Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Rather, he told the latter(Gen. 49:3): Reuben, you are my first-born; notwithstanding this, Jacob also spoke disparagingly of him (v. 4): Unstable as water, you shall excel no longer. Many years later, Moses would bless Reuben and release him from this disgrace(Deut. In Brief. 60a, and Targ. Genesis chapters 29-30 and 35 detail the births of Jacob's many children. Gen. 30:22reveals: Now God remembered Rachel; God heeded her and opened her womb. In the midrashic expansion, Rachel was remembered (i.e., became pregnant) on The Jewish New Year, held on the first and second days of the Hebrew month of Tishrei. 40) are considered by the Rabbis to symbolize the four matriarchs, Rachel, who died the youngest, they consider symbolized by the willows of the brook, which fade sooner than any other plant (Lev. Today the site is surrounded by an armed fortress and under heavy guard. Accordingly, after the birth of Joseph, Esaus foil, Jacob resolved that the time had come to return to his homeland(Gen. Rabbah73:7). Jacob offered to serve Laban for seven years, in exchange for the right to marry Rachel. Tadshe, in Epstein, "Mi-admoniyyot ha-Yehudim," Supplement, p. 31:1416attests: A cry is heard in Ramahwailing, bitter weepingRachel weeping for her children, she refuses to be comforted for her children, who are gone. ; Midr. In the morning, Jacob discovered he had been tricked. 5:14): From Ephraim came they whose roots are in Amalek [literally: From Ephraim came those who will destroy Amalek from its roots]and Israel will be rescued only by the son of Rachel. Genesis 29:18Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, "Ill work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel." The Rabbis learned from this that whoever makes a vow and delays fulfilling it will bury his wife (Lev. 24), show that she was a prophetess. 2 There he saw a well in the open country, with three flocks of sheep lying near it because the flocks were watered from that well. Later, when Leah was given in marriage instead of Rachel, the latter revealed the signs to her sister in order to spare her from being disgraced by Jacob. One tradition maintains that she became pregnant by merit of abundant prayers: by merit of her own prayer, by merit of her sisters prayer, by merit of Jacobs prayer, and by merit of the prayer of the handmaidens [Zilpah and Bilhah](Gen. Rabbah73:3). Overall, the midrash portrays Rachel as incredibly generous and compassionate, and her goodness is seen in her descendants. I acted kindly with her, I was not jealous of her, and I did not cause her to be shamed and disgraced. For instance. 22). Gen. 33:67describes the meeting with Esau: Then the maids, with their children, came forward and bowed low; next Leah, with her children, came forward and bowed low; and lastly, Joseph and Rachel came forward and bowed low. The Rabbis noted that the other wives came first and their children after them, while Joseph stepped forward before his mother Rachel. Another exegetical tradition relates that when Rachel saw the events of the Destruction and the Israelites being sent into exile from their land, she jumped in before God and said: Master of the Universe! A compilation of the commentary and discussions of the, Matriarchs: A Liturgical and Theological Category, Modesty and Sexuality in Halakhic Literature, The Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women, Copyright 19982023, Jewish Women's Archive. The Rabbis learned from this that seven days of feasting are to be conducted for a bride and groom (Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer[ed. Themidrashasserts that the salvation that occurred in his time in the war at Gilgal(Josh. Bilhah bore Jacob two sons, Dan and Naphtali, the first by her own merit, and the second by the merit of Rachel (Gen. Rabbati,Vayeze, p. 121). Rachels son Benjamin knew about the sale of Joseph but did not reveal it to his father; therefore(Ex. Buber],Vayeze13). Laban would take these gifts and give them to Leah, and Rachel would remain silent (Tanhuma[ed. 6:23)(Gen. Rabbah82:7). Jacob loved Rachel but was indifferent toward Leah. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Why did Rachel die? According to one, Reuben, Leahs son and the firstborn of Jacob, does receive the birthright. 