Wife of Jacob; mother of Joseph and Benjamin
Rachel
Named in 45 verses across 5 books, first in Genesis 29:6.
רָחֵלRachel
ῬαχήλRachel
The name means “sheep.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869
About Rachel Written by AI
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 to 30). Rachel was initially unable to conceive, while Leah bore several children (Genesis 29:31 to 35). In her distress, Rachel gave her maidservant Bilhah to Jacob, and Bilhah bore Dan and Naphtali (Genesis 30:1 to 8). Eventually, God remembered Rachel, and she gave birth to Joseph (Genesis 30:22 to 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 to 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 to 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 to 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.
Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.
Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897
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). He served Laban fourteen years for her, so deep was Jacob’s affection for her. She was the mother of Joseph (Gen. 30:22-24). Afterwards, on Jacob’s departure from Mesopotamia, she took with her her father’s teraphim (31:34, 35). As they journeyed on from Bethel, Rachel died in giving birth to Benjamin (35:18, 19), and was buried “in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave”. Her sepulchre is still regarded with great veneration by the Jews. Its traditional site is about half a mile from Jerusalem.
This name is used poetically by Jeremiah (31:15-17) to denote God’s people mourning under their calamities. This passage is also quoted by Matthew as fulfilled in the lamentation at Bethlehem on account of the slaughter of the infants there at the command of Herod (Matt. 2:17, 18).
M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.
Where the Bible names her
- Genesis 29:6
“Is he well?” Jacob inquired. “Yes,” they answered, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.”
- Genesis 29:9
While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
- Genesis 29:10
As soon as Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, with Laban’s sheep, he went up and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep.
- Genesis 29:11
Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.
- Genesis 29:12
He told Rachel that he was Rebekah’s son, a relative of her father, and she ran and told her father.
- Genesis 29:16
Now Laban had two daughters; the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel.
- Genesis 29:17
Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.
- Genesis 29:18
Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
- Genesis 29:20
So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her.
- Genesis 29:25
When morning came, there was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob said to Laban. “Wasn’t it for Rachel that I served you? Why have you deceived me?”
- Genesis 29:28
And Jacob did just that. He finished the week’s celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.
- Genesis 29:29
Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant.
- Genesis 29:30
Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years.
- Genesis 29:31
When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
- Genesis 30:1
When Rachel saw that she was not bearing any children for Jacob, she envied her sister. “Give me children, or I will die!” she said to Jacob.
- Genesis 30:2
Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?”
- Genesis 30:6
Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me; He has heard my plea and given me a son.” So she named him Dan.
- Genesis 30:7
And Rachel’s servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son.
- Genesis 30:8
Then Rachel said, “In my great struggles, I have wrestled with my sister and won.” So she named him Naphtali.
- Genesis 30:14
Now during the wheat harvest, Reuben went out and found some mandrakes in the field. When he brought them to his mother, Rachel begged Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”
- Genesis 30:15
But Leah replied, “Is it not enough that you have taken away my husband? Now you want to take my son’s mandrakes as well?” “Very well,” said Rachel, “he may sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.”
- Genesis 30:22
Then God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb,
- Genesis 30:25
Now after Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me on my way so I can return to my homeland.
- Genesis 31:4
So Jacob sent word and called Rachel and Leah to the field where his flocks were,
- Genesis 31:14
And Rachel and Leah replied, “Do we have any portion or inheritance left in our father’s house?
- Genesis 31:19
Now while Laban was out shearing his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household idols.
- Genesis 31:32
If you find your gods with anyone here, he shall not live! In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself if anything is yours, and take it back.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the idols.
- Genesis 31:33
So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, then Leah’s tent, and then the tents of the two maidservants, but he found nothing. Then he left Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent.
- Genesis 31:34
Now Rachel had taken Laban’s household idols, put them in the saddlebag of her camel, and was sitting on them. And Laban searched everything in the tent but found nothing.
- Genesis 33:1
Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming toward him with four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants.
- Genesis 33:2
He put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear.
- Genesis 33:7
Leah and her children also approached and bowed down, and then Joseph and Rachel approached and bowed down.
- Genesis 35:16
Later, they set out from Bethel, and while they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth, and her labor was difficult.
- Genesis 35:19
So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).
- Genesis 35:20
Jacob set up a pillar on her grave; it marks Rachel’s tomb to this day.
- Genesis 35:24
The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.
- Genesis 35:25
The sons of Rachel’s maidservant Bilhah were Dan and Naphtali.
- Genesis 46:19
The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.
- Genesis 46:22
These are the sons of Rachel born to Jacob—fourteen in all.
- Genesis 46:25
These are the sons of Jacob born to Bilhah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel—seven in all.
From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.