Thematic Bible: Rachel


Thematic Bible





Then God took note of Rachel. He paid attention to her and enabled her to become pregnant. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Then she said, "God has taken away my shame." She named him Joseph, saying, "May the Lord give me yet another son."




While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father's sheep, for she was tending them.


But as for me, when I was returning from Paddan, Rachel died -- to my sorrow -- in the land of Canaan. It happened along the way, some distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there on the way to Ephrath" (that is, Bethlehem).

They traveled on from Bethel, and when Ephrath was still some distance away, Rachel went into labor -- and her labor was hard. When her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, "Don't be afraid, for you are having another son." With her dying breath, she named him Ben-Oni. But his father called him Benjamin instead. read more.
So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).


When Rachel saw that she could not give Jacob children, she became jealous of her sister. She said to Jacob, "Give me children or I'll die!"


But as for me, when I was returning from Paddan, Rachel died -- to my sorrow -- in the land of Canaan. It happened along the way, some distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there on the way to Ephrath" (that is, Bethlehem).

When you leave me today, you will find two men near Rachel's tomb at Zelzah on Benjamin's border. They will say to you, 'The donkeys you have gone looking for have been found. Your father is no longer concerned about the donkeys but has become anxious about you two! He is asking, "What should I do about my son?"'

With her dying breath, she named him Ben-Oni. But his father called him Benjamin instead. So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). Jacob set up a marker over her grave; it is the Marker of Rachel's Grave to this day.


So Jacob sent a message for Rachel and Leah to come to the field where his flocks were.

Then Rachel and Leah replied to him, "Do we still have any portion or inheritance in our father's house? Hasn't he treated us like foreigners? He not only sold us, but completely wasted the money paid for us! Surely all the wealth that God snatched away from our father belongs to us and to our children. So now do everything God has told you." read more.
So Jacob immediately put his children and his wives on the camels. He took away all the livestock he had acquired in Paddan Aram and all his moveable property that he had accumulated. Then he set out toward the land of Canaan to return to his father Isaac. While Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole the household idols that belonged to her father.

So Laban entered Jacob's tent, and Leah's tent, and the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find the idols. Then he left Leah's tent and entered Rachel's. (Now Rachel had taken the idols and put them inside her camel's saddle and sat on them.) Laban searched the whole tent, but did not find them. Rachel said to her father, "Don't be angry, my lord. I cannot stand up in your presence because I am having my period." So he searched thoroughly, but did not find the idols.


When Rachel saw that she could not give Jacob children, she became jealous of her sister. She said to Jacob, "Give me children or I'll die!" Jacob became furious with Rachel and exclaimed, "Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?" She replied, "Here is my servant Bilhah! Have sexual relations with her so that she can bear children for me and I can have a family through her." read more.
So Rachel gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob had marital relations with her. Bilhah became pregnant and gave Jacob a son. Then Rachel said, "God has vindicated me. He has responded to my prayer and given me a son." That is why she named him Dan. Bilhah, Rachel's servant, became pregnant again and gave Jacob another son. Then Rachel said, "I have fought a desperate struggle with my sister, but I have won." So she named him Naphtali.

But Leah replied, "Wasn't it enough that you've taken away my husband? Would you take away my son's mandrakes too?" "All right," Rachel said, "he may sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes."

Then God took note of Rachel. He paid attention to her and enabled her to become pregnant. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Then she said, "God has taken away my shame." She named him Joseph, saying, "May the Lord give me yet another son." read more.
After Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, "Send me on my way so that I can go home to my own country. Let me take my wives and my children whom I have acquired by working for you. Then I'll depart, because you know how hard I've worked for you." But Laban said to him, "If I have found favor in your sight, please stay here, for I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me on account of you." He added, "Just name your wages -- I'll pay whatever you want." "You know how I have worked for you," Jacob replied, "and how well your livestock have fared under my care. Indeed, you had little before I arrived, but now your possessions have increased many times over. The Lord has blessed you wherever I worked. But now, how long must it be before I do something for my own family too?" So Laban asked, "What should I give you?" "You don't need to give me a thing," Jacob replied, "but if you agree to this one condition, I will continue to care for your flocks and protect them: Let me walk among all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb, and the spotted or speckled goats. These animals will be my wages. My integrity will testify for me later on. When you come to verify that I've taken only the wages we agreed on, if I have in my possession any goat that is not speckled or spotted or any sheep that is not dark-colored, it will be considered stolen." "Agreed!" said Laban, "It will be as you say."


The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.

They traveled on from Bethel, and when Ephrath was still some distance away, Rachel went into labor -- and her labor was hard. When her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, "Don't be afraid, for you are having another son." With her dying breath, she named him Ben-Oni. But his father called him Benjamin instead.


Then God took note of Rachel. He paid attention to her and enabled her to become pregnant. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Then she said, "God has taken away my shame." She named him Joseph, saying, "May the Lord give me yet another son." read more.
After Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, "Send me on my way so that I can go home to my own country.


Then Laban said to Jacob, "Should you work for me for nothing because you are my relative? Tell me what your wages should be." (Now Laban had two daughters; the older one was named Leah, and the younger one Rachel. Leah's eyes were tender, but Rachel had a lovely figure and beautiful appearance.) read more.
Since Jacob had fallen in love with Rachel, he said, "I'll serve you seven years in exchange for your younger daughter Rachel." Laban replied, "I'd rather give her to you than to another man. Stay with me." So Jacob worked for seven years to acquire Rachel. But they seemed like only a few days to him because his love for her was so great. Finally Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time of service is up. I want to have marital relations with her." So Laban invited all the people of that place and prepared a feast. In the evening he brought his daughter Leah to Jacob, and Jacob had marital relations with her. (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) In the morning Jacob discovered it was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, "What in the world have you done to me! Didn't I work for you in exchange for Rachel? Why have you tricked me?" "It is not our custom here," Laban replied, "to give the younger daughter in marriage before the firstborn. Complete my older daughter's bridal week. Then we will give you the younger one too, in exchange for seven more years of work." Jacob did as Laban said. When Jacob completed Leah's bridal week, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) Jacob had marital relations with Rachel as well. He loved Rachel more than Leah, so he worked for Laban for seven more years.


While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father's sheep, for she was tending them. When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his uncle Laban, and the sheep of his uncle Laban, he went over and rolled the stone off the mouth of the well and watered the sheep of his uncle Laban. Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep loudly. read more.
When Jacob explained to Rachel that he was a relative of her father and the son of Rebekah, she ran and told her father.




While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father's sheep, for she was tending them.


While Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole the household idols that belonged to her father.

Now I understand that you have gone away because you longed desperately for your father's house. Yet why did you steal my gods?" "I left secretly because I was afraid!" Jacob replied to Laban. "I thought you might take your daughters away from me by force. Whoever has taken your gods will be put to death! In the presence of our relatives identify whatever is yours and take it." (Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.) read more.
So Laban entered Jacob's tent, and Leah's tent, and the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find the idols. Then he left Leah's tent and entered Rachel's. (Now Rachel had taken the idols and put them inside her camel's saddle and sat on them.) Laban searched the whole tent, but did not find them. Rachel said to her father, "Don't be angry, my lord. I cannot stand up in your presence because I am having my period." So he searched thoroughly, but did not find the idols.


While Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole the household idols that belonged to her father.


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