He doesn't want Laban's money; he wants his daughter - not Leah the older daughter but Rachel the younger. But this would have been impossible; and the text does not really state it. After the biblical period, Mother Rachel continued to be celebrated as a powerful intercessor for the people of Israel. (NIV), Genesis 35:24The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. Features thousands of biographic and thematic essays on Jewish women around the world. When Laban caught up with them, he searched for the idols, but Rachel had hidden the statues under her camel's saddle. Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! He said Anne was born after Stollanus and Emerentia had been childless for 20 years. Jacob had to agree to work another seven years for Laban in order to marry Rachel. Despite the birth of children to these surrogates, Rachel and Leah still want to conceive their own. [2] Fearing that Laban would deter him, he fled with his two wives, Leah and Rachel, and twelve children without informing his father-in-law. "Jacob [was] the father of Judah" (Matthew 1:2). Jacob took Bilhah as a concubine; she became pregnant and gave birth to a baby boy to whom Rachel gave the name of Dan. III, 59) and of many others. Their prayers were heard; an angel came to Hannah and said: "Hannah, the Lord has looked upon thy tears; thou shalt conceive and give birth and the fruit of thy womb shall be blessed by all the world". Bilhah bore children to Jacob, causing Leah to give her servant Zilpah to Jacob, who had children with her. He arrived at the town and saw shepherds standing next to a well. To Prince Heli and Hannah, a young daughter, Princess Miriam, was born about the year of 20 to 19 BCE. He is the author "Hope for Hurting Singles: A Christian Guide to Overcoming Life's Challenges.". Laban explained that it was the custom of the land that the elder daughter should be married before the younger; but, in this case, he would allow Rachel to marry Jacob a week later, with the condition that Jacob work another seven years for Laban. Let us know. Laban made a wedding feast and invited all the people of the place. Bilhah gave birth to two sons that Rachel named and raised (Dan and Naphtali). Why Should We Confess Sin if It Is Already Forgiven? Esther of Jerusalem can be identified as the future Maccabee Queen known by her Greek name as Queen Alexandra II, who was the great grandmother of Yeshua (Jesus). Rachel ( Hebrew: , romanized : Rl, lit. And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. Modesty and Sexuality in Halakhic Literature, Biblical Women in World and Hebrew Literature, Creation According to Eve: Beyond Genesis 3, The Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women, Copyright 19982023, Jewish Women's Archive. Laban came out to see Jacob, embraced him, and brought him to his house. God remembered Rachel Whom he seemed to have forgotten, and hearkened to her, whose prayers had been long denied, and then she bare a son. The infertility of the matriarchs has two effects: it heightens the drama of the birth of the eventual son, marking Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph as special; and it emphasizes that pregnancy is an act of God. 28 BC) was the daughter of Hyrcanus II (died 30 BC), who was the son of Alexander Jannaeus. The reader knows what Jacob does notthat Rachel has taken the gods and is now in danger, not only from her father, but also from the oath. Co-wives are normally rivals, which is perhaps why biblical law forbids a man from marrying sisters(Lev 18:18). Their grandfather was Alexander Jannaeus, the second eldest son of John Hyrcanus. He asked them, Do you know Laban the son of Nahor? They answered, Yes, we do. From the Jewish Museum, New York, via Wikimedia Commons. She became the Maccabee Princess that married King Herod the Great, as his 2nd wife. Jacob then married Rachel and worked for Laban another seven years for her. the prophet Jeremiah wrote that the voice of Rachel was heard in Ramah bitterly . In the end, Rachels stratagem comes to naught. "But let us return to where the Jew is introduced, speaking of the mother of Jesus, and saying that 'when she was pregnant she was turned out of doors by the carpenter to whom she had been betrothed, as having been guilty of adultery, and that she bore a child to a certain soldier named Panthera' . So do whatever God has told you(Genesis 31:15). Leah, the eldest, had eyes that were "delicate.". Rachel is one of the Four Matriarchs Along with Sarah (wife of Abraham ), Rebecca (wife of Isaac ), and Leah (her sister and fellow wife of Jacob ), Rachel is one of the four mothers of the Jewish people. She also bore Benjamin and was a faithful wife to Jacob. expresses not only the order of time, but the order of thought as well, it becomes apparent that in the history of the births, the intention to arrange them according to the mothers prevails over the chronological order, so that it by no means follows, that because the passage, "when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children," occurs after Leah is said to have had four sons, therefore it was not till after the birth of Leah's fourth child that Rachel became aware of her own barrenness. This fact so riled Caesar Augustus, that he made a joke that it was preferable to be Herod's pig (hus) than his son (huios), a remark of extreme insult to any Jew. Like Sarah and Rebekah before her, Rachel experiences a long period of barrenness. She spends much of her married life attempting to bear children for Jacob and eventually uses her maid Bilhah as a surrogate, but Rachel still craves biological children. Finally fertile, she dies bearing her second child, Benjamin. Emerentia, St. Anne, and St. Mary, the maternal ancestors of Jesus, formed a sort of female trinity in medieval iconogrphy. His territories were divided by his children, but the emperor had not approved the new will so none of them inherited the title of king. Ironically, it was Leah, the unloved wife, who rested in the same grave as Jacob, not Rachel, the love of his life. After the biblical period, "Mother Rachel" continued to be celebrated as a powerful intercessor for the people of Israel. She even cried out to Jacob, Give me children, or I shall die! (Genesis 30:1) God heard her prayers and eventually blessed her with Joseph and Benjamin, two of the most loved sons of Jacob. She was married to another Zechariah.The Gospel of Luke describes Elizabeth as a "kinswoman" of St. Mary (Luke Parents, marriage and other relations: This passage shows confusion with another Jesus, Jesus ben Stada, a sorcerer who was condemned by a rabbinic court in Lydda, and stoned (Tosefta, Sanhedrin 10:11, cited by Smith, 47). of From there they went to Ephrath. Jacob and his family settled near Shechem. Jacob already knows what he wants Laban to pay him. There is nothing on the part of the grammar to prevent our arranging the course of events thus. The angel made the same promise to Joachim, who returned to his wife. Jacob loves Rachel and arranges to marry her and to work seven years as her bride wealth. You had to leave because you were longing for your fathers house; but why did you steal my gods? asked Laban. Rachel became jealous of Leah and gave Jacob her maidservant, Bilhah, to be a surrogate mother for her. Jewish Women's Archive. He states that because he [Jesus] was poor he hired himself out as a workman in Egypt, and there tried his hand at certain magical powers on which the Egyptians pride themselves; he returned full of conceit, because of these powers, and on account of them gave himself the title of God . The younger daughter of Laban and wife of Jacob,Rachelis the mother of Joseph and Benjamin, who become two of the twelve tribes of Israel(Gen 35:24; Gen 46:1518). She is said to have married three times, first to Joachim, then to Cleopas, and finally to a man named Solomas, and that each marriage produced one daughter: Mary, mother of Jesus; Mary of Cleopas; and Mary Salomae, respectively. The word means braider. Stay with me (Genesis 29:1819)., The seven years that Jacob worked for Laban seemed to him like only a few days, so great was his love for Rachel. Leah, also spelled Lia, in the Hebrew Bible ( Old Testament ), primarily in Genesis, first wife of Jacob (later Israel) and the traditional ancestor of 5 of the 12 tribes of Israel. There is one more twist to the story. Rachel was the ancestress of the Northern Kingdom, which was called Ephraim after Josephs son. The daughter of Laban, Rachel works for the family as a shepherdess before becoming Jacobs second wife. http://www.kittymunson.com/GEDbrows/g1113.html#I22279, Prince Mattathias and Princess Alexandra II - The Paternal Grandparents of the Maiden, Miriam. She wrote to Cleopatra in Egypt about her suspicions and Cleopatra persuaded her lover Mark Anthony to summon Herod to explain the event (Ant. How Can the Bible Help Us Recover from Burnout? The rapidity and regularity with which Leah had born her first four sons, would make her