Genesis 48:7
in Genesis 48Now as for me, when I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died along the way in the land of Canaan, some distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And as for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when there was still some distance to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way to Ephrath (the same is Beth-lehem).
KJV
And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Beth–lehem.
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This verse in Genesis 48
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Rachel died along the way in the land of Canaan
Jacob explains the adoption by going back to the road where Rachel died. She bore him two sons, and taking Joseph's two as his own turns her line into three tribes. The verse names the burial place beside the road to Ephrath, which the writer marks as Bethlehem.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Mention is made of the death and burial of Rachel, Joseph's mother, and Jacob's best beloved wife. The removal of dear relations from us is an affliction, the remembrance of which cannot but abide with us a great while.
And as for me, when I came from Padan,....
The blessing with which Jacob blessed the two sons of Joseph, which is the more remarkable because the apostle makes such particular mention of it ( Heb. xi. 21 ), while he says nothing of the blessing which Jacob pronounced on the rest of his sons, though that also was done in faith.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Rachel died by me, etc. - Rachel was the wife of Jacob’s choice, and the object of his unvarying affection; he loved her in life - he loves her in death: many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it. A match of a man’s own making when guided by reason and religion, will necessarily be a happy one.
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַאֲנִ֣י׀ | vaani | and I | H589 → | 874 times |
| בְּבֹאִ֣י | bevoi | when came I | H935 → | 2568 times |
| מִפַּדָּ֗ן | mipadan | from Paddan | H6307 → | 11 times |
| מֵ֩תָה֩ | metah | she died | H4191 → | 839 times |
| עָלַ֨י | ʾalai | on me | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| רָחֵ֜ל | rachel | Rachel | H7354 → | 47 times |
| בְּאֶ֤רֶץ | beeretz | in [the] land of | H776 → | 2504 times |
| כְּנַ֙עַן֙ | kenaan | Canaan | H3667 → | 94 times |
| בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ | baderekh | on the journey | H1870 → | 707 times |
| בְּע֥וֹד | beod | at yet | H5750 → | 490 times |
| כִּבְרַת־ | kivrat- | a distance of | H3530 → | |
| אֶ֖רֶץ | ʾeretz | land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| לָבֹ֣א | lavo' | to go | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אֶפְרָ֑תָה | ʾefratah | Ephrathah | H672 → | 10 times |
| וָאֶקְבְּרֶ֤הָ | vaekbereha | and I buried her | H6912 → | 133 times |
| שָּׁם֙ | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ | bederekh | on [the] journey of | H1870 → | 707 times |
| אֶפְרָ֔ת | ʾefrat | Ephrath | H672 → | 10 times |
| הִ֖וא | hi' | that | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| בֵּ֥ית | beit | [is] Beth- | H1035 → | 82 times |
| לָֽחֶם׃ | lachem | -lehem | H1035 → | 82 times |
וַאֲנִ֣י׀and I
vaaniH589 →874 times
בְּבֹאִ֣יwhen came I
bevoiH935 →2568 times
מִפַּדָּ֗ןfrom Paddan
mipadanH6307 →11 times
מֵ֩תָה֩she died
metahH4191 →839 times
עָלַ֨יon me
ʾalaiH5921 →5755 times
רָחֵ֜לRachel
rachelH7354 →47 times
בְּאֶ֤רֶץin [the] land of
beeretzH776 →2504 times
כְּנַ֙עַן֙Canaan
kenaanH3667 →94 times
בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְon the journey
baderekhH1870 →707 times
בְּע֥וֹדat yet
beodH5750 →490 times
כִּבְרַת־a distance of
kivrat-H3530 →
אֶ֖רֶץland
ʾeretzH776 →2504 times
לָבֹ֣אto go
lavo'H935 →2568 times
אֶפְרָ֑תָהEphrathah
ʾefratahH672 →10 times
וָאֶקְבְּרֶ֤הָand I buried her
vaekberehaH6912 →133 times
שָּׁם֙there
shamH8033 →834 times
בְּדֶ֣רֶךְon [the] journey of
bederekhH1870 →707 times
אֶפְרָ֔תEphrath
ʾefratH672 →10 times
הִ֖ואthat
hi'H1931 →1879 times
בֵּ֥ית[is] Beth-
beitH1035 →82 times
לָֽחֶם׃-lehem
lachemH1035 →82 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 2:18“A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
it leads to
- Jeremiah 31:15
This is what the LORD says: “A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
- Jeremiah 9:17–21
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Take note, and summon the wailing women; send for the most skillful among them.
- Jeremiah 4:31
For I hear a cry like a woman in labor, a cry of anguish like one bearing her first child—the cry of the Daughter of Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands to…
- Jeremiah 31:15
Through
Micah 5:2But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel—One whose origins are of old, from the days…
it leads to
- Matthew 2:6
‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of My people…
- John 7:42
Doesn’t the Scripture say that the Christ will come from the line of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”
- Luke 1:31–33
Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.
- Isaiah 9:6–7
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of…
- Isaiah 11:1
Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.
- Matthew 2:6
Where this verse is studied
About Genesis

Who and where
3 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonPatriarchsRachelJacob's beloved wife; mother of Joseph and Benjamin, who dies on the road to Bethlehem — later wept for in the prophets (Jer 31:15…
- PlaceThe LevantCanaanThe land God promised to Abraham's seed, walked and marked with altars by the patriarchs and possessed under Joshua four centuries…
- PlaceBethlehemBethlehemDavid’s town, six miles south of Jerusalem, where Ruth gleaned, where Samuel anointed a shepherd boy, and where Jesus was born as…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on Genesis; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
