Bible Dictionary: Rachel's

◄ Rachel's ►

Jump to: ISBE • Concordance • Thesaurus • Hebrew • Library • Subtopics • Terms

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

RACHEL'S TOMB

(matstsebheth qebhurath rachel): In Genesis 35:20 we read: "Jacob set up a pillar upon her grave: the same is the Pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day," i.e. the time of the writer. Though the pillar, i.e sepulchral monument, has long disappeared, the spot is marked until this day, and Christians, Jews and Mohammedans unite in honoring it. The present tomb, which, apparently, is not older than the 15th century, is built in the style of the small-domed buildings raised by Moslems in honor of their saints. It is a rough structure of four square walls, each about 23 ft. long and 20 ft. high; the dome rising 10 ft. higher is used by Mohammedans for prayer, while on Fridays the Jews make supplication before the empty tomb within. It is doubtful, but probable, that it marks the exact spot where Rachel was buried. There are, apparently, two traditions as to the location of the place. The oldest tradition, based upon Genesis 35:16-20; Genesis 48:7, points to a place one mile North of Bethlehem and 4 miles from Jerusalem. Matthew 2:18 speaks for this place, since the evangelist, reporting the slaughter of the innocents of Bethlehem, represents Rachel as weeping for her children from her neighboring grave. But according to 1 Samuel 10:2;, which apparently represents another tradition, the place of Rachel's grave was on the "border of Benjamin," near Beth-el, about 10 miles North of Jerusalem, at another unknown Ephrath. This location, some believe, is corroborated by Jeremiah 31:15, where the prophet, in relating the leading away of the people of Ramah, which was in Benjamin, into captivity, introduces Rachel the mother of that tribe as bewailing the fate of her descendants. Those that believe this northern location to be the place of Rachel's grave take the words, "the same is Beth-lehem," in Genesis 35:19; Genesis 48:7, to be an incorrect gloss; but that is a mere assumption lacking sufficient proof.o, following J. P. Peters, rearranges the text by transferring the clause "and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council" to the end of the preceding verse (Encyclopaedia Biblica, IV, cols. 4001). There certainly does not seem to be trustworthy external evidence to prove that the terms "the judgment," "the council," "the Gehenna of fire" stand to each other in a relation of gradation, as lower and higher legal courts, or would be so understood by Christ's hearers. What is beyond dispute is that Christ condemns the use of disparaging and insulting epithets as a supreme offense against the law of humanity, which belongs to the same category as murder itself. It should be added, however, that it is the underlying feeling and not the verbal expression as such that constitutes the sin. Hence, our Lord can, without any real inconsistency, address two of His followers as "foolish men" (Luke 24:25, anoetoi, practically equivalent to Raca, as is also James's expression, "O vain man," James 2:20).

Mr. Nathan Strauss, of New York City, has purchased the land surrounding Rachel's grave for the purpose of erecting a Jewish university in the Holy Land.

S. D. Press

Strong's Hebrew

1126. Ben-oni -- "son of my sorrow," Rachel's name for Benjamin
... 1125, 1126. Ben-oni. 1127 . "son of my sorrow," Rachel's name for Benjamin.
Transliteration: Ben-oni Phonetic Spelling: (ben-o-nee') Short Definition: Ben- ...
/hebrew/1126.htm - 6k

7354. Rachel -- a wife of Jacob
... 7353, 7354. Rachel. 7355 . a wife of Jacob. Transliteration: Rachel Phonetic
Spelling: (raw-khale') Short Definition: Rachel. Word ...
/hebrew/7354.htm - 6k

Library

Rachel's Refuge
... CHAPTER XXXII RACHEL'S REFUGE. Rachel stood by the parapet on the top of the Memphian
house of Har-hat. About her were no evidences of her former serfdom. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xxxii rachels refuge.htm

Chapter sixteen
... She was talking it over with Rachel the day after the funeral. ... "How much money
have you, Virginia, to give in this way?" asked Rachel. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sheldon/in his steps/chapter sixteen.htm

Chapter ten
... Virginia and her uncle had gone home about eleven o'clock, and Rachel and Jasper
Chase had gone with them as far as the avenue where Virginia lived. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sheldon/in his steps/chapter ten.htm

Chapter seven
... Chapter Seven. Rachel was glad to escape and be by herself. A plan was ... t
objected.". "I did not see you," said Rachel briefly. "I ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sheldon/in his steps/chapter seven.htm