notice all the more quickly the cessation that took place; and jealousy of Rachel, as well as the success of the means she had adopted, would impel her to attempt in the same way to increase the number of her children. God works his way through Rachels son Joseph, who is raised in the pharaohs palace and changes the course of Jewish history. However, Alexandra too, like all other Hasmoneans (male or female) in Herods court, found her death at the hands of Herod. Ancient belief, attested to by a sermon of St. John of Damascus (c. 676-749, was that Anne married once. Jacob loved Rachel but was indifferent toward Leah. Leah's first four births followed as rapidly as possible one after the other, so that four sons were born in the first four years of the second period of Jacob's service. The Rachel Maddow Show Mondays 9PM ET; Morning Joe Weekdays 6am ET; . Her older sister was Leah, Jacob's first wife. When on a feast day Joachim presented himself to offer sacrifice in the temple, he was repulsed by a certain Ruben, under the pretext that men without offspring were unworthy to be admitted. The court heard there had been tension between the Jordans and Mr Barker since he and their daughter Rachel separated. As a consequence of her demand, Jacob agrees to her plan, to give Bilhah, whom her father had given her(Gen 29:29),to Jacob as a wife. My Jewish Learning is a not-for-profit and relies on your help. Jacob did not hide the fact that he loved Rachel and hated Leah; but it was Leah who gave him sons, while Rachel remained barren. There is a remote allusion to her gratitude for the reproach of barrenness taken away. The back story may include Jacobs increased love for Leah, but it sounds as though Rachel always has the upper hand in this family with two wives and maidservants acting as concubines. He became the father of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Jacob erects a pillar in her honor at her burial site on the side of a road leading to Bethlehem (Genesis 35:16-20). Her two explanations for the name reveal her state of mind: God has taken away my reproach and may the Lord add to me another son!(Gen 30:2224). Rachel runs home to tell of his presence, and Laban invites Jacob to the house(Gen 29:914). More tragically, in a sad irony, the very womanhood that has helped her trick Laban thwarts her daring and her ambition in a way that has plagued women through the ages. This legend, called the trinubium, has been traced to Haymo, Bishop of Halberstadt (d. 853) in his Historiae Sacrae Epitome. Salem Media Group. With this ancestral connection known, Jesus great-grandmother, Princess Elizabeth of Jerusalem, later known by her regnal name, Queen Alexandra II was remarried to King Alexander II, the 8th Maccabee king, who was executed in 49 BCE. The easy answer to the wives is Canaanites, or "Jacob's servants" he acquired in Haran, or women . But when the co-wives cooperate, Jacob, like other husbands, complies with their wishes. Alexandra Hasmonean (dau. Hyrcanus II) (c.-63 - c.-28) - Genealogy Who Was Jesus's Grandma? - JSTOR Daily Another translation often given is spinner. He calls them Stollanus and Emerentia. Rachel, the beloved wife of Jacob, is considered by Jews to be the primary "mother" or founder of the nation of Israel (1906 Jewish Encyclopedia). (CIL 13:7514). According to this, Joseph was born at the end of the 14 years of service that had been agreed upon, or seven years after Jacob had taken Leah and (a week later) Rachel as his wives (Genesis 29:21-28). Rachel | Bible, Jacob, Leah, & Facts | Britannica The Orthodox tradition is different. Alexandra the Maccabee (died ca. Benson CommentaryGenesis 30:22. In this theory, the unnamed second wife was also named Mariamne. "Rabbi Shiemon ben Azzai has said: I found in Jerusalem a book of genealogies; therein was written that Such-an-one [a common Jewish euphemism for Jesus] is the bastard son of an adultress." in the Bible: A Feminist Approach. New York: 2000. Since this story is apparently a reproduction of the biblical account of the conception of Samuel, whose mother was also called Hannah, even the name of the mother of Mary seems to be doubtful." Rachel says, Do we still have any share in the inheritance of our fathers estate? The Five Women in the Genealogy of Jesus - Tenda Wema Missions Saint Anne - Wikipedia (Tosefta, Shabbat 11.15, quoted by Smith, 47). [6] After Leah conceived again, Rachel was finally blessed with a son, Joseph,[2] who would become Jacob's favorite child. Consort with her, that she may bear on my knees and that through her I too may have children (Genesis 30:13).. Her older sister was Leah, Jacob's first wife. Genesis 30:22. I may call it Joseph, and say, he shall add more grace.Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary30:14-24 The desire, good in itself, but often too great and irregular, of being the mother of the promised Seed, with the honour of having many children, and the reproach of being barren, were causes of this unbecoming contest between the sisters. Rachels mourning and sorrow is recalled throughout the Bible. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. Pilate, recognizing that Jesus was the legal heir of Herod under the will approved by the emperor, was reluctant to order Jesus' execution, but ultimately had him crucified under the inscriptionIESVS NAZARENVS REX IVDORVM(Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews) (Matthew 27:37; Mark 15:26; Luke; Luke 23:38; John 19:19). Virgin Birth gave birth to Jesus, and Saint . 15:166168). (Anna is usually said to have conceived three Marys, Whom her husbands Joachim, Cleophas, and Salome begot. Laban had neglected to give his daughters their inheritance (Genesis 31:1416).[5]. Laban tricks his son-in-law Jacob into marriages with both of his daughters by switching them on their wedding night. Geneva Study BibleAnd God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. Rachel daughter of Laban was one of the two wives of her cousin Jacob, the love of his life, and the mother of his sons Joseph and Benjamin. The last of the matriarchs was Jacob's true love. (Viewed on June 28, 2023) . Jacob loved Rachel passionately even before they were married, but Rachel thought, as her culture had taught her, that she needed to bear children to earn Jacob's love. Even after marrying Jacob, she was not blessed with children for many years. This version was included in The Golden Legend, compiled about 1260 by Jacobus de Voragine. Rachel secretly took her fathers idols, taking advantage of the fact that Laban had gone to shear his sheep. For other uses, see, Frymer-Kensky, Tikva. 15:6264). Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. Rachel, envious of her sister, forcefully demands children from Jacob: Give me children or I shall die!(Gen 30:1). Who was the great-grandmother of King David in the Bible? In the presence of our kinsmen, point out what I have of yours and take it, answered Jacob, not knowing that Rachel had stolen the idols (Genesis 31:3032). Rachels Theft of the Teraphim: Her Struggle for Family (But was not) his mother Miriam (Mary) the hairdresser? The circumstances of Rachels life play a large part in Gods plan for His people. 1, ch. Surely he was the son of Pandira? Articles like these are sponsored free for every Catholic through the support of generous readers just like you. 32, quoting Celsus). After the wedding night, Jacob woke up to find that the woman next to him was not Rachel but her older sister Leah. This inscription is one argument given to support the theory. The selfish feeling also has died away, and the thankful Rachel rises from Elohim, the invisible Eternal, to Yahweh, the manifest Self-existent. Though the evidence is only circumstantial, it is suggested by David Hughes and other genealogist that the wife of Mattan ben Levi, called Esther of Jerusalem, was actually the Jewish name of the last Maccabee Queen, whose later Greek regnal name was Queen Alexandra II. But on the night of the marriage, Laban deceived Jacob. Laban gave his daughters maidservants - Leah was given Zilpah and Rachel received Bilhah. The Nature of the Biblical Teraphim in the Light Rashi explains that Ben Yamin either means "son of the right" (i.e., "south"), since Benjamin was the only one of Jacob's sons born in Canaan, which is to the south of Paddan Aram; or it could mean "son of my days", as Benjamin was born in Jacob's old age. Rachel, with whom Jacob fell in love, was Laban's younger daughter; and she "was beautiful of form and appearance" ( Genesis 29:16-17 ). Alexandra (d. 26 B.C.E.). What Bible Debates Inspired Martin Luther's 95 Theses? Laban would never have given them to her, and he comes looking for them. Who were the Grandmothers of Jesus? | FilCatholic After Mariammes execution, she once again attempted to gain control of the army and lead an insurrection against Herod. Here are five fast facts about Rachel to help you better understand her tragic role in the Bible. At the well at Haran, Jacob found Rachel, Laban's younger daughter, tending sheep. [a] Later Jacob confronted Laban, who excused his own deception by insisting that the older sister should marry first. Early Jewish sources make Jesus the son of Panthera, a Roman soldier. 