Rachel
Rachel is the daughter of Laban, Leah's younger sister, and the beloved wife of Jacob.
History[]
Life and Marriage[]
Rachel was born in Paddan Aram to Laban. Compared to her older sister Leah who had tender eyes Rachel was described as being very fair to look upon. After Jacob fleed from his home to escape Esau's rage, Jacob arrived in Haran and came upon some shepherds in the field and asked them if they know of a man named Laban. The shepherds answered that they did and pointed out Rachel appearing into the field with a flock of sheep. Jacob ran up to her and watered the sheep from the well for her. When Jacob was finished he kissed Rachel and told her that he is the son of Rebecca the sister of Laban, Rachel's father. Rachel ran to tell her father the news of Jacob and Laban welcomed Jacob into his home. There, Jacob told the family the whole story as to why he came all the way to Haran and he then asked Laban that he wished to marry Rachel. Laban made a deal that if he worked for him for 7 years he may take Rachel as his wife to which Jacob agreed. However, Laban tricked Jacob gave him Leah instead of Rachel to marry since it is a custom that the older child marry first. So in order to get Rachel, Jacob worked another 7 years. Since Leah was unloved, God allowed her to bear children. Jealous of her sister, since she was also barren herself, Rachel gave her maid servant Bilhah to Jacob to bear children for her. Eventually, God blessed Rachel and she gave birth to Joseph. On the day Jacob departed from Laban, Rachel stole her father's idols and hid them under the cushion set of her camel. Laban found out and accused Jacob for stealing them. Not knowing that Rachel had stolen the idols, Jacob told him that a curse of death shall be placed on whoever took them. As Laban came to Rachel's tent to search, Rachel told him not to be anger at her for not rising for the "way of the woman" is within her. Laban left Rachel alone and Rachel departed from her father with Jacob to travel with the rest of the family to Jacob's childhood home in Caanan.
Death[]
A few years later Rachel gave birth to a second son named Benjamin but due to the complications of the childbirth and because Rachel stole her father's idols with Jacob's curse of death came true Rachel died and was buried in a tomb on the side of the road that lead to city of Bethlehem which would later be the birthplace city of Jesus Christ.
Name Meaning[]
Rachel's name is Hebrew for meaning "a ewe" or " a lamb".