2). This midrash criticizes Jacob for responding so harshly and inconsiderately to Rachel, who is presented as a bitter woman. l.c. His love and our salvation come through grace. The purpose of the comparison between Benjamin and his mother was to say that just as Benjamin was unjustly accused, so, too, Rachel should not have been called a thief, since her motive was positive. The Rabbis differ as to the reason why Rachel stole her father's teraphim. Kadari, Tamar. Altogether, the four women bore 12 sons and one daughter, Dinah. Yet a third tradition explains that Rachel merited pregnancy because she brought her rival wife [Bilhah] into her house. The regimen of rituals, songs and textual readings performed in a specific order on the first two nights (in Israel, on the first night) of Passover. Jacob kissed Rachel and fell in love with her instantly. 13b; B. The Bible says that this took place at sheep-shearing time,[5] which is always in the springtime. Leah's life as Jacob's wife was distressful. He said to them: My masters, why do you disagree about me? Let us know. 13). Once she has given birth, she places the blame on her child (Tanhuma[ed. How old? Gen. 33:2relates: putting the maids and their children first, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last, to which the midrash comments: The more behind, the more beloved(Gen. Rabbah78:8). 21). Notwithstanding this, Rachels exemplary deeds caused the seniority to return to her. He therefore went before her, stood up to his full height and hid her from Esau. TheA type of non-halakhic literary activitiy of the Rabbis for interpreting non-legal material according to special principles of interpretation (hermeneutical rules).midrash portrays Rachel as a prophetess, and her statements and the names she gave her sons contain allusions to the future. In 1860, Sir Moses Montefiore enlarged this structure. Our part is simply to accept and be thankful. According to the second opinion, however, the fact that she was the chief person of the household was a result of her barrenness and did not necessarily reflect Jacobs preference for her. Gen. 30:23records that when Rachel gave birth to Joseph she explained: God has taken away [asaf] my disgrace. The Rabbis observe that until a woman gives birth, whatever blame [there is, within the house] is placed upon her. According to the first, Naphtalis name is an acrostic of all that happened between Rachel and her sister. Buber],Vayeze12). The proverb teaches that we should not be surprised by this similarity, since Rachel was exceedingly beautiful, so was her son. However, the text of Genesis 35:9-15 is a narrative that begins with a recapitulation of an earlier incident: the second appearance of God to Jacob and the renaming of Jacob to Israel. Thismidrashincorporates several aggadic traditions according to which Leah gave birth to Issachar and Zebulun by merit of the mandrakes that she gave her sister. Learn Religions, Dec. 6, 2022, learnreligions.com/rachel-favored-wife-of-jacob-701193. Rachel had taken the idols and placed them in the cushion on her camels back. When Joseph was born, Rachel stated(Gen. 30:24): May the Lord add [yosef] another son for me. TheLit. Vilna] petihtah 24). cit.). Gen. 29tells of the first meeting between Jacob and Rachel at the well. Rachel's father Laban was the brother of Rebekah, Jacob mother. 14). When Rachel saw them, she asked Leah to give them to her [because of her barrenness]. R. Judan's opinion, however, was that Rachel died before Leah because, although she was the younger sister, she spoke before Leah when they were addressed by their husband (ib. An additional important trait of Rachels was the art of silence and the ability to keep secrets, a quality that she also passed on to her offspring, who were known for their taciturnity: Benjamin, Saul, andEsther. As compensation for this negative depiction, Scripture calls Israel after her, after her son, and after her sons son. TheTorahrelates that it was Joseph who ordered that the goblet be hidden in Benjamins sack. Yet he did not bring his beloved Rachel there, nor did he carry her to the more distant Hebron, but laid her to rest alongside the road. At first childless, Rachel eventually gave birth to Joseph and died giving birth to Benjamin. xxiii. Rachel, in Genesis, the first book of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), one of the two wives of the patriarch Jacob. After spending a month with his relatives he asked for her hand in marriage in return for working seven years for Laban the Aramean. Is this the reward of your sister Rachel, who gave you her signs with her husband on your wedding night, to spare you embarrassment? As punishment for this behavior, Leah was caused even greater mortification with the episode ofDinah(Gen. Rabbati,Vayishlah, p. 168). When Jacob introduced himself to Rachel, he told her (v. 12) that he was her fathers kinsman, that he was Rebekahs son. In the midrashic expansion, Jacob told Rachel: if to deceivehe was her fathers kinsman; and if for righteousnesshe was Rebekahs son. The 63-year-old Dirty Dancing icon appeared in the very first season of the show, playing Mindy. 