6 Beautiful Lessons from the Life of Rachel in the Bible A former high school English teacher and editor, she now works on writing projects from her home in West Michigan, where she enjoys woods, water, pets and family. Secondly, to an unnamed daughter ofAntigonus II Mattathias, the last Hasmonean king (who also served as high priest). her daughter married Herod. He and his men set out in pursuit and caught up with Jacob and his family seven days later, near the hills of Gilead. Labans sons noticed the wealth of Jacob and were jealous. Leah's story starts in Genesis 29. (But was not) the husband Pappos ben Yehuda? Then he says that after she had been driven out by her husband and while she was wandering about in a disgraceful way she secretly gave birth to Jesus. Rachel, Ramah and the Birth of Jesus! - Bible Study Moreover, he realized that her mourning served as an effective intercession, for God promised to reward her efforts and return her children(Jer 31:1521). van der Toorn, Karel. By ancient custom, Bilhah's children would be credited to Rachel. 3. and Tricksters: A Prelude to Biblical Folklore. (Yes, but she was nicknamed Stada) -- Pumbeditha, "s'tat da [this one has turned away from, was unfaithful to] her husband." Join Geni to explore your genealogy and family history in the World's Largest Family Tree. God remembered Rachel Whom he seemed to have forgotten, and hearkened to her, whose prayers had been long denied, and then she bare a son. and God hearkened to her; to her prayer, which had been made time after time, that she might have children; but hitherto God had delayed to answer, but now gives one: and opened her womb; gave her conception, and made her fruitful, and she became the mother of a child she so much desired. Laban's excuse was that it was not their custom to marry off the younger daughter before the older one. Jacob gathered all his possessions and his flocks, put his sons and his wives on the camels, and left Paddan-aram. ' ewe ') [1] was a Biblical figure, the favorite of Jacob 's two wives, and the mother of Joseph and Benjamin, two of the twelve progenitors of the tribes of Israel. Jacob's uncle, Laban, had two daughters. Now then, do just as God has told you (Genesis 31:1416).. She greatly suffered from being barren. Her womanhood perhaps disqualifies her from receiving the teraphim legitimately, so she uses her womanhood to prevent Laban from taking them away once she has taken them illegitimately. The full inscription reads, "Tiberius Julius Abdes Pantera from Sidon, aged 62 years served 40 years, former standard bearer (?) He also encouraged them to study the historic confessions of faith like the Westminster Catechism and the Second London Confession of 1689. She has written a Bible study on the lives of nameless women of the Biblesome who meet fates worse than Jaels and some who are victorious in their struggle. Rachel turns her back on her father Laban and travels with Jacob to his homeland, an ill-fated journey for her. The great grandmother of Jesus was a woman named Ismeria, according to Florentine medieval manuscripts analyzed by a historian. Or they may have been primarily religious images, intended to invoke the protection of the ancestors. He is said in some sources to have been the father of Jesus of Nazareth. Altogether, the four women bore 12 sons and one daughter, Dinah. This agreement proves fruitful for both wives. This role is exemplified in the Biblical story of Joseph, who prepared the way in Egypt for his family's exile there. [10], 1 Samuel 10:2 places Rachel's tomb "at Zelzah on the border of Benjamin. she married her cousin, Alexander son of Aristobulus, who was a mortal enemy of Rome all his life. Her blessing of a lovely body did not prevent her from having other problems. To protect herself and her unborn child, Mariamne kept secret her pregnancy. Leah and Rachel account for nine tribes in Israel. Genesis - NIV Application Commentary by John Walton. [7], After Joseph's birth, Jacob decided to return to the land of Canaan with his family. This has been traditional belief of Christians ( Gospel of Matthew; Gospel of Luke ). Yet, Queen Alexander II married a 3rd time, this time to King Antigonus, who was the last Maccabee king. Jacob takes Rachel as his wife, though Rachel is his first cousin. