Genesis 35:17

The NET Bible®

When her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, "Don't be afraid, for you are having another son."

Parallel Translations

Geneva Bible (1587)
And whe she was in paines of her labour, the midwife saide vnto her, Feare not: for thou shalt haue this sonne also.

George Lamsa Translation
And it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, the midwife said to her, Fear not; for this one also is a son for you.

Hebrew Names Version
It happened that, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said to her, "Don't be afraid, for now you will have another son."

Easy-to-Read Version
She was having a lot of trouble with this birth. She was in great pain. When her nurse saw this, she said, "Don't be afraid, Rachel. You are giving birth to another son."

English Standard Version
And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, "Do not fear, for you have another son."

American Standard Version
And it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; for now thou shalt have another son.

Bible in Basic English
And when her pain was very great, the woman who was helping her said, Have no fear; for now you will have another son.

Contemporary English Version
She was having a rough time, but the woman who was helping her said, "Don't worry! It's a boy."

Complete Jewish Bible
While she was undergoing this hard labor, the midwife said to her, "Don't worry, this is also a son for you."

Darby Translation
And it came to pass when it went hard with her in her childbearing, that the midwife said to her, Fear not; for this also is a son for thee.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the mid-wife said unto her: 'Fear not; for this also is a son for thee.'

King James Version (1611)
And it came to passe when shee was in hard labour, that the midwife said vnto her, Feare not: thou shalt haue this sonne also.

Amplified Bible
When she was in hard labor the midwife said to her, "Do not be afraid; you now have another son."

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it came to pass in her hard labour, that the midwife said to her, Be of good courage, for thou shalt also have this son.

English Revised Version
And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; for now thou shalt have another son.

Berean Standard Bible
During her severe labor, the midwife said to her, "Do not be afraid, for you are having another son."

Lexham English Bible
And when her labor was the most difficult the midwife said to her, "Do not be afraid for you have another son."

Literal Translation
And it happened, when she had hard labor in her bearing, even the midwife said to her, Do not fear, for this also is a son for you.

New Century Version
but she was having much trouble. When Rachel's nurse saw this, she said, "Don't be afraid, Rachel. You are giving birth to another son."

New King James Version
Now it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said to her, "Do not fear; you will have this son also."

New Living Translation
After a very hard delivery, the midwife finally exclaimed, "Don't be afraid—you have another son!"

New Life Bible
And while she was suffering, the woman who was helping her said to her, "Do not be afraid. For now you have another son."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So it came to pass when she was in hard-labour in her child-birth, that the midwife said to her - Do not fear, for this also of thine, is, a son.

Douay-Rheims Bible
By reason of her hard labour, she began to be in danger, and the midwife said to her: Fear not, for thou shalt have this son also.

Revised Standard Version
And when she was in her hard labor, the midwife said to her, "Fear not; for now you will have another son."

Good News Translation
When her labor pains were at their worst, the midwife said to her, "Don't be afraid, Rachel; it's another boy."

King James Version
And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
sche bigan to be in perel for the hardnesse of childberyng; and the medewijf seide to hir, Nyle thou drede, for thou schalt haue also this sone.

Young's Literal Translation
and it cometh to pass, in her being sharply pained in her bearing, that the midwife saith to her, `Fear not, for this also [is] a son for thee.'

World English Bible
It happened that, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said to her, "Don't be afraid, for now you will have another son."

Update Bible Version
And it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said to her, Don't be afraid; for now you shall have another son.

Webster's Bible Translation
And it came to pass when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said to her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And as she was in paynes of her labour, the midwife saide vnto her: feare not, for this sonne is thyne also.

Christian Standard Bible®
During her difficult labor, the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for you have another son.”

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But whan she had soch payne in trauelynge, ye mydwife sayde vnto her: feare not, for thou shalt haue this sonne also.

New American Standard Bible
And when she was suffering severe difficulties in her labor, the midwife said to her, "Do not fear, for you have another son!"

New Revised Standard
When she was in her hard labor, the midwife said to her, "Do not be afraid; for now you will have another son."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
When she was in severe labor the midwife said to her, "Do not fear, for now you have another son."

Legacy Standard Bible
Now it happened that when she was in severe labor the midwife said to her, "Do not fear, for now you have another son."

Contextual Overview

¹⁶ They traveled on from Bethel, and when Ephrath was still some distance away, Rachel went into labor—and her labor was hard. ¹⁷ When her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, "Don't be afraid, for you are having another son." ¹⁸ With her dying breath, she named him Ben Oni. But his father called him Benjamin instead. ¹⁹ So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). ²⁰ Jacob set up a marker over her grave; it is the Marker of Rachel's Grave to this day.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Fear not: Genesis 30:24, 1 Samuel 4:19-21

Reciprocal: Genesis 28:13 - the land Genesis 43:29 - mother's son Numbers 1:5 - Elizur 1 Samuel 4:20 - Fear not Daniel 5:10 - let not

Cross-References

Genesis 30:24
She named him Joseph, saying, "May the Lord give me yet another son."

Genesis 35:19
So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).