1921) that occurred within the tribe of Benjamin; after the ban against this tribe had been lifted, that disgrace was expunged. Meet Rachel - Favored Wife of Jacob. In the midrashic account, many years later, when Josephs goblet was found in the sack of Benjamin(Gen. 44), the tribes stood about, beat Benjamins shoulders, and cried out: Oh thief, the son of a thief, you have shamed us! The impregnation of Sarah and Rachel, the Matriarchs of the nation, heralds that God will also deliver their descendants from the troubles they would suffer in the future. Themidrashstates that Leah carried a male fetus in her womb during her seventh pregnancy. When Jacob blesses Joseph before his death, he tells his son(Gen. 49:25): The God of your father who helps you, and Shaddai who blesses you [] blessings of the breast and the womb. The Rabbis comment on this: Come and see how greatly Jacob loved Rachel. Jacob is ultimately allowed to marry Rachel, which he does immediately after the festivities related to his wedding to Leah end, in exchange for another seven years' labor. In Sivan of 2251 AM (MayJune 1754 BC, or literally, "in the days of the wheat harvest"), Reuben went into the field and gathered mandrakes (Mandragora officinarum) for his mother Leah. https://www.learnreligions.com/rachel-favored-wife-of-jacob-701193 (accessed May 1, 2023). Rachel knows that she is Jacobs true intended bride. But had she been obviously pregnant, she would not have been able to lie convincingly. She possessed the art of silence [when she knew that her sister was given to Jacob deceitfully, but remained silent and did not tell him]; all of her descendants continued in this path, and could keep a secret. This midrash awards the birthright to Joseph, since his two sons became tribes and he therefore received twice as much as any of his brothers. As she was beautiful and well favored, Jacob fell in love with her and agreed to serve Laban for seven years on the condition that at the end of that time Rachel should become his wife. midrash relates that Rachel was twenty-two years old when she was married to Jacob ( "order.". When Jacob saw Rachel coming with the flock, he rolled the heavy stone from the mouth of the well by himself, a task that normally required more than three men; in the midrashic exposition, he rolled the stone as someone who removes a stopper from a flask(Gen. Rabbah70:12). "teaching," "study," or "learning." Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. Various Jewish sources say Rachel died at age 36 and other sources say age 45. This exegesis hints that in the rivalry between Israel and Esau [= Rome] Rachels children would emerge victorious. Jealous of her sister, Rachel gave Jacob her servant Bilhah as a wife. God thereupon promised her the restoration of Israel (Lam. When Potiphars wife attempted to seduce Joseph, he raised his eyes and saw the image of his mother Rachel and was thereby saved from the sin of adultery(JTHorayot2:5, 46[d]). Another tradition explains that most of those around [the table] were from Leah, and therefore Rachel was the main person [ikar] of the household(Gen. Rabbah71:2). The Rabbis were concerned with the nature of this kiss, which they regarded as an improper act. Zavada, Jack. After Josephs birth, she exclaimed: God has taken away my disgrace (Tanhuma[ed. So after the ceremonial week of the wedding to Leah was over, Rachel married Jacob, becoming his second but most-loved wife. It speaks of a tradition possessed by Jacob that Esau would fall only by the hand of Rachels sons. 3 (2020): 299-333. Besides, Rachel was afraid that her father, seeing that she had no children by Jacob, might marry her to Esau (Midr. Zavada, Jack. In the four years following their marriage, Leah had four sons; Rachel had none. By her merit, Joseph was given the birthright, and her descendants rose to royalty, leadership, and greatness. At last Rachel prayed to God, and God caused her to conceive. Therefore, Jacob was 71 years old at the time he met Rachel. l.c.) The stone over the mouth of the well was large. The birthright should have come forth from Rachel, but Leah preceded her in [receiving divine] mercy; because of the formers modesty, God restored the birthright to Rachel(BTBava Batra123a). After he married Leah, Jacob held a banquet for seven days, and he added another seven days of feasting and rejoicing, and then married Rachel. These two exegetical positions derive the word akarah from ikar. The first view maintains that even