Deaths of Rachel and Isaac – Genesis 35:16-29

The culture of the middle east in regard to clan succession was that the firstborn son or whoever inherited the firstborn inheritance from his father, took responsibility for the “care and ownership of the concubines,” that is, wives who were also servants (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary).  If someone wanted to assert their firstborn status before the inheritance came to him, before his father’s death, he could do what Reuben did, sleep with his father’s concubine.  This signaled he was already the next patriarch of the clan.  Did Reuben have concern that he wasn’t going to be acknowledged as the firstborn with this right of inheritance because of the birth of Benjamin (son of my right hand)?  Or was this a ploy upon the death of Rachel to place Reuben’s mom Leah as the primary wife (though that would naturally be the case, since the only surviving wives of Jacob, other than Leah were the servants/concubines Bilhah and Zilpah)?  Ironically, Reuben’s Jacob-like action was what disqualified him in Jacob’s mind from getting the firstborn blessing and inheritance (Genesis 49:3,4).

[16] Then they journeyed from Bethel. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel went into labor, and she had hard labor. [17] And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for you have another son.” [18] And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. [19] So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem), [20] and Jacob set up a pillar over her tomb. It is the pillar of Rachel’s tomb, which is there to this day. [21] Israel journeyed on and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder.

[22] While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine. And Israel heard of it.

Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. [23] The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. [24] The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. [25] The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant: Dan and Naphtali. [26] The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s servant: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram.

[27] And Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned. [28] Now the days of Isaac were 180 years. [29] And Isaac breathed his last, and he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him. (Genesis 35:16–29, ESV)

Rachel is pregnant again, but the birth ends up being fatal to her.  Before Rachel had Joseph, she had told Jacob to give her a son or she would die.  When she had Joseph she named him and declared, “May Yahweh give me another son.”  In having another son she died.  Before she dies she names him Ben-oni, ‘son of my strength’ or ‘son of my sorrow,’ and because of this ambiguity, Jacob names him Benjamin, ‘son of my right hand,’ perhaps arousing Reuben’s doubts as to his succession as firstborn to his father’s double portion of inheritance and leading to his action of sleeping with Bilhah, his father’s concubine.  Rachel is buried somewhere near Bethlehem, and Jacob, immediately after referred to as Israel, sets up a pillar to his beloved wife.

This becomes a convenient time for Moses to record again who the sons of Jacob/Israel were and who were their mothers.  God is fulfilling the blessing he promised Jacob and Moses is helping the Israelite clans traveling with him to Canaan acknowledge their clans or tribes and their place in God’s plans.

Jacob travels further south to Mamre to meet his father.  Isaac, who had thought some twenty years earlier that he was dying and must confer the firstborn blessing, was still alive, but breathed his last after seeing Jacob/Israel.  As in Rachel’s death it was acknowledged that her soul departed from her body, here it is said that Isaac was gathered to his people, another suggestion that the Israelites did believe in life after death.  It is warmly noted that Jacob and Esau cooperated in the burial of their father, no longer at odds with one another.

This is, for all intents and purposes, the end of Moses’ account of Jacob, not that he doesn’t continue to play a role, but focus now shifts to Jacob’s sons, and particularly Joseph.  The promise continues to be fulfilled in the next generation.