Genesis 35 Overview, Isaac and Rachel Die
Once again, we see how the deviousness of the parents is passed on to the children in the deceitful way they overcame their enemy. Jacob was angry with his sons and, in obedience to God’s guidance, moved his family back to Bethel as recorded in Genesis 35. This is where God reappeared to Jacob and confirmed His blessing (verses 9-13). In Jacob’s meeting with God, he received the promise that kings and many nations would come from him and that the land God had promised his forefathers would be his inheritance (verses 11-12).
Jacob and his family later moved from Bethel to Eder. On the way, Rachel gave birth to her second son, Jacob’s twelfth—Benjamin. Rachel died in childbirth. Unfortunately, death in childbirth was a rather common occurrence in the ancient world. Jacob has been blessed so far in that none of his wives or surrogate wives have died in childbirth. But the twelfth son is the one who broke the streak.
As Rachel suffered through childbirth, she named her son based on her pain (“Ben-Oni” means “son of my sorrow”). But Jacob would not endure having his son’s name constantly remind him of his beloved wife’s death. He had to change the name to something that gave him more comfort, which that point at least is understandable. The trouble comes when Jacob decides on the new name for the child. “Benjamin” means “son of my right hand,” which signifies a special place of protection and favor. In giving his son this name, Jacob was declaring that this child would have a special place of honor in the home.
Jacob continued to show his favoritism to the children he had from Rachel. Jacob gave Joseph the coat of many colors (Genesis 37:3). But Jacob did not give such coats to his other sons by Leah, nor Bilhah and Zilpah. As noted above, Benjamin’s name noted his special place in the family; also, Benjamin was the one held back by the father as the others went to buy grain from Egypt (Genesis 42:4). Jacob did this even though Benjamin already had ten other sons (Genesis 46:21).
Every child is special, but when Jacob lifts up Rachel’s children above all of his other children, he is implying that the others are not as special. Jacob grew up in a home where his father favored one child over the other. Unfortunately, he passed this tragic favoritism and jealousy onto his own children. Just as his parents, Isaac and Rebekah, each favored a son…Isaac favored Esau and Rebekah favored Jacob; which had consequences – the same is with Jacob and his favoritism of Benjamin. This cycle of favoritism brought a great deal of suffering to the family. Jacob should have followed the principles of the God he followed. If Jacob had, his life would have been much better. This is a lesson for all of us too. How careful we need to be in how we treat others.
Jacob was reunited with Esau in Mamre, where their father Isaac died, and both Jacob and Esau buried him. Isaac lived to be 180 years old.
Lesson
Every child is a gift from God. Parents of multiple children understand that each child is special—each child is worthy of love and affection, and needs special attention from their parents. We show love to our children in different ways because they are each unique, but every parent still makes a point to show love to each child to the fullest.