Rachel

Role: Adinah's daughter · First appears: Woman

Rachel was born as one of the twin daughters of Adinah and Laban, alongside Leah. The account says that Rachel was envious of her sister. At Haran, when Jacob saw her approaching the well, he rolled away its great stone. Rachel accepted his marriage proposal, warning him, “My father is cunning, and thou art not his match.” They agreed on a sign for their wedding night, and Jacob agreed to serve Laban seven years for Rachel. After the seven days of Leah’s wedding feast, Jacob married her.

Later, Rachel gave her handmaid Bilhah to Jacob as a wife. On New Year’s Day, she gave birth to Joseph. When Jacob resolved to return home, Rachel and Leah approved his plan; Rachel stole Laban’s teraphim and concealed them on her camel. During Laban’s search, the teraphim were transformed into drinking vessels. On the journey toward Esau, Rachel and Joseph came last in the family procession, with Joseph walking in front of her.

At the time of Deborah and Rebekah’s deaths, Rachel died at the age of thirty-six while giving birth to Benjamin and his twin sister. Jacob buried Rachel on the way to Ephrath.