Genesis 35:21
Then Israel traveled on and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour,.... In the midst of it, and at the worst:

that the midwife said unto her, fear not; for Rachel big with child, it was necessary to take a midwife with them in the journey; and perhaps this might be one that was always kept in the family, and had been assisting to all Jacob's wives and concubines at their labours; and this seems probable from what follows, since she not only bids her be of good courage, and not fear, comforting her under her pains, giving her hopes they would soon be over, and that she would have a safe delivery, and do well: but this she assures her of,

thou shalt have this son also; as she had one before, at whose birth she said, "the Lord shall add to me another son"; and therefore called his name Joseph, Genesis 30:24; this the midwife remembered, and endeavours to comfort her with the accomplishment of it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

- The Death of Isaac

8. דברה d^eborâh, Deborah, “bee.” בּכוּת אלּון 'alôn-bākût, Allon-bakuth, “oak of weeping.”

16. כברה kı̂brâh, “length stretch.” A certain but unknown distance, a stadium or furlong (Josephus) a hippodrome (Septuagint) which was somewhat longer, a mile (Kimchi). אפרת 'ephrâth, Ephrath, “fruitful or ashy.”

18. בן־אוני ben-'ônı̂y, Ben-oni, “son of my pain.” בנימין bı̂nyāmı̂yn, Binjamin, “son of the right hand.”

19. לחם בית bēyt-lechem, Beth-lechem, “house of bread.”

21. עדר ‛ěder, ‘Eder, “flock, fold.”

This chapter contains the return of Jacob to his father’s house, and then appends the death of Isaac.

Genesis 35:1-8

Jacob returns to Bethel. “And God said unto Jacob.” He receives the direction from God. He had now been six years lingering in Sukkoth and Sleekem. There may have been some contact between him and his father’s house during this interval. The presence of Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, in his family, is a plain intimation of this. But Jacob seems to have turned aside to Shekem, either to visit the spot where Abraham first erected an altar to the Lord, or to seek pasture for his numerous flocks. “Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there.” In his perplexity and terror the Lord comes to his aid. He reminds him of his former appearance to him at that place, and directs him to erect an altar there. This was Abraham’s second resting-place in the land. He who had there appeared to Jacob as the Yahweh, the God of Abraham and Isaac, is now described as (house of El), the Mighty One, probably in allusion to Bethel (house of El), which contains this name, and was at that time applied by Jacob himself to the place. “His house;” his wives and children. “All that were with him;” his men-servants and maid-servants.

The strange gods, belonging to the stranger or the strange land. These include the teraphim, which Rachel had secreted, and the rings which were worn as amulets or charms. Be clean; cleanse the body, in token of the cleaning of your souls. Change your garments; put on your best attire, befitting the holy occasion. The God, in contradistinction to the strange gods already mentioned. Hid them; buried them. “The oak which was by Shekem.” This may have been the oak of Moreh, under which Abraham pitched his tent Genesis 12:6. The terror of God; a dread awakened in their breast by some indication of the divine presence being with Jacob. The patriarch seems to have retained possession of the land he had purchased and gained by conquest, in this place. His flocks are found there very shortly after this time Genesis 37:12, he alludes to it, and disposes of it in his interview with Joseph and his sons Genesis 48:22, and his well is there to this day.

“Luz, which is in the land of Kenaan.” This seems at first sight to intimate that there was a Luz elsewhere, and to have been added by the revising prophet to determine the place here intended. Luz means an almond tree, and may have designated many a place. But the reader of Genesis could have needed no such intimation, as Jacob is clearly in the land of Kenaan, going from Shekem to Hebron. It seems rather to call attention again Genesis 33:18 to the fact that Jacob has returned from Padan-aram to the land of promise. The name Luz still recurs, as the almond tree may still be flourishing. “And he built there an altar, and called the place El-beth-el.” Thus has Jacob obeyed the command of God, and begun the payment of the vow he made twenty-six years before at this place Genesis 38:20-22. “There God revealed himself unto him.” The verb here נגלוּ nı̂glû is plural in the Masoretic Hebrew, and so it was in the copy of Onkelos. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Septuagint have the singular. The reading is therefore, various. The original was probably singular, and may have been so even with its present letters. If not, this is one of the few instances in which Elohim is construed grammatically with a plural verb. Deborah dies in the family in which she began life. She is buried under “the well-known oak” at Bethel. Jacob drops a natural tear of sorrow over the grave of this faithful servant, and hence, the oak is called the oak of weeping. It is probable that Rebekah was already dead, since otherwise we should not expect to find Deborah transferred to Jacob’s household. She may not have lived to see her favorite son on his return.

Genesis 35:9-15

God appears to Jacob again at Bethel, and renews the promise made to him there Genesis 28:13-14. Again. The writer here refers to the former meeting of God with Jacob at Bethel, and thereby proves himself cognizant of the fact, and of the record already made of it. “When he went out of Padan-aram.” This corroborates the explanation of the clause, Genesis 35:6, “which is in the land of Kenaan.” Bethel was the last point in this land that was noticed in his flight from Esau. His arrival at the same point indicates that he has now returned from Padan-aram to the land of Kenaan. “He called his name Israel.” At Bethel he renews the change of name, to indicate that the meetings here were of equal moment in Jacob’s spiritual life with that at Penuel. It implies also that this life had been declining in the interval between Penuel and Bethel, and had now been revived by the call of God to go to Bethel, and by the interview.