In Judaea
... Jewish history had clustered. In Ramah Rachel died, and was buried. [16]
We know that Jacob set up a pillar on her grave. Such is the ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 5 in judaea.htm

Chapter xxx
... 1, 2. When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob children, Rachel became jealous
of her sister and said to Jacob: Give me children, or else I die. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxx.htm

Chapter eighteen
... When Rollin started down the street the afternoon that Jasper stood looking out
of his window he was not thinking of Rachel Winslow and did not expect to see ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sheldon/in his steps/chapter eighteen.htm

Chapter xxxv
... It now appears that Rachel's purpose in stealing her father's teraphim (Genesis
31:19) may well have been at least occasionally to engage in the worship of them ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxxv.htm

The Treasure Cave
... Below, with only her face in the faint moonlight, was Rachel, looking up to him. ...
"It is Deborah come up from the camp to seek for me!" Rachel exclaimed. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xx the treasure cave.htm

Chapter fourteen
... The police sent down a special force, and Virginia and Rachel were always
under the protection of either Rollin or Dr. West. Rachel's ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sheldon/in his steps/chapter fourteen.htm

Thesaurus

Rachel's (5 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia RACHEL'S TOMB. ... It is doubtful, but probable,
that it marks the exact spot where Rachel was buried. ...
/r/rachel's.htm - 11k

Bilhah (11 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Faltering; bashful, Rachel's handmaid, whom she
gave to Jacob (Genesis 29:29). She was the mother of Dan ...
/b/bilhah.htm - 11k

Tomb (70 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. RACHEL'S TOMB. ... It is doubtful, but probable,
that it marks the exact spot where Rachel was buried. ...
/t/tomb.htm - 31k

Zelzah (1 Occurrence)
... Its position is defined as "by Rachel's sepulchre, in the border of Benjamin" (1
Samuel 10:2). It has been thought that the place of meeting was sufficiently ...
/z/zelzah.htm - 7k

Raddai (1 Occurrence)
... It is doubtful, but probable, that it marks the exact spot where Rachel was buried.
There are, apparently, two traditions as to the location of the place. ...
/r/raddai.htm - 10k

Maid-servant (49 Occurrences)
... servant. (YLT). Genesis 29:29 and Laban giveth to Rachel his daughter Bilhah
his maid-servant, for a maid-servant to her. (YLT). Genesis ...
/m/maid-servant.htm - 22k

Maidservant (73 Occurrences)
... daughter. (DBY NIV). Genesis 29:29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter,
Bilhah, his maidservant, to be her maidservant. (DBY NIV). ...
/m/maidservant.htm - 28k

Dan (71 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary A judge. (1.) The fifth son of Jacob. His mother was Bilhah,
Rachel's maid (Genesis 30:6, "God hath judged me", Hebrews dananni). ...
/d/dan.htm - 41k

Naphtali (51 Occurrences)
... His mother was Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid (Genesis 30:8). When Jacob went
down into Egypt, Naphtali had four sons (Genesis 46:24). ...
/n/naphtali.htm - 35k

Pillar (72 Occurrences)
... the "pillars" of Jacob at Bethel (Genesis 28:18, 22; compare Genesis 31:13; Genesis
35:14), in covenant with Laban (Genesis 31:45), at Rachel's grave (Genesis ...
/p/pillar.htm - 38k

Bible Concordance

Rachel's (5 Occurrences)

Genesis 30:7 Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid, conceived again, and bore Jacob a second son.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 31:33 Laban went into Jacob's tent, into Leah's tent, and into the tent of the two female servants; but he didn't find them. He went out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 35:20 Jacob set up a pillar on her grave. The same is the Pillar of Rachel's grave to this day.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 35:25 The sons of Bilhah (Rachel's handmaid): Dan and Naphtali.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Samuel 10:2 When you have departed from me today, then you shall find two men by Rachel's tomb, in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will tell you,'The donkeys which you went to seek have been found; and behold, your father has stopped caring about the donkeys, and is anxious for you, saying, "What shall I do for my son?"'
(WEB KJV ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Rachel's

Rachel's Tomb

Related Terms

Bilhah (11 Occurrences)

Tomb (70 Occurrences)

Zelzah (1 Occurrence)

Raddai (1 Occurrence)

Maid-servant (49 Occurrences)

Maidservant (73 Occurrences)

Dan (71 Occurrences)

Naphtali (51 Occurrences)