Rachel Summary
STEPBible TIPNR
Rachel was the beloved wife of Jacob, and the mother of Joseph and Benjamin.
daughter of Laban (GEN 29:10) and wife of Jacob (GEN 29:28)
Rachel’s birth year and age at death are unknown. The Theographic birth date contradicts the account of her marriage and children. She dies giving birth to Benjamin on the way to Ephrath (Bethlehem), as described in Genesis 35:16–20. The sources give different chronological estimates for the year of this single death. Genesis 35:16–20
Chronological estimates in the sources
theographic · c. 1740 BC
bibledata · c. 1730 BC
Lineage: God › Adam › Seth › Enos › Cainan › Mahalaleel › Jared › Enoch › Methuselah › Lamech › Noah › Shem › Arphaxad › Cainan › Salah › Eber › Peleg › Reu › Serug › Nahor › Terah › Nahor › Bethuel › Laban › Rachel
Names
-
en
Rachel
sheep
- en Rahel · Also called
-
en
Rachel
· Also called · H7354 · GEN 29:6 ewe
-
he
רָחֵל
rachel · H7354 · GEN 29:6 ewe
- el Ραχηλ Raxēl · GEN 29:6
- el Ῥαχήλ · G4478
- bg Рахил
Death
Mentioned in (45)
Gen 29:6
Gen 29:9
Gen 29:10
Gen 29:11
Gen 29:12
Gen 29:16
Gen 29:17
Gen 29:18
Gen 29:20
Gen 29:25
Gen 29:28
Gen 29:29
Gen 29:30
Gen 29:31
Gen 30:1
Gen 30:2
Gen 30:6
Gen 30:7
Gen 30:8
Gen 30:14
Gen 30:15
Gen 30:22
Gen 30:25
Gen 31:4
Gen 31:14
Gen 31:19
Gen 31:32
Gen 31:33
Gen 31:34
Gen 33:1
Gen 33:2
Gen 33:7
Gen 35:16
Gen 35:19
Gen 35:20
Gen 35:24
Gen 35:25
Gen 46:19
Gen 46:22
Gen 46:25
Gen 48:7
Ruth 4:11
1 Sam 10:2
Jer 31:15
Matt 2:18
SDA Books
Awaiting permission to publishLinked through an explicitly cited Bible passage
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Dates and sources (4)
Absolute years are conditional chronological estimates. A biblical passage may state an age or event, but does not by itself establish a BCE year. Different calendar systems are preserved separately.
-
Birth Theographic Rejected assertionTheographic signed year:
-1755· Calendar interpretation is unverified; the raw value is shown.Person mentions; these are not evidence for this date: 45
Gen.29.6Gen.29.9Gen.29.10Gen.29.11Gen.29.12Gen.29.16Gen.29.17Gen.29.18Gen.29.20Gen.29.25Gen.29.28Gen.29.29Gen.29.30Gen.29.31Gen.30.1Gen.30.2Gen.30.6Gen.30.7Gen.30.8Gen.30.14Gen.30.15Gen.30.22Gen.30.25Gen.31.4Gen.31.14Gen.31.19Gen.31.32Gen.31.33Gen.31.34Gen.33.1Gen.33.2Gen.33.7Gen.35.16Gen.35.19Gen.35.20Gen.35.24Gen.35.25Gen.46.19Gen.46.22Gen.46.25Gen.48.7Ruth.4.111Sam.10.2Jer.31.15Matt.2.18Already rejected: marriage and years of service to Laban precede Joseph; the raw chronology puts marriage in early childhood. Rachel’s age is unknown.
GEN 29:16-30GEN 30:25GEN 31:41Source record and calculation
rachel_2386·birthYeartheographic/People.csv· record 2374SHA-256:a6b1b635d452201e2f9bc9ce1ec43d33a4e28fc6e712afb86a329b36fb4b5d88 -
Death BibleData Alternative estimateBibleData BCE year:
1687→ ≈ 1687 BCSource record and calculation
Death_Rachel_1·bce_yearbibledata/BibleData-Event.csv· record 92The year of Rachel_1's death is the year Jacob departed from Laban (2267) + 8 years (estimated) = 2275SHA-256:d876259e58309abfe39b3d7caf1d7884e1e98c1286fd4a91feabfc6618806131 -
Death BibleData Alternative estimateAH with conditional Ussher anchor:
2275→ ≈ 1730 BCSource record and calculation
Death_Rachel_1·event_year_ahbibledata/BibleData-Event.csv· record 92The year of Rachel_1's death is the year Jacob departed from Laban (2267) + 8 years (estimated) = 2275SHA-256:d876259e58309abfe39b3d7caf1d7884e1e98c1286fd4a91feabfc6618806131 -
Death Theographic Alternative estimateTheographic signed year:
-1739· Calendar interpretation is unverified; the raw value is shown.Person mentions; these are not evidence for this date: 45
Gen.29.6Gen.29.9Gen.29.10Gen.29.11Gen.29.12Gen.29.16Gen.29.17Gen.29.18Gen.29.20Gen.29.25Gen.29.28Gen.29.29Gen.29.30Gen.29.31Gen.30.1Gen.30.2Gen.30.6Gen.30.7Gen.30.8Gen.30.14Gen.30.15Gen.30.22Gen.30.25Gen.31.4Gen.31.14Gen.31.19Gen.31.32Gen.31.33Gen.31.34Gen.33.1Gen.33.2Gen.33.7Gen.35.16Gen.35.19Gen.35.20Gen.35.24Gen.35.25Gen.46.19Gen.46.22Gen.46.25Gen.48.7Ruth.4.111Sam.10.2Jer.31.15Matt.2.18Source record and calculation
rachel_2386·deathYeartheographic/People.csv· record 2374SHA-256:a6b1b635d452201e2f9bc9ce1ec43d33a4e28fc6e712afb86a329b36fb4b5d88
Conditional birth estimate · c. 1785 BC – 1764 BC
Conditional birth bounds under generation assumptions; not attested parental ages, biological limits or a lifespan.