though Leah had children, Rachel continued to be the beloved and preferred wife, which was expressed in the running of the household. [1] Jacob decided to leave quietly at night. [2] Thus Leah would be the older sister only in the sense of having been born first. Rijksmuseum The story of how Jacob ends up marrying his two cousins, Leah and Rachel, begins in Canaan, with the marriage of his older twin, Esau, to two Hittite women of whom Isaac and Rebekah do not approve. This filled Rachel with envy, and, having expressed her feelings to Jacob, she bade him take her handmaid Bilhah to wife in order that she might obtain a family through her (xxix. Laban's younger daughter, who became one of Jacob's wives (Gen. xxix. Bilhah, Rachel's servant and Jacob's concubine, bears two more sons, Dan and Naphtali. Rachel's envy at her sister's fertility (comp. When his time came to take leave of the world, he summoned his sons, but he did not choose Joseph instead of Reuben. 1-min read. When Abraham was about 100 years old, he and his wife Sarah had a son who they named Isaac. While Rachel was barren for the first fourteen years of her marriage, she is still described as Jacobs preferred wife and a powerful woman. From the Jewish Museum, New York, via Wikimedia Commons. The Rabbis present Labans act of deceit as something in which Rachel was involved, from which they learn of her special qualities. The uncertainty arises from the unknown time between Jacob leaving Paddan-aram and arriving in Ephrath which was presumably at least 2 years (with Bethel in between) and when Joseph was 17 years old. Rosh Hashanah is perceived as the time of liberation from pain and sorrow: this is the day that signals a positive change, both in the time of the Matriarchs and in the time of their offspring. The Rabbis are lavish in their praise of Rachel, whom they describe as merciful, and who waived her personal benefit and desires on behalf of her sister. Dates and ages are not given for very many women in the Scriptures. Rachel bore Joseph, then the entire clan left Laban's country to return to Isaac. Answer (1 of 5): How old was Jacob when he married his wife in the Bible? (Genesis 29:10, NLT). 113:9states: He sets the childless woman among her household as a happy mother of children (Pesikta de-Rav Kahana[ed. How old was Rachel when she died. Some midrashim view the name given by Rachel to her son Joseph as a prophecy for what would befall his descendants. The Bible does not say when Rachel was born, nor how old she was when she married Jacob, nor how long she lived. Deut. "teaching," "study," or "learning." Rachel then offered to allow Leah to lie with Jacob that evening. Most of the Rabbis consider the idea of Rachel being an envious woman as incompatible with what has been previously said of her. Rachel and her sister Leah are mentioned as the two women who founded the house of Israel, Rachel, though younger, being mentioned first (Ruth iv. Consort with her [] that through her I too may have children (Gen. Rabbahloc. She knew that Jacob was to have only twelve sons, and, Joseph being the eleventh son, she prayed for only one son more (Tan., Wayee, 20). Rachel and Jacob were cousins. "the written Torah." 1; Gen. R. lxxi. She died after bearing her second son, in 2266 AM. Rachel said: Naftalihe is mynofet[honeycomb].Nofetare the words ofTorah, that are called(Ps. The midrash adds that Laban entered Rachels tent twice, because he knew that she was inclined to steal. 60a), and who are often referred to in the liturgy, Rachel being mentioned before Leah. "Meet Rachel - Favored Wife of Jacob." Omissions? Midr. Continuing this exegetical orientation, in another midrashic depiction Jacob tells Reuben, while blessing his sons before his death: The birthright was not yours. Before his death, Jacob praises Joseph for acting in this manner, when he says of his son(Gen. 49:22): Joseph is a wild ass, a wild ass by a spring [ayin, also meaning eye]I must reward you for that eye [for having concealed Rachel from Esaus eye](Gen. Rabbah78:10). Gen. 35:18attests: But as she breathed her lastfor she was dyingshe named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. The Rabbis explain that Rachel called the child the son of my suffering [in Aramaic], while his father gave him the Hebrew name Benjamin. The midrashic sources specify that Rachel died at the age of thirty-six (SederOlam Rabbah2) and list three women who had difficult childbirths and died: Rachel, the wife of Phinehas(I Sam. 32), he not knowing that Rachel had taken the images. These midrashic expositions cast Rachels act in a positive light. (2022, December 6). God said to Jacob: Is this how one replies to embittered women? According to the Rabbis, Laban would not have succeeded in deceiving Jacob without Rachels involvement. Rachel said: I prepared myself [nupeti, i.e., I prepared myself for Jacobs bed], I allowed myself to be persuaded [pititito withdraw in favor of my sister and to aid her to be Jacobs wife], I exalted my sister over myself [taliti ahoti alai], and I have prevailed(Gen. Rabbah71:8). 