Rachel is the youngest daughter of Laban. She is first mentioned in Genesis 27 when she meets Jacob as she getting water for Laban’s flock of sheep. Jacob was fleeing the wrath of his twin brother, Esau, and looking for a wife. He fell in love with Rachel at first site and worked for Laban for seven years for the right to marry her.<\/p>\n
The day after Jacob’s wedding he made a disturbing discovery. The heavily-veiled woman he married was not the love of his life, but was actually Laban\u2019s oldest daughter Leah. Laban had tricked him and substituted his older daughter for Rachel.<\/p>\n
Upset, Jacob agreed to work for Laban for another seven years for the right to marry Rachel. In the meantime, he and his first wife, Leah had children.<\/p>\n
Seven years later, Jacob finally married Rachel. Unfortunately, it seemed the Rachel could not have children.<\/p>\n
Both sisters were fraught with jealousy and envy. Leah was devastated that her husband favored her sister and Rachel was heartbroken that she could not have a child. Out of desperation, Rachel gave Jacob her servant Bilhah as a wife. By ancient custom Bilhah’s children would be credited to Rachel. Bilhah bore children to Jacob, causing Leah to give her servant Zilpah to Jacob, who had children with her.<\/p>\n
Eventually, Rachel was blessed with a son, Joseph, who became Jacob’s favorite child. Rachel then conceived a second son, but tragically, she died giving birth to him. Before her last breath, she named her new son Ben Oni, “son of my mourning” but Jacob named him Benjamin.<\/p>\n
The four women bore 12 sons and one daughter, Dinah. Those sons became the founders of the 12 tribes of Israel.<\/p>\n
Here is Rachel’s life story from the Bible:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Rachel is the beautiful daughter of Rebekah\u2019s brother, Laban.<\/strong>
\nHe said to them, \u201cDo you know Laban, Nahor\u2019s grandson?\u201d \u201cYes, we know him,\u201d they answered. Then Jacob asked them, \u201cIs he well?\u201d \u201cYes, he is,\u201d they said, \u201cand here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.\u201d \u201cLook,\u201d he said, \u201cthe sun is still high; it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.\u201d \u201cWe can\u2019t,\u201d they replied, \u201cuntil all the flocks are gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep.\u201d When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban\u2019s sheep, he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle\u2019s sheep. (Genesis 29:5-10, NIV).<\/p>\n