Rachel’s Fourteen
Genesis 46: 19 The sons of
Rachel, Jacob’s wife, were Joseph and Benjamin. 20 And
to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath,
the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him. 21 The
sons of Benjamin were Belah, Becher, Ashbel, Gera,
Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. 22 These were the
sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob: fourteen persons in all.
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Jacob was told to go away from the women who were around him
in the land of the Philistines. He was sent to Rebekah’s brother Laban to look
for a wife. He fell in love at the first sight of Rachel. But he was given Leah
as a wife because it was tradition. Jacob worked another seven years to finally
marry Rachel.
My Observations:
- Rachel
was the only woman labeled as Jacob’s wife.
- Rachel
believed in household gods and magic from mandrakes.
- Rachel
was barren the longest and died when she had benjamin.
Joseph and Benjamin were special to Jacob because he loved
Rachel. He treated them differently than his other sons. This unequal treatment
would cause jealousy amongst his sons that would cause Joseph to be sold into
slavery, but ultimately rule Egypt.
Rachel did not raise Benjamin and barely raised Joseph who
was a young teen when she died. Rachel did not experience her nephews attempted
murder like Jacob. But she did experience the pain of watching everyone else
have children when her husband was supposed to be the one who would produce
many nations. GOD kept HIS promise, but not he way she thought.
Challenge
- Why
does GOD tell Moses about Rachel being Jacob’s wife?
- What
promise has GOD made to you that may look different than you think?
- Has
GOD appointed you for something special but it looks way different than
what you are used to?
