Genesis 35:16-26

16 Jacob and his family left Bethel, and when they were still some distance from Ephrath, the time came for Rachel to have her baby, and she was having difficult labor.

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

18 But she was dying, and as she breathed her last, she named her son Benoni, but his father named him Benjamin.

19 When Rachel died, she was buried beside the road to Ephrath, now known as Bethlehem.

20 Jacob set up a memorial stone there, and it still marks Rachel's grave to this day.

21 Jacob moved on and set up his camp on the other side of the tower of Eder.

22 While Jacob was living in that land, Reuben had sexual intercourse with Bilhah, one of his father's concubines; Jacob heard about it and was furious. ¹ Jacob had twelve sons.

23 The sons of Leah were Reuben (Jacob's oldest son), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.

24 The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.

25 The sons of Rachel's slave Bilhah were Dan and Naphtali.

26 The sons of Leah's slave Zilpah were Gad and Asher. These sons were born in Mesopotamia.

Genesis 35:16-26 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 35

This chapter gives an account of Jacob's going to Bethel, and building an altar there by the order and direction of God, Ge 35:1-7, where Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died and was buried, Ge 35:8, and where God appeared to Jacob, confirmed the new name of Israel he had given him, and renewed to him the promises of the multiplication of his seed, and of their inheriting the land of Canaan, Ge 35:9-13; all which is gratefully acknowledged by Jacob, who erected a pillar in the place, and called it Bethel, in memory of God's gracious appearance to him there, Ge 35:14,15; from hence he journeyed towards his father's house, and on the way Rachel his wife fell in travail, and bore him a son, and died, and was buried near Ephrath, Ge 35:16-21; near this place Reuben committed incest with Bilhah, Ge 35:22, and the names of the twelve sons of Jacob are given, Ge 35:23-26; and the chapter is closed with an account of Jacob's arrival at his father's house, of the death of Isaac, and of his burial at the direction of his two sons, Ge 35:27-29.

Cross References

• 1. 35.22Genesis 49.4.

Footnotes

• [a]. benoni: [This name in Hebrew means "son of my sorrow."]
• [b]. benjamin: [This name in Hebrew means "son who will be fortunate."]
• [c]. [One ancient translation] and was furious; [Hebrew does not have these words.]