The Old Testament book of Genesis presents the history of the first men and their relationship with God. In a strict sense, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were recognized as the patriarchs, or founding fathers of the Jewish people. The bible says that Jacob, the second son of Isaac, experienced great difficulties in his marital life with Rachel and Leah. We invite you to discover, through Biblical passagesthe story of Jacob and Rachel, as well as the impact it had on the subsequent history of the Jewish people.
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Jacob and Rachel
“So Isaac called Jacob, blessed him, and commanded him, ‘Do not marry a Canaanite woman. Go now to Paddan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your maternal grandfather, and choose for yourself a wife from among the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother” (Genesis 28:1-2). Jacob set out and met Rachel, the daughter of Laban, Rebekah’s brother. As for her, the Bible tells us that she had a beautiful face and eyes: “As soon as Jacob saw Rachel, his uncle Laban’s daughter, leading the flock, he went ahead, rolled away the stone that covered the mouth of the well, and gave his uncle’s sheep a drink. Afterwards he kissed Rachel and wept with emotion” (Genesis 29: 10-11). The scriptures also let us see that Jacob had to work an additional seven years (in addition to the seven years he had already worked), in order to marry Rachel, after Laban deceived him. In this regard, the biblical account says: “And Jacob worked seven years to be able to marry Rachel, but it seemed like a few days, because of the great love he had for her” (Genesis 29:20). In that order of ideas, Jacob had two wives, Rachel and Leah, but the Bible says that he loved Rachel more, the younger one.
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Rachel in the Bible: mother of Joseph and Benjamin
Jacob loved Rachel but she was barren, contrary to Leah, to whom God had granted the grace of being very fertile. Thus, at one time, only Leah had been able to bear children to Jacob. “Seeing that she could not give Jacob children, Raquel was envious of her sister, and she said to her husband: «Give me children, because if not, I will die»” (Genesis 30:1). After many years, the Lord answered Rachel’s prayer and was able to give Jacob a son: “And he called him Joseph, because he said: «May the Lord grant me one more son»” (Genesis 30:24). Later, Rachel had a second son whom she named Benjamin, who was the last son of the patriarch: “With his last breath –because he was already dying– he called him Ben Oní (that is: Son-of-mourning); but his father named him Benjamin (meaning: Son of the Right)” (Genesis 35:18).