Below are relatives with a selected birth year, the generations separating them, and the interval allowed by each anchor. Each relative’s page shows available dates and sources. The overall estimate uses the intersection of the allowed intervals.
| Relative / anchor year | Generations | Conditional interval |
|---|---|---|
| Terah · 2125 BC Ancestor |
4 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2025 BC – 1605 BC |
| Haran · 2056 BC Ancestor |
4 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1956 BC – 1536 BC |
| Nahor · 2156 BC Ancestor |
5 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2031 BC – 1506 BC |
| Serug · 2186 BC Ancestor |
6 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2036 BC – 1406 BC |
| Reu · 2218 BC Ancestor |
7 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2043 BC – 1308 BC |
| Peleg · 2248 BC Ancestor |
8 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2048 BC – 1208 BC |
| Eber · 2282 BC Ancestor |
9 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2057 BC – 1112 BC |
| Salah · 2312 BC Ancestor |
10 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2062 BC – 1012 BC |
| Arphaxad · 2347 BC Ancestor |
12 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2047 BC – 787 BC |
| Shem · 2447 BC Ancestor |
13 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2122 BC – 757 BC |
| Noah · 2948 BC Ancestor |
14 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2598 BC – 1128 BC |
| Lamech · 3130 BC Ancestor |
15 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2755 BC – 1180 BC |
| Methuselah · 3317 BC Ancestor |
16 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2917 BC – 1237 BC |
| Enoch · 3382 BC Ancestor |
17 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2957 BC – 1172 BC |
| Jared · 3544 BC Ancestor |
18 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3094 BC – 1204 BC |
| Mahalaleel · 3609 BC Ancestor |
19 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3134 BC – 1139 BC |
| Cainan · 3679 BC Ancestor |
20 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3179 BC – 1079 BC |
| Cain · 4004 BC Ancestor |
20 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3504 BC – 1404 BC |
| Enos · 3769 BC Ancestor |
21 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3244 BC – 1039 BC |
| Adam · 4004 BC Ancestor |
21 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3479 BC – 1274 BC |
| Eve · 4005 BC Ancestor |
21 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3480 BC – 1275 BC |
| Seth · 3874 BC Ancestor |
22 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3324 BC – 1014 BC |
| Benjamin · 1740 BC Descendant |
1 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1785 BC – 1760 BC |
| Joseph · 1744 BC Descendant |
1 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1789 BC – 1764 BC |
| Ephraim · 1709 BC Descendant |
2 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1799 BC – 1749 BC |
| Manasseh · 1710 BC Descendant |
2 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1800 BC – 1750 BC |
| Joshua · 1532 BC Descendant |
11 20–45 years per generation |
c. 2027 BC – 1752 BC |
Took part in (2)
- Birth of Joseph · c. 1745 BC
- Rachel dies giving birth to Benjamin · c. 1739 BC
Died in (1)
Servants (1)
Rachel Article
STEPBible TIPNR
Rachel was the daughter of Laban and the younger sister of Leah (Gen 29:16). She became the beloved wife of Israel (or 'Jacob'), who worked for Laban for fourteen years to marry her (Gen 29:18-30). Rachel was initially unable to conceive, while Leah bore several children (Gen 29:31-35). In her distress, Rachel gave her maidservant Bilhah to Jacob, and Bilhah bore Dan and Naphtali (Gen 30:1-8). Eventually, God remembered Rachel, and she gave birth to Joseph (Gen 30:22-24). When Jacob left Laban, Rachel stole her father's household idols (Gen 31:19). She later hid them and deceived her father when he came searching for them (Gen 31:34-35). As Jacob's family journeyed to Ephrath (Bethlehem), Rachel went into labor and gave birth to Benjamin, but she died during childbirth (Gen 35:16-20). Jacob buried her on the way to Ephrath and set up a pillar on her grave (Gen 35:20). Rachel's sons, Joseph and Benjamin, became two of the twelve tribes of Israel (Gen 46:19-22). Her tomb became a landmark (1Sa 10:2) and is mentioned in Jer 31:15, where her weeping is used as a symbol for Israel's mourning during the Babylonian exile. This passage is also quoted in Mat 2:18 in relation to Herod's massacre of the innocents.
Rachel Dictionary
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Ewe, “the daughter”, “the somewhat petulant, peevish, and self-willed though beautiful younger daughter” of Laban, and one of Jacob’s wives (Gen. 29:6, 28). He served Laban fourteen years for her, so deep was Jacob’s affection for her. She was the mother of Joseph (Gen. 30:22-24). Afterwards, on Jacob’s departure from Mesopotamia, she took with her her father’s teraphim (31:34, 35). As they journeyed on from Bethel, Rachel died in giving birth to Benjamin (35:18, 19), and was buried “in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave”. Her sepulchre is still regarded with great veneration by the Jews. Its traditional site is about half a mile from Jerusalem.
This name is used poetically by Jeremiah (31:15-17) to denote God’s people mourning under their calamities. This passage is also quoted by Matthew as fulfilled in the lamentation at Bethlehem on account of the slaughter of the infants there at the command of Herod (Matt. 2:17, 18).
Sources: BibleData (CC BY 4.0, Rachel_1) · STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0, Rachel@Gen.29.6-Mat) · Theographic Bible Metadata (CC BY-SA 4.0, rachel_2386)