H7354 H7354
Rachel — the beloved wife of Jacob, daughter of Laban, mother of Joseph and Benjamin
Rachel (meaning 'ewe') is one of the great matriarchs of Israel, and her 47 occurrences trace an arc from love at first sight at the well (Gen 29:6-12) through years of barrenness and rivalry with her sister Leah, to the long-awaited birth of Joseph (Gen 30:22-24) and her death giving birth to Benjamin near Bethlehem (Gen 35:16-19). The name's pastoral etymology is confirmed by the Arabic cognate rakhil ('ewe-lamb') and appears fitting for a story set among flocks and shepherding. Rachel's tomb becomes a landmark (1 Sam 10:2), and Jeremiah transforms her into a figure of inconsolable mourning — 'Rachel weeping for her children' (Jer 31:15), a passage Matthew applies to the Bethlehem massacre (Matt 2:18). Ruth 4:11 invokes her as a builder of the house of Israel.
Senses
1. Rachel (proper name) — The proper name Rachel (rakhel, 'ewe'), designating exclusively the younger daughter of Laban, second wife of Jacob, and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. Her 47 occurrences concentrate in the patriarchal narratives of Genesis 29-35 (the well encounter, the wedding deception, the barrenness and birth stories, the theft of the teraphim, and her death near Ephrath). Two prophetic and poetic uses extend her significance beyond the narrative: Jeremiah's image of Rachel weeping at Ramah for the exiled tribes (Jer 31:15) and the blessing in Ruth 4:11 that invokes Rachel alongside Leah as builders of Israel. 47×
AR["راحيلَ", "راحيلُ", "رَاحِيلَ", "رَاحِيلُ"]·ben["রাহেল", "রাহেলের"]·DE["Rachel", "Rachels", "war-Rachel"]·EN["Rachel"]·FR["Rachel"]·heb["רחל"]·HI["राहेल", "राहेल-की", "राहेल-के", "राहेल-को", "राहेल-ने", "राहेल-से"]·ID["Rahel"]·IT["Rachele"]·jav["Rahel"]·KO["라헬", "라헬을", "라헬의", "라헬이", "라헬이다"]·PT["Rachel"]·RU["Рахили", "Рахиль"]·ES["Rajel"]·SW["Raheli"]·TR["Rahel", "Rahel'i", "Rahel'in"]·urd["راحیل", "راحیل-نے", "راحیل-کی", "راحیل-کے"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
II. רָחֵל47 n. pr. f. (ewe, RSK 219);—Rachel, Ραχηλ, daughter of Laban and wife of Jacob: Gn 29:6, 9, 10, 11, 28, 29, 30 + 36 times Gn (JE 37 times, P 6 times), + קְבֻרַת(־)ר׳ 35:20 (JE), 1 S 10:2 (cf. אֶפְרָתָה 1, p. 68; on site vid. DrHast.DB. Rachel); ר׳ (in fig.) Je 31:15; ר׳ Ru 4:11 (in sim.).