In the Beginning:
The Book of Genesis

Lesson 21 The Birth of Benjamin & the Death of Rachel
the book of Genesis 35:1—36:43

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)*
New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)*
Catechism of the Catholic Church
ex libris (in our library)
cross references in the book of Genesis
next lesson: Joseph Is Sold into Slavery by His Brothers

This material coordinates with Lesson 21 on pages 115–119 in the study book In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis.

“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.  And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done.”—the book of Genesis 1:31—2:2

welcome to our in-depth study of the book of Genesis
We invite interested groups and individuals to check out the sample first lesson from this 28-lesson Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study. These online study pages link to our free lesson video overviews as well as to a list of cross references in the biblical text. Other study aids include maps, charts, illustrations, additional commentary, and prayers based on the primary Scripture in each lesson. In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis has been granted an imprimatur and can be purchased from our website shop. If you have a Bible-study question or comment, click on one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons on any online study page.

open with prayer
It’s always wise to begin any Bible study with prayer, whether reading the Scriptures alone or meeting with others in a discussion study group. You can pray using your own words or use one of the opening prayers on our website. We especially like the following:

Lord Jesus, you promised to send your Holy Spirit
to teach us all things.
As we read and study your word today,
allow it to touch our hearts and change our lives. Amen.

let’s review—the book of Genesis 34:1–31
In Lesson 20 The Story of Dinah, Jacob’s daughter Dinah is assaulted by a local Hivite prince named Shechem, who afterward decides he wants to marry her. Dinah’s brothers are offended, but her father Jacob agrees to allow the marriage if the men of Shechem agree to be circumcised. They do, and while they’re recuperating, two of Jacob’s sons—Simeon and Levi—enter the city of Shechem and kill all the men there. They then plunder the city. Jacob is extremely displeased when he learns what his sons have done, fearing that the Canaanites and Perizzites may unite in retaliation to destroy his family.

genealogy notes—why does Scripture list Esau’s descendants?
The many genealogies in the book of Genesis can be confusing, and none more so than those in the thirty-sixth chapter. From here on, Scripture will focus on the line of Jacob, whose descendants frequently will begin to be called the children of Israel. Esau married two Canannite women (inexplicably, one has a different name than Esau’s two wives listed in the book of Genesis 26:34), as well as Basemath, the daughter of Ishmael. From the listing of Esau’s descendants it’s possible to trace the origin of many of the peoples who later will become enemies of the descendants of Jacob. Click on the family tree (right) to enlarge it. The original genealogical chart is on page 118 in the study book In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis.

what’s missing in this genealogical chart & why it matters
Our chart doesn’t include the Canaanite kings of Seir who ruled in Edom prior to Esau settling there, but you can read that list in the book of Genesis 36:31–39. Our chart also doesn’t include the names of any of the women in Esau’s line, although their names appear in the biblical text. A close reading of the chiefs of Esau in the book of Genesis 36:40–43 shows that the first name on the list is that of Esau’s son Eliphas’s concubine Timna, the mother of Amalak, from whom the Amalakites are descended. Esau’s Canaanite wife Oholibamah also is listed as one of the chiefs of Edom. The prominence shown to these Canaanite women indicates that at least a couple of them are capable of and used to running more than a household. This provides a clue to cultural differences and suggests why Esau’s wives made life bitter for Rebekah and Isaac, something recorded in the book of Genesis 26:34–35.

why Jacob may not be our best role model (16:10)
In the video overview for this lesson, Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps discusses Jacob’s requirement that all the members of his household abandon their worship of any foreign gods. This action on Jacob’s part seems to indicate that Jacob is becoming increasingly more serious about his devotion to the God of Abraham and Isaac—his grandfather and father, respectively. Jacob and his family return to Bethel, where Jacob builds an altar to God. After this God renews with Jacob the previous covenant the LORD made with Abraham and Isaac. Matthew points out that it took about 20 years for Jacob to get completely on board with worshiping the LORD, and that Christians would be better served by taking Abraham instead of Jacob as a model for how to serve God. It must be pointed out, however, that the biblical account of Abraham’s relationship with God begins when Abraham (then called Abram) was quite old. The videos for this study are being redone and will be posted as they become available. The original videos for Lessons 4 through 28 will remain accessible until then.


The Scripture ranges for the videos being redone to accompany this Catholic Bible study from Turning to God’s Word will match ranges for the sets of questions in the study book In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis. Viewers will be able to follow along as author Matthew Phelps discusses Lesson 21, “The Birth of Benjamin & the Death of Rachel,” on pages 115–119 in the study book.

WHAT DO YOU THINK about the foreign gods in Jacob’s household?
The main theological point of the thirty-fifth chapter in the book of Genesis is that Jacob gets serious about his relationship with God. God asks him to go to Bethel and build an altar there. Like his grandfather Abraham, Jacob doesn’t hesitate.

