Rachel’s Final Journey
Fear Not in the Face of Pain
Genesis 35:17
“When she was in severe labor, the midwife said to her, ‘Do not fear, for now you have another son.’”
The story of Jacob—later renamed Israel—and his twelve sons underscores the importance of sons in the ancient world.
Jacob fell in love with Rachel the moment he saw her (Gen. 29:18) and agreed to work seven years for her father, Laban, as the bride price (Gen. 29:19–20). However, after those seven years, Laban deceived Jacob. On his wedding night, Laban gave him Leah, Rachel’s older, less attractive sister, instead of Rachel (Gen. 29:21–25).
When Jacob confronted Laban, he explained that it was customary to marry off the older daughter first. Laban then offered that if Jacob would work another seven years for Rachel’s hand, he could marry Rachel immediately. Jacob agreed, and they were wed at the end of the bridal week with Leah (Gen. 29:28). Despite Laban’s deception, Jacob honored his commitment and worked another seven years for Rachel, the woman he loved. (Gen. 29:28–30).
After the marriages, children began arriving quickly. Leah bore the first four sons—Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah—and then ceased bearing children (Gen. 29:35). No longer able to conceive, she resorted to the same practice that Sarah had employed with her slave, Hagar. Leah gave Jacob Zilpah, who bore two sons: Gad and Asher. Later, God responded to Leah’s prayers, and she gave birth to two more sons, Issachar, Zebulun, and a daughter, Dinah.
As Leah and Zilpah celebrated the births of their children—perhaps even boasting over Rachel’s barrenness—Rachel sank into despair. In her anguish and begged her husband to give her children (Gen. 30:1). In her desperation, she turned to the common custom of the time and gave her slave Bilhah to Jacob as a surrogate, saying, “She will bear children on my behalf, so that through her I too may build a family” (Gen. 30:3). Bilhah bore two sons, whom Rachel named Dan and Naphtali.
Finally, God heard Rachel’s prayers. She conceived and bore Joseph (Gen. 30:22–24), likely toward the end of Jacob’s second seven-year term (Gen. 30:25). Although little is written about Rachel’s pregnancy and Benjamin’s birth, we can imagine a scene like this:
The caravan traveled along the rough road from Bethel toward Ephrath. Rachel, after years of longing for another child, tenderly caressed her swollen, very pregnant belly. Suddenly, intense labor pains seized her, causing great suffering. She reached out to her closest caregiver, her midwife. When the baby finally emerged from the long and difficult labor, the midwife leaned in close, whispering, “Do not fear, you have another son.”
In that ancient time, childbirth was a perilous experience. Midwives played a crucial role, not only assisting with delivery but also offering emotional support, reassurance, and practical knowledge that had been passed down through generations. For women like Rachel, who struggled with barrenness, childbirth was a defining moment.
The phrase “do not fear,” found throughout Scripture, does not mean the absence of anxiety or sorrow; it means the presence of God’s purpose even during life’s hardest places. While the midwife’s words were meant to calm Rachel, they also represent God’s comfort in moments of her greatest distress. This assurance reminded Rachel that her prayers were granted, even amid the pain that would claim her life.
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According to Frank Viola in his book, The Untold Story of the New Testament Church:
Women did not have any significant inherent value... A wife’s function was to give her husband legitimate children and heirs. Daughters were considered a financial liability and were often “exposed,” meaning abandoned in remote places to die... between 10 and 20 percent of women died during complications during childbirth.
As Rachel was taking her last breaths, a cry came from her newborn son, whom she named Ben-oni (son of my sorrow). Jacob’s beloved Rachel closed her eyes. With her final gift to Jacob cradled in her arms, and with great love for her husband, she gave him her son, and her soul departed. Jacob renamed the boy Benjamin (son of the right hand). Rachel was buried on the way to Ephrathah, also known as Bethlehem, where Jacob set up a pillar over her grave. Rachel likely died about 7–8 years after Joseph was born and roughly 1–2 years after Jacob left Laban.
Leah - Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dinah
Zilpah (Leah’s servant) - Gad, Asher
Rachel- Joseph, Benjamin
Bilhah (Rachel’s servant) - Dan, Naphtali
Application: Blessings in the Pain
Sometimes, God answers our prayers in ways that are wrapped in pain, reminding us that hope and suffering often go hand in hand in this fallen world. Like Rachel, her deepest longing was fulfilled at the very moment her life slipped away. Tragedies often fill our physical world: the dream home burns to the ground; the business we nurtured collapses in a downturn; the job of a lifetime never materializes despite every right step. Physical disappointments test our faith. They confront the gap between God’s promises and our present reality, often revealing where we have attached our hope - to outcomes rather than to God Himself.
Today’s Prayer
Heavenly Father, Thank You that in every season of life, both joy and sorrow, Your voice still whispers, “Do not fear.” Just as Rachel heard those words in her moment of greatest struggle, remind us that Your presence is with us even when our hearts ache and our plans crumble. Teach us to trust You when blessings come wrapped in pain, and to trust You when hope and suffering collide. Lord, help us place our faith not in outcomes, but in You—the One who never fails. May we find peace in Your purpose and courage to walk forward without fear, knowing You hold our future in Your hands. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Your words brought tears to my eyes. I needed to be reminded. My life isn't what I planned. Yet it is, if that makes sense.
Always wanted a big family, my husband didn't. I dreaded the empty nest. But once it came I learned to find joy in it.
But then tragedy struck, and my youngest son lost his wife during Covid. He was left with 6 of her 7 children, the oldest already an adult. So now I spend my days surrounded by children. They are long and tiring, but I know He created me for this. I wish with every part of me she was here. But I will "mother" her babies in honor of her.
This is such a beautiful story in many ways. I have always loved this story because of the undying love and strength of Rachel. I personally work to remember that though my days may not go as planned, I have so many times had to surrender to the admonition of my Father in Heaven. Knowing he knows what is best, is a weakness I adhere to. Giving and knowing that our life is short and we must follow with our hearts, staying close to the word of God, so as we go forward, the reason becomes clear. Thank You for telling the story.