a son: and she said, God has taken away my shame. And she gave him the name Joseph, saying, May the Lord give me another son.” — Genesis 30:23-24
“Then Rachel and Leah said to him in answer, What part or heritage is there for us in our father's house? Are we not as people from a strange country to him? for he took a price for us and now it is all used up. For the wealth which God has taken from him is ours and our children's; so now, whatever God has said to you, do.” — Genesis 31:14-16
…and 1 more recorded sayings.
Speaker attribution: Clear Bible MACULA (CC BY 4.0). Wording: Bible in Basic English (public domain).
In art
