Woman of the Bible

Rachel

Rachel was the younger daughter of Laban; the second wife of Jacob; and the mother of
Joseph and Benjamin. She prophesied the birth of her second son when she named Joseph.
Her prophecy and the meaning of the name Joseph was:
The Lord shall add to me another son

The prophecy was fulfilled when Benjamin was born.

Jacob met Rachel at the well; she was so beautiful he instantly fell in love with her. It was as
if history was repeating itself. Rebekah went to the same well at Haran in Mesopotamia when
Eliezer was to bring a bride home for Isaac, Jacobs father.
Jacob asks Labon for Rachel as his wife. However, it was customary in those days for the
groom of his family to pay the brides family a price for their daughter. Having no property of
his own, Jacob served Laban seven years for Rachel, only to be tricked on the wedding day
into marrying Rachels older sister, Leah. Jacob then had to serve another seven years for his
beloved Rachel!

Rachel was Jacobs favorite wife, but she envied Leah, who had given birth to four sons.
Remember those are the twelve tribes of Israel that are being born. The name of Leahs
sons was Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. Rachel was still childless. Her response was to
give her handmaid, Bilhah to Jacob. According to this ancient custom, the children of Bilah
and Jacob would be regarded as Rachels. Bilah bore Dan and Naphtali. Only after Zilpah,
Leahs handmaid, bore two sons, Gad and Asher, and after Leah had borne two more sons
and a daughter, Issachar. Zebulon and Dinah. Rachel finally conceived. She bore to Jacob a
son, Joseph who became his fathers favorite and who was sold into Egypt by his jealous
brothers. Rachel died giving birth to her second son, whom she named Ben-oni meaning (son
of sorrow). But later Jacob renamed him Benjamin, meaning, son of my right hand.

Although Rachel was Jacobs favorite wife, the line of David

and the Messianic line passed through Leah by her son Judah,
not Rachel.
Jeremiah 31:15 Rachel is weeping for her children, her burden was to cry for the children
that died after the birth of Jesus.

Jeremiah 31:15
15

Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping
for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.

Matthew 2:18 -

In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for
her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

This scripture in Matt. 2:18, became symbolic of the sorrow and tragedy suffered by the
Israelites. The murder by Herod of all the male children in Bethlehem from two years old and
under; the fulfillment of Jeremiahs prophecy.

Matthew 2:1616

Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent
forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years
old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

Joseph was warned by the angel of the Lord to flee into Egypt.

Matthew 2:13
13And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream,
saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I
bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
3

Rachel and Jacob loved each other, but had a complicated relationship through
it all, prophecy was fulfilled!!
Thank you Jesus!!