“Genesis 35:16-22”

Friday, March 06, 2020

“Then they journeyed from Bethel; and when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth and she suffered severe labor. When she was in severe labor the midwife said to her, ‘Do not fear, for now you have another son.’ It came about as her soul was departing (for she died), that she named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). Jacob set up a pillar over her grave; that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day. Then Israel journeyed on and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder. It came about while Israel was dwelling in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it.”

---End of Scripture verses---

“Rachel began to give birth and she suffered severe labor.” (verse 16) After some untold duration of time, Israel pulled up stakes from Bethel and moved his company southward toward Ephrath (Bethlehem). As they were travelling, Rachel, who was heavy with child, went into labor. The timing must have been at least somewhat unexpected because Israel would likely have waited to travel had he known his beloved Rachel was on the cusp of giving birth. And this was a particularly severe, painful and complicated delivery that would end up taking her life.

“‘Do not fear, for now you have another son.” (verse 17) Rachel’s midwife allayed the dying mother’s fears for the health of her child by assuring her that she had given birth to another son who was going to be just fine. This was the perishing Rachel’s parting consolation “as her soul was departing her” (verse 18). Several years earlier, after her sister had given birth to Jacob’s fourth child, “when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she became jealous of her sister; and she said to Jacob, ‘Give me children, or else I die.’” (Genesis 30:1) In a poignant ironic twist, it was childbearing and not the lack of it that actually killed her.

“It came about as her soul was departing (for she died)…” (verse 18) “By this account of her death it appears, that death is the separation and disunion of soul and body; that at death the soul departs from the body; that the soul does not die with it, but goes elsewhere, and lives in a separate state, and never dies; it goes into another world, a world of spirits, even unto God that gave it...” (Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible) “Remember Him before the silver cord is broken and the golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.” (Ecclesiastes 12:6-7)

“She named him Ben-oni…” (verse 18) “the name has been almost universally understood to mean ‘son of my sorrow.’ It could also be, ‘son of my great vigor,’ a euphemism for ‘son of my debility”—that is, ‘his birth drained my strength.” (Nahum Sarna) “But his father called him Benjamin.” “Jacob either reinterprets ben-’oni or replaces it by a more auspicious name. The meaning could be, ‘son of my right hand,’ the right being a symbol of dexterity, power, protection. Another rendering is ‘son of the south,’ that is, ‘the one born in the south.’ A third possibility…would mean ‘son of my old age.’ In 44:20 he is called ‘a child of his old age.’” (Nahum Sarna)

“So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). Jacob set up a pillar over her grave…” (verses 19-20) “As a monument, or memorial of her life and death, and as a testimony of her future resurrection.” (Benson Commentary) “It is clear from 1 Samuel 10:2 that in the time of Samuel, about 1020 B.C…‘the tomb of Rachel’ was a famous landmark. The traditional site, presently so-called, lies about 4 miles…south of Jerusalem and 1 mile…north of Bethlehem.” (Nahum Sarna)

“Then Israel journeyed on and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder.” (verse 21) “‘The tower of the flock.’ It is uncertain whether ‘Eder’ is a proper name or not. For a similar uncertainty, cf. Genesis 33:18. The place is evidently situated between Ephrath (Genesis 35:19) and Hebron (Genesis 37:14).” (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) “The tower may…have been a few miles south of Jerusalem; and as the word ‘beyond’ includes the idea of up to, as far as, the meaning is that Jacob now occupied this region permanently with his cattle. Until Esau, with his possessions, withdrew to Seir, there would be no room for Jacob and his flocks and herds at Hebron, but he would at Eder be so near his father as to be able often to visit him. And thus his exile was now over, and he was at last at home.” (Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers)

“It came about while Israel was dwelling in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it.” (verse 22) “Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine; his concubine wife; she was the maid that Rachel gave him, and this added to his affliction, and made it double, to lose Rachel by death, and to have her favourite maid, his concubine, defiled by his own son, and whom it is highly probable he abstained from hereafter. This, though a very heinous sin of his son's, yet might be suffered as a chastisement to Jacob, for making use of concubines.” (Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible) Reuben likely thought his sin was committed in sufficient secrecy, but the word got out and made it to the ears of his defrauded father. “Behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out.” (Numbers 32:23)

Please read Genesis 35:23-29 for tomorrow.

Have a blessed day!

-Louie Taylor

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