the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Bible Dictionaries
Rachel
Smith's Bible Dictionary
or Ra'chel. (ewe or sheep). The younger of the daughters of Laban, the wife of Jacob, (B.C. 1753), and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. The incidents of her life may be found in Genesis 29-33; Genesis 35. The story of Jacob and Rachel has always had a peculiar interest. The beauty of Rachel, Jacob's deep love and long servitude for her, their marriage, and Rachel's death on giving birth to Benjamin, with Jacob's grief at her loss, Genesis 48:7, makes a touching tale. Yet from what is related to us concerning her character, there does not seem much to claim any high degree of admiration and esteem.
She appears to have shared all the duplicity and falsehood of her family. See, for instance, Rachel's stealing her father's images, and the ready dexterity and presence of mind with which she concealed her theft. Genesis 31:1. "Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem," (B.C. 1729), "and Jacob set a pillar upon her grave; that is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day." Genesis 35:19-20. The site of Rachel's tomb, "on the way to Bethlehem," "a little way to come to Ephrath," "in the border of Benjamin," has never been questioned. It Is about two miles south of Jerusalem and one mile north of Bethlehem.
These files are public domain.
Smith, William, Dr. Entry for 'Rachel'. Smith's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/sbd/r/rachel.html. 1901.
