Rachel was Laban's younger daughter. She was beautiful, and Jacob loved her more than his other wives. He first met her when he arrived at Paddan-aram in Haran. He helped her remove the stone from a well and watered her father’s sheep (Genesis 29:10). Jacob agreed to work seven years for Laban to marry Rachel. The time felt like only a few days because he loved her so much.
Laban tricked Jacob into marrying Leah, his older and less attractive daughter, before allowing him to marry Rachel. Unlike Leah, Rachel could not have children at first (Genesis 29:31; 30:1). She gave her servant Bilhah to Jacob to have children for her, resulting in the births of Dan and Naphtali (Genesis 30:3–8). Eventually, Rachel became pregnant and gave birth to Joseph (Genesis 30:22–24). Soon after, Jacob left Haran with his wives, children, and possessions.
Between Bethel and Bethlehem, Rachel died while giving birth to Benjamin (Genesis 35:16–20). Jacob set up a pillar over her tomb, which remained a landmark even during Saul’s time (1 Samuel 10:2). Rachel and Leah are respected for building up the house of Israel (Ruth 4:11). In Jeremiah 31:15, Rachel is shown crying for her children taken into captivity. Matthew refers to Jeremiah’s words during Herod’s killing of male infants around Bethlehem shortly after Jesus’s birth (Matthew 2:16–18).
Passages for Further Study
Genesis 29:6–30:24; 31:4–19, 31–35; 33:1–7; 35:16–20; 46:19–22; 48:7; Ruth 4:11; 1 Samuel 10:2; Jeremiah 31:15; Matthew 2:18