Genesis 35:19 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem),

NIV: So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).

NASB: So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).

CSB: So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem ).

NLT: So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).

KJV: And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.

NKJV: So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).

Scripture is exceedingly brief in this section. No explanation is given of how Jacob reacted to Rachel's death (Genesis 35:16–18). Given his great love for her (Genesis 29:20), it's reasonable to assume this was especially devastating. The trauma of her passing may have contributed to Jacob's excessive favoritism towards Rachel's other son, Joseph (Genesis 37:3).

Rachel is buried along the road to Ephrath, the region where Bethlehem would be later (Ruth 1:2; Micah 5:2). This situates the birth of Benjamin near Bethlehem and Jerusalem, a region his descendants would later come to possess (Joshua 18:21–28). It also helps to explain Matthew's reference to Rachel when depicting Herod's slaughter of infants from that area (Matthew 2:16–18). Matthew, in turn, was citing the words of the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:15).

Genesis 35:16–29 describes Jacob's painful losses following God's great blessing at Bethel. His beloved wife Rachel dies giving birth to his twelfth son, Benjamin. Jacob buries her and builds a stone pillar to mark her tomb. Next, his firstborn son, Reuben, defiles the family by sleeping with one of Jacob's servant-wives. Though Jacob seems to do nothing, at first, Reuben will lose his birthright as a result. Finally, Jacob's father Isaac dies at 180 years old. Jacob and Esau reunite to lay their father to rest at the family burial cave at Mamre. The rest of Genesis will explain how the people of Israel came to live in Egypt.

God commands Jacob to build an altar to Him at Bethel. This will fulfill vows Jacob made after encountering the Lord for the first time, as he was fleeing for his life from Esau. Jacob rids his family of all their false idols and travels to Bethel. God appears to him again, reaffirming all the covenant promises. As they travel away, Rachel dies giving birth to Jacob's twelfth son. His first son, Reuben, sleeps with Jacob's servant-wife Bilhah, losing his birthright as a result. Finally, Jacob's father Isaac dies at 180 years old.

Recent events have left Jacob fearful of the people of the land. His sons slaughtered an entire town to avenge their sister's rape. However, God apparently uses this bloodshed to inspire fear. Nobody attacks Jacob's family as they travel to Bethel, setting up an altar and renewing their covenant with God. Rachel dies giving birth to Benjamin. Jacob's eldest son sleeps with one of his servant-wives, losing his birthright. Isaac dies, and Jacob and Esau bury him in the family burial cave in Mamre. The story then focuses on Jacob's sons, primarily Joseph, as the family finds themselves drawn into Egypt.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.

Accessed 11/21/2024 12:12:45 PM