Topical Bible: Beauty: Rachel

◄ Beauty: Rachel ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

Rachel, a prominent figure in the Old Testament, is often noted for her beauty and the significant role she played in the narrative of the patriarchs. She is introduced in Genesis 29 as the younger daughter of Laban, the brother of Rebekah, Isaac's wife. Rachel's beauty is immediately highlighted in the biblical text, capturing the attention and affection of Jacob, who becomes her husband.

Biblical Account

The first mention of Rachel occurs when Jacob arrives in Paddan-aram, fleeing from his brother Esau. Upon reaching a well, he encounters shepherds and inquires about Laban. It is here that Rachel is introduced: "While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess" (Genesis 29:9). Jacob's immediate love for Rachel is evident, as he offers to serve Laban for seven years in exchange for her hand in marriage: "Now Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, 'I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel'" (Genesis 29:18).

Rachel's beauty is contrasted with her sister Leah, who is described as having "weak eyes," while "Rachel was shapely and beautiful" (Genesis 29:17). This distinction sets the stage for the complex family dynamics that follow, as Laban deceives Jacob into marrying Leah first, leading Jacob to work an additional seven years for Rachel.

Role and Significance

Rachel's beauty is not merely a physical attribute but also a catalyst for the unfolding of God's plan for the nation of Israel. Her marriage to Jacob, though fraught with challenges, results in the birth of Joseph and Benjamin, two of the twelve tribes of Israel. Rachel's struggle with infertility and her eventual motherhood are pivotal in the narrative, highlighting themes of faith, perseverance, and divine intervention.

Rachel's beauty and her favored status with Jacob also contribute to the tension between her and Leah, as well as among their children. This familial strife is a recurring theme in the Genesis account, illustrating the complexities of human relationships and the sovereignty of God in using imperfect people to fulfill His purposes.

Legacy

Rachel's beauty and her account have left a lasting legacy in biblical history. She is remembered as a matriarch of Israel, and her life is commemorated in various biblical passages. Her tomb, located near Bethlehem, became a significant site for the Israelites, symbolizing her enduring influence and the fulfillment of God's promises through her descendants.

In summary, Rachel's beauty is an integral part of her account, serving as both a personal attribute and a narrative device that advances the biblical account of God's covenant with His people. Her life exemplifies the intertwining of human desires and divine plans, showcasing the profound impact of beauty within the biblical tradition.

Nave's Topical Index

Genesis 29:17
Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favored.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Rachel's Refuge
... The costume was distinctly Israelitish, elaborated somewhat at the suggestion of
Masanath, to whom Rachel's golden beauty was a never-lessening wonder. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xxxii rachels refuge.htm

Laban had Two Daughters, Leah and Rachel; but Leah had Tender Eyes ...
... Laban had two daughters, Leah and Rachel; but Leah had tender eyes, while Rachel
is said to have been beautiful. Jacob, captivated by her beauty, burned with ...
/.../severus/life and writings of sulpitius severus /chapter ix laban had two.htm

Of the Union of Our Will to the Good-Pleasure of God by ...
... But because, besides his father's will, he desired to satisfy his own liking, charmed
with the beauty and grace of Rachel, he disliked marrying Lia, and took ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter iv of the union.htm

The Gods of Egypt
... Rachel had given him no sign of preference beyond a pretty fellowship. ... His heavy
heart did not retard the progress of his statue or make its beauty indifferent ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xv the gods of.htm

Of the Sweetness of the Commandment which God Has Given us of ...
... I would not indeed affirm for certain, that the view of God's beauty which the ... gain
the King's daughter,"and what did not Jacob do to espouse Rachel, and the ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter i of the sweetness.htm

Whether the Moral virtues Pertain to the Contemplative Life?
... xiv in Ezech.) that "the contemplative life gives beauty to the soul," wherefore
it is signified by Rachel, of whom it is said (Gn.29:17) that she was "of a ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the moral virtues pertain.htm

That Perfect virtues are Never one Without the Other.
... But because he loved Rachel by reason of her beauty, he could never equally love
poor Lia, though a fruitful and wise maid, because to his mind she was not so ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter vii that perfect virtues.htm

Chapter six
... Virginia's pale, clear complexion was that of health, but it was generally
in marked contrast with Rachel's tropical type of beauty. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sheldon/in his steps/chapter six.htm

The Testament of Issachar Concerning Simplicity.
... Therefore the Lord hearkened to Rachel because of the mandrakes: for though she
desired ... For he cannot allow within his mind a thought of female beauty, that he ...
/.../v the testament of issachar concerning.htm

Chapter twenty-one
... Felicia was nineteen, with a tropical beauty somewhat like her cousin, Rachel Winslow,
with warm, generous impulses just waking into Christian feeling, capable ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sheldon/in his steps/chapter twenty-one.htm