Genesis 48:7

7 When I came back from Paddan-aram, Rachel died, to my sorrow, on the road in the land of Canaan, with some distance yet to go to Ephrathah, so I buried her there near the road to Ephrathah, which is Bethlehem."

Genesis 48:7 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 48:7

And as for me, when I came from Padan
From Syria, from Laban's house: Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan;
his beloved wife, the mother of Joseph, on whose account he mentions her, and to show a reason why he took his sons as his own, because his mother dying so soon, he could have no more children by her; and she being his only lawful wife, Joseph was of right to be reckoned as the firstborn; and that as such he might have the double portion, he took his two sons as his own, and put them upon a level with them, even with Reuben and Simeon. By this it appears, as by the preceding account, that Rachel came with him into the land of Canaan, and there died: in the way, when yet [there was] but a little way to come unto Ephrath;
about a mile, or two thousand cubits, as Jarchi observes: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath;
where she died, and dying in childbed, could not be kept so long as to carry her to Machpelah, the burying place of his ancestors; and especially as he had his flocks and herds with him, which could move but slowly; and what might make it more difficult to keep her long, and carry her thither, it might be, as Ben Melech conjectures, summertime; and the Vulgate Latin adds to the text, without any warrant from the original, "and it was springtime"; however, she was buried in the land of Canaan, and which is taken notice of, that Joseph might observe it: it follows, the same [is] Bethlehem;
that is, Ephrath; and so Bethlehem is called Bethlehem Ephratah, ( Micah 5:2 ) ; whether these are the words of Jacob, or of Moses, is not certain, but said with a view to the Messiah, the famous seed of Jacob that should be born there, and was.

Genesis 48:7 In-Context

5 Now, your two sons born to you in the land of Egypt before I arrived in Egypt are my own. Ephraim and Manasseh are just like Reuben and Simeon to me.

6 Your family who is born to you after them are yours, but their inheritance will be determined under their brothers' names.

7 When I came back from Paddan-aram, Rachel died, to my sorrow, on the road in the land of Canaan, with some distance yet to go to Ephrathah, so I buried her there near the road to Ephrathah, which is Bethlehem."

8 When Israel saw Joseph's sons, he said, "Who are these?"

9 Joseph told his father, "They're my sons, whom God gave me here." Israel said, "Bring them to me and I will bless them."

Footnotes

• [a] Sam, LXX, Syr; MT lacks aram.
• [b] Sam; MT Ephrath