Rachel

Family: Israelites · Role: mother of Joseph · First appears: The Favorite Son

After marrying Jacob, Rachel remained childless for a long time. In Issachar’s testament, she offered Jacob for a night to Leah in exchange for the dudaim; Leah then bore Issachar. Issachar says, “To me he was betrothed first, and for my sake he served our father fourteen years.”

After praying and fasting, Rachel conceived and bore Benjamin, and she died at his birth. Benjamin says, “My mother Rachel died at my birth.” After her death, Jacob was consoled by looking at Joseph, her son.

Relationship record

Life events

• In Issachar's testament, Issachar was born to Leah after Rachel offered her Jacob for a night in exchange for the dudaim.(Issachar'S Singleness Of Heart)
  • With: Issachar Leah
  • “Then Leah bore me, and I was called Issachar, on account of the reward Rachel had given to my mother.”
• In Benjamin's testament, Rachel died when Benjamin was born to Jacob.(Benjamin Extols Joseph)
  • With: Benjamin Jacob
  • “My mother Rachel died at my birth”
• In Benjamin's testament, Rachel conceived and bore Benjamin after praying and fasting.(Benjamin Extols Joseph)
  • With: Joseph Benjamin
  • “Therefore she prayed to God, and fasted twelve days, and she conceived and bare me.”

The Favorite Son

• child: Joseph “As the mother of Jacob remained childless for a long time after her marriage, so also the mother of Joseph.”

Joseph Hated By His Brethren

• child: Joseph “Joseph's beauty of person was equal to that of his mother Rachel”
• married with Jacob “Jacob had but to look at him to be consoled for the death of his beloved wife.”

Joseph'S Three Masters

• child: Joseph “Joseph hastened to his mother's grave, and throwing himself across it, he groaned and cried, saying: ‘O mother, mother, that didst bear me, arise, come forth and see how thy son hath been sold into slavery, with none to take pity upon him.’”

Joseph And Zuleika

• child: Joseph “Like Rachel his mother, Joseph was of ravishing beauty”

Joseph Resists Temptation

• child: Joseph “the image of his mother Rachel appeared before him”

Issachar'S Singleness Of Heart

• married with Jacob “To me he was betrothed first, and for my sake he served our father fourteen years.”
• courtship with Jacob “To me he was betrothed first, and for my sake he served our father fourteen years.”

Benjamin Extols Joseph

• child: Benjamin “My mother Rachel died at my birth, and Bilhah her slave suckled me.”
• child: Joseph “Rachel had no children for twelve years after bearing Joseph.”

Jethro

• with Jacob (The passage describes Rachel as Jacob's future wife; this is not a present marriage.) “Jacob had seen Rachel first, while she was watering her sheep, and at this well in Midian Moses met his future wife Zipporah.”
• married with Jacob “Jacob had seen Rachel first, while she was watering her sheep, and at this well in Midian Moses met his future wife Zipporah.”

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Extracted from the original text of The Legends of the Jews, Volume II. Made with Rho MD.