Genesis 35:19 (WEB)
Rachel died, and was buried on the way to Ephrath (also called Bethlehem).
As quoted in the map (KJV)
Genesis 35:19 (KJV)
And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.
Key words
- בֵּית לָחֶםBeth-lechem · Hebrew
- 'Bethlehem,' literally 'house of bread' — the birthplace of David, of the Messiah, and the site of Rachel's tomb.
Why it matters
Rachel dies and is buried at Bethlehem, and her tomb becomes the fixed point that ties her to the Messiah's birthplace. Pitre notes that this is why Jeremiah pictures Rachel weeping for her children and why Matthew quotes that lament when Herod slaughters the infants of Bethlehem. Mary, the mother who gives birth in Bethlehem, steps into Rachel's place as the sorrowing, interceding mother.
Fathers and councils · 3
Cyril of Jerusalem
“For a few years ago the place was woody.” — editor's note: The Benedictine Editor thinks that in calling the place “woody” Cyril refers to a grove planted by Hadrian in honour of Adonis, which had been destroyed about…
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John Chrysostom
“Rachel was the mother of Benjamin, and on his death, they buried her in the horse-course that was near this place.” — editor's note: Gen. xxxv. 19, LXX. and xlviii. 7.
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Jerome
“(Here it was that she gave birth to her son destined to be not what his dying mother called him, Benoni, that is the “Son of my pangs” but as his father in the spirit prophetically named him Benjamin, that is “the Son of the right hand).”” — editor's note: Gen. xxxv. 18, 19.
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