Who was Rachel in the Bible?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Rachel, the younger sister of Leah and daughter of Laban, became the second wife of Jacob. Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, tricked his father into giving him his brother Esau's blessing and sought refuge with Laban, Rachel's father. Laban agreed to let Jacob marry Rachel after seven years of work, but he deceitfully substituted Leah on the wedding day, leading to Jacob marrying both sisters. Jacob favored Rachel, but she initially struggled with infertility while Leah bore him sons. Rachel eventually gave birth to Joseph, who became Jacob's favorite and played a significant role in saving his family during a famine. Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin, and her grief is referenced in the New Testament as a symbol of the mourning of mothers during times of tragedy.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Rachel was the younger sister of Leah and a daughter of Laban. A beautiful young woman, she won the heart of her cousin Jacob and became his second wife. The history of Rachel is found in Genesis 29—35.
• Rachel met Jacob when he was fleeing from his hometown. He was the grandson of Abraham and youngest son of Isaac. His older twin brother, Esau, had sold him his birthright for a bowl of stew. Some time later, Jacob covered his arms in animal fur in order to trick his father who had poor eyesight into giving him Esau's blessing. When the deed was done, his mother Rebekah encouraged Jacob to leave the area and return when his brother no longer desired to kill him (Genesis 25—28).
• Upon arriving at his relative Laban's land, he encountered Rachel working with her father's sheep. Rachel took Jacob back to her father, Laban. After a month, Laban asked Jacob to tell him what his wages should be for his work. Jacob asked for Rachel's hand in marriage. Laban was a bit of a con artist, not unlike Jacob himself. He made a contract with Jacob that if he worked for seven years, he could take Rachel as his wife. However, on the wedding day Laban switched his older daughter for Rachel, and Jacob married Leah instead. The Bible is not clear on how this happened, but it is possible the cultural custom of the time was for the bride to be completely veiled. With his eldest daughter married, Laban then agreed to have Jacob marry Rachel the following week as long as he continued to work for him for another seven years. In the end Laban not only married off both of his daughters, but also gained fourteen years of free labor from his son-in-law (Genesis 29).
• Jacob favored Rachel over Leah. However, Rachel was barren while Leah gave Jacob four sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. Rachel became very distressed and demanded of Jacob, "Give me children, or I shall die!" (Genesis 30:1). Jacob became angry, knowing that he had no control over Rachel being barren. Jealous of Leah, Rachel gave her maidservant Bilhah to Jacob so that through her they might have children together. Bilhah birthed Dan and Naphtali. Leah, now jealous of Rachel, gave her maidservant Zilpah to Jacob and through her they had Gad and Asher. Later, Reuben gave his mother a mandrake plant as it was thought to help with fertility. Rachel begged Leah to let her have the plant in exchange for a night with Jacob. Leah agreed and conceived Issachar that night. Leah then went on to have Zebulun and a daughter named Dinah (Genesis 30:1–21).
• God saw Rachel’s suffering and opened her womb. "She conceived and bore a son and said, 'God has taken away my reproach.' And she called his name Joseph, saying, 'May the LORD add to me another son!'" (Genesis 30:23–24). Joseph became the favorite of his father's sons and would one day save his family from a famine and fulfill God's plan in leading the Israelites into Egypt.
• Jacob soon decided to return to the land God had promised him with his family (Genesis 30:25). Laban continually tried to trick Jacob, but God blessed him time and again, building his livestock and servants (Genesis 30:26–43). This bothered Laban's sons, and God told Jacob to return to his homeland (Genesis 31:1–3). Jacob and his family left in secret. Upon leaving her father's household, Rachel stole idols that were important to Laban. He pursued the entire family and wanted to kill whoever had stolen the idols. Rachel hid them in a saddle bag and sat on top of them. She said she was on her period and unclean so the bags would not be searched. Laban returned home empty handed and the family continued on their journey (Genesis 31).
• Rachel became pregnant again and gave birth to Benjamin. It was a difficult pregnancy, and she died during childbirth (Genesis 35:16–20).
• The people pronounced blessing over Ruth in Ruth 4:11, stating that God would make her like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Rachel is briefly mentioned in Matthew 2:18 when Matthew records King Herod issuing an edict to murder all the infant males. The grieving of those people was intense, and Matthew quotes from Jeremiah 31:15. In this passage, Rachel represents the mothers of Israel who are grieving the death and departure of Israel's children at the time of the Babylonian Captivity.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Rachel's story illustrates God's grace available to those who trust in Him. Despite Rachel's initial barrenness, God saw her suffering and eventually opened her womb, granting her the blessing of motherhood. This act of divine intervention not only fulfilled Rachel's desire for children but also brought her great joy and relief from reproach. Furthermore, God's grace is evident in how He continued to bless Rachel and Jacob despite the deceitful actions of Laban and the challenges they faced in their journey. Rachel's life serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness and grace, showing that even in times of difficulty, He remains present and provides for His people according to His perfect plan.

UNDERSTAND

• Rachel, daughter of Laban, married Jacob after his deception with Esau's blessing.
• Laban's deceit led to Jacob marrying both Rachel and Leah, causing marital tension.
• Rachel's infertility led to unconventional solutions, showcasing her desperation. God intervened, blessing Rachel with children, including Joseph and Benjamin.

REFLECT

• How does Rachel's story of struggling with infertility and experiencing God's intervention resonate with any challenges you've faced in your own life?
• How has God’s grace been an encouragement to you like it was to Rachel?
• Reflecting on Rachel's response to her barrenness and eventual motherhood, how can her story inspire your own faith journey in trusting God's timing and provision?

ENGAGE

• How do you think Rachel's relationship with Leah and Jacob influenced her experience of accepting God's grace and her journey towards motherhood and producing some of the tribes of the nation of Israel?
• What lessons can we learn from Rachel's story about navigating through difficult family dynamics and trusting in God's plan amidst challenges?
• Considering Rachel's role as a symbol of maternal grief in the New Testament, how can her story provide comfort or insight to individuals or communities experiencing grief or loss today?