A mother’s pain is overshadowed by God’s sustaining promise and the birth of Benjamin.
In the midst of Rachel’s anguish, Scripture recounts that “When she was in severe labor the midwife said to her, ‘Do not fear, for now you have another son’” (v.17). This verse highlights the hopeful encouragement offered to a woman enduring a physically painful and emotionally taxing moment. Rachel, who was the beloved wife of Jacob (the son of Isaac, and grandson of Abraham, living around the early second millennium BC), had once struggled with barrenness (Genesis 30:1), and now she is at the brink of death during the birth of her second son, Benjamin. The midwife’s reassurance, “Do not fear” (v.17), speaks to the significance of trusting God’s providential hand, even during overwhelming circumstances.
This event takes place near the region of Ephrath, which is associated with Bethlehem in the land of Canaan (Genesis 35:19). Bethlehem later becomes the birthplace of Jesus, linking the hope offered to Rachel with the ultimate hope found in the Messiah (Matthew 2:1). Geographically, this area lies south of Jerusalem, in the central hill country, making it an important crossroads for biblical events. The verse captures both Rachel’s desperation and the consoling presence of the midwife, reminding us that fear and faith often stand side by side, but God’s promise of life still emerges.
Though Rachel’s life soon ends after this childbirth (Genesis 35:19), the midwife’s words reinforce God’s continuing plan for Jacob’s family. By declaring “for now you have another son” (v.17), she affirms that God’s covenant promise to Abraham’s lineage continues unbroken, pointing forward to the greater restoration brought by Jesus Christ, the descendant of this family line (Galatians 3:16).
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Genesis 35:17 meaning
In the midst of Rachel’s anguish, Scripture recounts that “When she was in severe labor the midwife said to her, ‘Do not fear, for now you have another son’” (v.17). This verse highlights the hopeful encouragement offered to a woman enduring a physically painful and emotionally taxing moment. Rachel, who was the beloved wife of Jacob (the son of Isaac, and grandson of Abraham, living around the early second millennium BC), had once struggled with barrenness (Genesis 30:1), and now she is at the brink of death during the birth of her second son, Benjamin. The midwife’s reassurance, “Do not fear” (v.17), speaks to the significance of trusting God’s providential hand, even during overwhelming circumstances.
This event takes place near the region of Ephrath, which is associated with Bethlehem in the land of Canaan (Genesis 35:19). Bethlehem later becomes the birthplace of Jesus, linking the hope offered to Rachel with the ultimate hope found in the Messiah (Matthew 2:1). Geographically, this area lies south of Jerusalem, in the central hill country, making it an important crossroads for biblical events. The verse captures both Rachel’s desperation and the consoling presence of the midwife, reminding us that fear and faith often stand side by side, but God’s promise of life still emerges.
Though Rachel’s life soon ends after this childbirth (Genesis 35:19), the midwife’s words reinforce God’s continuing plan for Jacob’s family. By declaring “for now you have another son” (v.17), she affirms that God’s covenant promise to Abraham’s lineage continues unbroken, pointing forward to the greater restoration brought by Jesus Christ, the descendant of this family line (Galatians 3:16).