Genesis 35:16–29 (ESV)
Then they journeyed from Bethel. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel went into labor, and she had hard labor. And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for you have another son.” And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem), and Jacob set up a pillar over her tomb. It is the pillar of Rachel's tomb, which is there to this day. Israel journeyed on and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder. While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine. And Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob's firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. The sons of Bilhah, Rachel's servant: Dan and Naphtali. The sons of Zilpah, Leah's servant: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram. And Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned. Now the days of Isaac were 180 years. And Isaac breathed his last, and he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
The road from Bethel should have been one of hope and fulfillment. Jacob had heard God’s promises, renewed his vow, and purified his household. But along the way, Jacob and his family are hit with the loss of a loved one. Rachel, the love of Jacob’s life, dies giving birth. She names the child Ben-oni, “son of my sorrow.” Jacob renames him Benjamin, “son of my right hand.” Jacob is now a man who has been reshaped and renamed by God and in faith and now renames his son to reflect the blessing he is, even when the circumstances are terrible.
But life with God is often like this. We often want to imagine the Christian walk as this linear, steady, x=y type line, where the progress is always upward. But more often than not, the spiritual life is a mixture of tears and promises, of funerals and new beginnings, of joys and sorrows. And so Rachel’s tomb in this story reminds us that even people of faith, who have been radically reshaped by God’s action in their lives carry scars from the journey of life.
The story then takes another odd turn, with Reuben’s sin. Maybe he wants to use this opportunity to increase his power and influence in the family? We don’t know. But Jacob hears about it, but he remains silent. There seems to be no repercussions for Reuben. But even here, God’s plan continues to roll out. Notice immediately after telling us of Reuben’s sin, we also get a genealogy of the line of promise, of the family heads of the nation of Israel. The twelve sons are named, and through them the tribes of Israel are established. So we are reminded here that God’s covenant faithfulness is far more powerful than human sin.
But this chapter is also the end of Isaac’s chapter in the Bible. Isaac dies and his two sons, the two estranged brothers, Jacob and Esau, stand together at their father’s grave. The promises made to Abraham and Isaac now pass on to Jacob and the story of redemption continues through him.
Now for us, this passage calls us to be both honest with ourselves, and hopeful about the future. We are not promised a smooth road in this life. We may bury loved ones, suffer deep personal tragedies, we might go through really difficult family failures, and we will have to face our own regrets. Someone once said that you don’t get older in life, you just collect regrets. But in Jesus, this is never the last word. God gives new names, new mercies, and a future that cannot be stolen. The grave does not have the final say. Resurrection does.
Prayer
Father, you are faithful in joy and in sorrow. Thank you for showing us that your promises stand even when our hearts are breaking. Teach us to trust you when the road is hard. Help us to repent when we sin, to cling to Christ in our grief, and to hope in the resurrection that is ours in Him. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.