Biblical Profile: Rachel

Rachel

Rachel, Laban’s beautiful younger daughter, was Jacob’s favorite wife. He first met her as he arrived at Paddan-aram in Haran, when he helped her remove the stone from a well and watered her father’s sheep (Gen 29:10). Jacob agreed to work seven years for Laban in order to have Rachel as his wife, and the time seemed like only a few days because of his great love for her.

Laban deceptively required Jacob to marry Leah, his older, less attractive daughter, before finally giving him Rachel. Unlike Leah, Rachel was barren in the early years of her marriage to Jacob (29:31; 30:1). She gave her servant Bilhah to Jacob in order to have children by her, and Dan and Naphtali were born (30:3-8). In time, Rachel conceived and bore Joseph (30:22-24), and soon after, Jacob took his wives, children, and possessions away from Haran.

Somewhere between Bethel and Bethlehem, Rachel died while giving birth to Benjamin (35:16-20). Jacob set up a pillar over her tomb that was a landmark even in Saul’s time (1 Sam 10:2). Rachel and Leah are highly regarded for having built up the house of Israel (Ruth 4:11). In Jeremiah 31:15, Rachel is pictured as crying for her children being carried off into captivity, and Matthew recalls Jeremiah’s words at Herod’s slaughter of the male infants around Bethlehem shortly after Jesus’ birth (Matt 2:16-18).