Genesis 35:16-29

Contemporary English Version

Benjamin Is Born

¹⁶ Jacob and his family had left Bethel and were still a long way from Ephrath, when the time came for Rachel's baby to be born. ¹⁷ She was having a rough time, but the woman who was helping her said, “Don't worry! It's a boy.” ¹⁸ Rachel was at the point of death, and right before dying, she said, “I'll name him Benoni.”^[a] But Jacob called him Benjamin.^[b]

¹⁹ Rachel was buried beside the road to Ephrath, which is also called Bethlehem. ²⁰ Jacob set up a tombstone over her grave, and it is still there. ²¹ Jacob, also known as Israel, traveled to the south of Eder Tower, where he set up camp.

^22 (A) During their time there, Jacob's oldest son Reuben slept with Bilhah, who was one of Jacob's other wives.^[c] And Jacob found out about it.

Jacob's Twelve Sons

^23-26 Jacob had twelve sons while living in northern Syria.^[d] His first-born Reuben was the son of Leah, who later gave birth to Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. Leah's servant Zilpah had two sons: Gad and Asher.

Jacob and his wife Rachel had Joseph and Benjamin. Rachel's servant woman Bilhah had two more sons: Dan and Naphtali.

Isaac Dies

^27 (B) Jacob went to his father Isaac at Hebron, also called Mamre or Kiriath-Arba, where Isaac's father Abraham had lived as a foreigner. ^28-29 Isaac died at the ripe old age of 180, then his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.