15). (NIV), Genesis 35:24The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. Zilpah, Leah's maid, gives birth to Gad and Asher. Rabbah[ed. The regimen of rituals, songs and textual readings performed in a specific order on the first two nights (in Israel, on the first night) of Passover.Seder Olam Rabbah2). When Rachel heard this, she ran to tell her father. Forced to serve Rachels father, Laban, for seven years to win her, Jacob was tricked at the end of that time into marrying her sister, Leah. Jacob loved Rachel but was indifferent toward Leah. She raised Joseph and Benjamin as if she were their mother(Gen. Rabbah84:11). Agadah to Gen. xxix. According to this conception, Rachels son should from the outset have been the firstborn, but because God had compassion on the unloved Leah, He gave her the fruit of the womb and she bore Jacobs firstborn son. Well, according to the math in the Bible, Jacob was 8. Rachel's death was so deeply felt by Jacob that he considered it the greatest of all his sorrows (Ruth R. i. Rachel asked Leah for a portion of them, and Leah protested that Rachel already had the favor of Jacob, and now was asking for a supply of the one thing that each woman supposed would make her fertile. Did I not go to Laban only for Rachel? Jacob labored 14 years to win Rachel in marriage. Leah was busy with raising her children and therefore could not care for the needs of the household. She was the younger daughter of Laban and the younger sister of Leah. The exegetes holding this view find Rachels words(Gen. 30:15) to be somewhat prophetic: I promise, he shall lie with you tonightwith you he will lie [in the grave], but with me he will not lie [in the grave]. The Rabbis understand the wording (Gen. Did Isaac and Rebekah have a wedding? "Staging Rachel: Rabbinic Midrash, Theatrical Mime, and Christian Martyrdom in Late Antiquity." The affair of the mandrakes is generally represented by the Rabbis as unfavorable to Rachel; and it was due to her mode of obtaining them (comp. Rachel (Hebrew: , Rl; "a ewe"[1]) (ca. Instead, he must accept the first-born, the son of the unloved one, and allot to him a double portion of all he possesses. The midrash compares this mandate with the story of Jacob. Jealous of her sister, Rachel gave Jacob her servant Bilhah as a wife. Jer. Buber],Vayeze19). it is known before You that Your servant Jacobs love for me knew no bounds, and he worked for my father for seven years for me. When those seven years were completed and the time came for my marriage to my husband, my father advised exchanging me with my sister. Instead of giving Laban the traditional bride-price, Jacob agreed to work for Laban seven years to earn Rachel's hand in marriage. Jacob's other wife is Rachel's sister Leah, which causes issues between the sisters, especially because Leah is able to bear children. Read Genesis 29:15-30 Rachel has a son, Joseph Rachel may have been the more loved of the two women, but she was not the most fertile. Read the latest from JWA from your inbox. cit.). The contention between the two women did not cease even after Rachels death, and arose again as regards the seniority of Jacobs sons: who would be considered the firstbornthe son of Leah, or of Rachel; and similarly, regarding the origin of Elijah, the harbinger of the Redemption. Recall Jacob had to flee from his family's house because of his treachery toward his brother Esau. Jacob then married Rachel and worked for Laban another seven years for her. Themidrashfurther relates that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah, and he even loved Bilhah, Rachels handmaiden, more than he loved Zilpah, the handmaiden of Leah (Gen. Rabbati,Vayeze, p. 120). cit.). How old was Rachel when Jacob married her? Jealous of her sister, Rachel gave Jacob her servant Bilhah as a wife. Jacob was quite old compared to other generat. Another tradition has Leah herself being responsible for the change. Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples. They assert that Jacobs kiss was not a wanton one, but one that expressed familial feeling, since Rachel was related to him (Gen. Rabbahloc. Jewish philosopher, scholar, and physician. According to another tradition, all three mothers (Leah, Bilhah, and Zilpah) gathered and said: We have enough males; let her [Rachel] be remembered(Gen. Rabbah72:6). Another midrash adds that by merit of Rachels silence, two tribesEphraim and Manassehissued forth from her, in addition to the other ten tribes(Gen. Rabbah71:5;Tanhuma,Vayeze6). Rachel is mentioned twice in the Old Testament beyond her story in Genesis. Rachel married Jacob after he was tricked into marrying her sister Leah. She told Jacob that if he didn't "give" her children, she would die. Therefore, Benjamin must have been conceived shortly before the flight from Laban and born nine months later. (NLT) Jeremiah 31:15 speaks of Rachel "weeping for her children" who have been taken into exile. Gen. In an additional commentary, another son referred to the apportioning ofThe Land of IsraelErez Israel, since Benjamin did not have a portion with Joseph, but with the tribe of Judah(Gen. Rabbah73:56). After discovering that he had been tricked, Jacob married Rachel also and then worked out another seven-year contract for this marriage. An opposing exegetical view, however, notes that when Jacob sent for his wives to come to the field(Gen. 31:5), theTorahstates: Jacob had Rachel and Leah called to the fieldhe called to Rachel first, and therefore she acted properly when she was the first to respond to him. According to this view, from the outset the birthright belonged to Rachels son, which was the intent of both God and Jacob. Rachel died while giving birth to Benjamin. In the narrative inGen. 31:19, when Jacob fled from Labans house, Rachel stole her fathers household idols. When Laban caught up with them, he searched for the idols, but Rachel had hidden the statues under her camel's saddle. By merit of the birth of Dan [the son of Bilhah], Rachel became pregnant; and by merit of the birth of Dan, Joseph and Benjamin were born(Gen. Rabbah73:4). Have an update or correction? He buried her on the road to Ephrath because he foresaw that the Israelites, when driven into captivity along that road, would need her intercession with God in their behalf (Midr. Themidrashlists three reasons for Jacobs crying on this occasion. But the Bible makes no specific statement to this effect. Rachels merit continued to aid Israel even many years after her demise: when the exiles from Judah (after the destruction of the First Temple) passed by her tomb, she aroused Gods mercy to forgive them; He heeded her, and promised her that He would return them to their land. Thismidrashindicates the physical trait shared by Rachel and Joseph, which the Bible expresses in identical language. 3 When all the flocks were gathered there, the . I am from the descendants of Rachel(Gen. Rabbah71:9). When Dan was born, Rachel said(Gen. 30:6): God has vindicated me [dananni]; indeed, He has heeded my plea and given me a son. In the midrashic explication of this verse, Rachel said: God has judged me and found me guilty [and therefore I was childless]; [and afterwards] He has judged me and vindicated me [and given my handmaiden a son] (Gen. Rabbahloc. We can't believe God's love is free for us to receive. Rachel was one of Jacob's wives through . 10:16) but he did not tell him [his uncle] anything [] about [his being anointed for] the kingship. Esther, who was descended from Rachel, was similarly reticent(Esth. At the well at Haran, Jacob found Rachel, Laban's younger daughter, tending sheep. If you forgot, she was best friends with Rachel Green ( Jennifer Aniston ) before she wound up . God took pity on Leah and allowed her to bear children, while Rachel was barren. "order." Jacob told her that he was the son of her aunt Rebekah. In another tradition, God remembered Rachels silence when Leah was given to Jacob instead of her. Referred to alternatively as the "Day of Judgement" and the "Day of Blowing" (of the, Lit. 11). Rachel initially relies on her handmaiden Bilhah to bear children in her place, but Rachel eventually becomes pregnant and goes on to have one other child. Whatever the case, she died young. Yet another tradition asserts that this was not stated to Rachels credit, and confirms the fact of her barrenness. Laban agreed to the arrangement. 31 December 1999. Did he not go to Laban only because of me? (Gen. Rabbahloc. When Jacob spoke with Leah, Rachel would answer him, so that he would not identify Leahs voice (Lam. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. In the fourth interpretive possibility, the name given by Rachel portrays the childs character, thus predicting the future. The midrash further states that, as reward for Rachels modesty, Saul was descended from her; and as reward for Sauls modesty, Esther was descended from him.