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. But with regard to the birth of Dinah, the expression "afterwards" (Genesis 30:21) seems to indicate, that she was not born during Jacob's years of service, but during the remaining six years of his stay with Laban. 15:4247). Although not physically descended in the male line from King David, Jesus was the Davidic heir to the throne as the adopted son of Joseph, and perhaps also as a descendant of King David through his mother. Yet in 55 B.C.E. Her name means "ewe" in Hebrew. He assured Jacob that after his wedding week was finished, he could take Rachel as a wife as well, and work another seven years as payment for her. Before Alexandra became a Maccabee Queen with her 2nd marriage to Maccabee King Alexander II, her cousin, and later her 3rd marriage to Maccabee King Antigonus, also her cousin, she was married to a Nasi and Prince of Israel, called Mattathias. Isaac, the father of Jacob, wanted his son to marry from among their own people, so he sent Jacob to Paddan-aram, to find a wife among the daughters of Laban, Jacob's uncle. Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting and transformative Catholic news, stories, spirituality, and more. Rachels request for another son from God results in her second son Benjamins birth. Laban must not find the gods; Rachel, a trickster like her father, her aunt (Rebekah), and her husband, thinks of a stratagem. The Protoevangelium of James and Gospel of the Nativity of Mary both say St. Anne and her husband Joachim, after years of childlessness, were visited by an angel who told them that they would conceive a child. The plot was discovered and Alexandra executed, just one year after her daughter (Ant. Zavada, Jack. In His Steps - Wikipedia Prima parit Christum, Jacobum secunda minorem, Et Joseph justum peperit cum Simone Judam, Tertia majorem Jacobum volucremque Johannem. Throughout history different groups have had different traditions and theories about the father of Jesus. What is the meaning of Jacob wrestling with God. The marriage of Rachel in the Bible was one of the most captivating episodes recorded in the book of Genesis, a story of love triumphing over lies. the prophet Jeremiah wrote that the voice of Rachel was heard in Ramah bitterly weeping and lamenting the exile of her children. 2022-23 Season Wrap. Because Anne is a Greek version of the name Hannah, it's possible that her Hebrew given name was Hannah as well. Rachel was no doubt jealous of the high status of her sister Leah in the nation of Israel. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. We ask again, was this Davidian Nasi Prince Mattan ben Levi, the same Nasi as Prince Mattathias, who married the Maccabee Princess, and future Maccabee Queen, as the daughter of the Maccabee Priest-King Hyrcanus II and through this union had a son called Prince Alexander III Helios? His birth is very difficult for Rachel, and she dies as her son is born. The name of the children of this union between Mattathias, the Nasi and Prince of Israel and Princess Alexandra II, prior to 49 BCE was Prince Alexander III Helios (the Biblical Heli) and his sister, Princess Alexandra III. ." Alexandras 17-year-old son, just nominated High Priest, drowned in mysterious circumstance in the winter palace at Jericho (Ant. Not knowing that the teraphim were in his wife's possession, Jacob pronounced a curse on whoever had them: "With whoever you will find your gods, he will not live" (Genesis 31:32). . Leah, on the other hand, keeps hoping and believing that Jacob will love more her as she bears many children for him. She and Leah were remembered as the two who together built up the house of Israel(Ruth 4:11). ", Despite not being named in the Qur'an, Rachel (Arabic: , Rl) is honored in Islam as the wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph,[12] who are frequently mentioned by name in the Qur'an as Yaqb (Arabic: ) and Ysuf (Arabic: ), respectively.[13][14]. Some Christian apologists note that Panthera could have been a satirical pun on the Greek word parthenos (virgin). Love in the Bible: From God's Love to the Most Romantic Scriptures, Meet Isaac in the Bible: Abraham's Miracle Son, Meet Eve: The First Woman, Wife, and Mother of All the Living, Bathsheba, Mother of Solomon, Wife of King David, A Profile of Abraham of the Jewish Nation, 8 Mothers in the Bible Who Served God Well, M.A., English Composition, Illinois State University, B.S., English Literature, Illinois State University.