The renewal of the naming aptly expresses this renewal of spiritual life. “I am God Almighty.” So he proclaimed himself before to Abraham Genesis 17:1. “Be fruitful, and multiply.” Abraham and Isaac had each only one son of promise. But now the time of increase is come. Jacob has been blessed with eleven sons, and at least one daughter. And now he receives the long-promised blessing, “be fruitful and multiply.” From this time forth the multiplication of Israel is rapid. In twenty-six years after this time he goes down into Egypt with seventy souls, besides the wives of his married descendants, and two hundred and ten years after that Israel goes out of Egypt numbering about one million eight hundred thousand. “A nation and a congregation of nations,” such as were then known in the world, had at the last date come of him, and “kings” were to follow in due time. The land, as well as the seed, is again promised.

Jacob now, according to his wont, perpetuates the scene of divine manifestation with a monumental stone. “God went up;” as he went up from Abraham Genesis 17:22 after a similar conferencc with him. He had now spoken to Jacob face to face, as he communed with Abraham. “A pillar” in the place where he talked with him, a consecrated monument of this second interview, not in a dream as before, but in a waking vision. On this he pours a drink-offering of wine, and then anoints it with oil. Here, for the first time, we meet with the libation. It is possible there was such an offering when Melkizedec brought forth bread and wine, though it is not recorded. The drink-offering is the complement of the meat-offering, and both are accompaniments of the sacrifice which is offered on the altar. They are in themselves expressive of gratitude and devotion. Wine and oil are used to denote the quickening and sanctifying power of the Spirit of God. “Bethel.” We are now familiar with the repetition of the naming of persons and places. This place was already called Bethel by Jacob himself; it is most likely that Abraham applied this name to it: and for aught we know, some servant of the true God, under the Noachic covenant, may have originated the name.

Genesis 17:16-22.

On the journey, Rachel dies at the birth of her second son. “A stretch.” It was probably a few furlongs. “Fear not.” The cause for encouragement was that the child was born, and that it was a son. Rachel’s desire and hope expressed at the birth of Joseph were therefore, fulfilled Genesis 30:24. “When her soul was departing.” This phrase expresses not annihilation, but merely change of place. It presupposes the perpetual existence of the soul. “Ben-oni,” son of my pain, is the natural expression of the departing Rachel. “Benjamin.” The right hand is the seat of power. The son of the right hand is therefore, the child of power. He gave power to his father, as he was his twelfth son, and so completed the number of the holy family. “Ephrath and Beth-lehem” are names the origin of which is not recorded. “The pillar of Rachel’s grave.” Jacob loves the monumental stone. “Unto this day.” This might have been written ten or twenty years after the event, and therefore, before Jacob left Kenaan (see on Genesis 19:37). The grave of Rachel was well known in the time of Samuel 1 Samuel 10:2, and the Kubbet Rahil, dome or tomb of Rachel, stands perhaps on the identical spot, about an English mile north of Bethlehem.

Genesis 35:21-22

Eder - The tower of the flock was probably a watch-tower where shepherds guarded their flocks by night. It was a mile (Jerome) or more south of Bethlehem. Here Reuben was guilty of the shameful deed which came to the knowledge of his father, and occasions the allusion in Genesis 49:4. He was by this act degraded from his position in the holy family. The division of the open parashah in the text here is more in accordance with the sense than that of the verse.

Genesis 35:22-29

Jacob’s return and his father’s death. The family of Jacob is now enumerated, because it has been completed by the birth of Benjamin. “In Padan-aram.” This applies to all of them but Benjamin; an exception which the reader of the context can make for himself. Jacob at length arrives with his whole establishment at Hebron, the third notable station occupied by Abraham in the land Genesis 13:1. Here also his father sojourns. The life of Isaac is now closed. Joseph must have been, at the time of Jacob’s return, in his thirteenth year, and therefore, his father in his hundred and fourth. Isaac was consequently in his hundred and sixty-third year. He survived the return of Jacob to Hebron about seventeen years, and the sale of Joseph his grandson about thirteen. “Esau and Jacob his sons buried him.” Hence, we learn that Esau and Jacob continued to be on brotherly terms from the day of their meeting at the ford of Jabbok.

This chapter closes the ninth of the pieces or documents marked off by the phrase “these are the generations.” Its opening event was the birth of Isaac Genesis 25:19, which took place in the hundreth year of Abraham, and therefore, seventy-five years before his death recorded in the seventh document. As the seventh purports to be the generations of Terah Genesis 11:27 and relates to Abraham who was his offspring, so the present document, containing the generations of Isaac, refers chiefly to the sons of Isaac, and especially to Jacob, as the heir of promise. Isaac as a son learned obedience to his father in that great typical event of his life, in which he was laid on the altar, and figuratively sacrificed in the ram which was his substitute. This was the great significant passage in his life, after which he retires into comparative tranquillity.