?  Abraham is recognized as being our father in the faith because of his obedience to God. About how old was Abraham when God called him to leave his home in Haran? If necessary, refer to the book of Genesis 12:1–4.
?  How long has it been since God first appeared to Jacob in a dream at Bethel, and how old do you estimate Jacob to be now?
?  Is there any indication in Scripture about the nature of Abraham’s faith prior to the time that God called him to leave Haran?
?  Compare Jacob and his grandfather Abraham. In what ways are they different, and in what ways are they the same?
?  What three things does Jacob require of his household before he journeys to Bethel to worship God? Consider which of these seems the most important.
?  What does the fact that members of Jacob’s household have foreign gods (idols) suggest about their worship practices?
?  Why do you think that Jacob, as head of his household, now feels it necessary to put away these idols?
?  Consider whether the household gods that Rachel took from her father Laban are among those Jacob is asking his household to put away. What are the pros and cons Jacob might have for making this request?
?  Why do you think that Jacob hides these items by burying them instead of destroying them or melting them down to repurpose the valuable metal of which they’re made?
?  What objects might be standing in the way of your relationship with God?
?  What can you do to remove them from your life?

purification—you could look it up in our archives
In the book of Genesis 35:2, Jacob instructs members of his household to purify themselves in preparation for his trip to Bethel to worship God. This is the first biblical connection between purification and worship. It won’t be the last. To learn more, read Lost in Translation, an online column in which Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps helps readers connect with ideas expressed in the original languages of the Scriptures. New Lost in Translation entries are posted on Mondays, and past entries are archived on our website. Contact us if you’d like to receive Lost in Translation by email every week.

read the Catechism—what the Church teaches about idolatry
In the section on the Ten Commandments, paragraph 2112 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains the sinful nature of idolatry:

2112     The first commandment condemns polytheism. It requires man neither to believe in nor to venerate other divinities than the one true God. Scripture constantly recalls this rejection of “idols, [of] silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see.” These empty idols make their worshipers empty; “Those who make them are like them; so are all who trust in them.” God, however, is the “living God” who gives life and intervenes in history.

three deaths
The birth of Benjamin, the death of Rachel’s nurse, the death of Rachel, and the death of Isaac all are recorded in the thirty-fifth chapter in the book of Genesis. Isaac’s death comes as no big surprise. It was anticipated many years earlier when Jacob deceived his father into passing the patriarchal blessing to him instead of to his brother Esau. That Esau and Jacob come together to bury their father indicates they truly have made peace with each other, even though their lives have taken different turns and they’ve chosen to dwell apart. The death of Rachel’s nurse at Bethel seems like an odd detail to be included in the Scriptures. Its purpose seems to be to call attention to issues of life and death and to foreshadow Rachel’s death in childbirth. Life and death remain completely under God’s control.

Rachel is a matriarch
Christians often overlook Rachel because we aren’t exposed to her significance in Judaism as a matriarch. Her tomb at the northern entrance to Bethlehem has been a place of pilgrimage for more than 3,000 years, and it’s still considered one of the most holy sites in Israel. Rachel’s descendants call her Mama Rachel and continue to visit her wayside grave to ask for her prayers—much the same way Catholics ask the Blessed Virgin Mary for prayerful motherly intercession. A key difference is that as a result of the Blessed Virgin Mary being assumed into heaven, she has no grave site. This means that, practically speaking, no specific pilgrimage is necessary if men and women wish to ask Mary for her help. You can learn more about the connection between traditional Marian prayer and select passages in the Bible in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Scripture and the Rosary: New Testament Mysteries, Old Testament Parallels. No longer in print, free digital lessons from the study rotate year-round on our website based on the liturgical calendar.

what’s with all the emphasis on kings?
The book of Genesis 35:11–12 records the words that God uses when he renews his covenant with Jacob: “I am God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall spring from you. The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your descendants after you.” That God is establishing a line of kings among the descendants of Abraham isn’t new—kings were mentioned in God’s promises to Abram and Sarai in the book of Genesis 17:6 and 17:16. The introduction to the listing of the kings of Seir, however, points to the idea that the Israelites will have need of kings in the near future.

In the First Book of Samuel 8:5, God’s people clamor for a king. Much commentary on that passage focuses on the idea that this is in opposition to God’s will, and usually no mention is made of God’s Old Testament covenant promising a line of kings.  The book of Genesis indicates that such a line of kings, far from being contrary to God’s will, actually is part of his divine plan. The Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study The United Kingdom of Israel: Foreshadowing the Reign of Christ the King focuses on the first earthly kings to rule the descendants of Jacob.

an observation about language in the book of Genesis
The term Israelites is used only twice in the first book of the Old Testament—in the book of Genesis 36:31 to introduce the listing of the kings of Seir and earlier in the book of Genesis 32:32 to explain that Israelites don’t eat sinew of the hip because of the injury Jacob received when wrestling with God.

coming soon—more information about Reuben
The book of Genesis 35:22 mentions that Reuben lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine. While the biblical text records that Israel (Jacob) hears of this, it doesn’t record that Reuben suffers any consequences. Those consequences will come later in this study of the lives of the patriarchs.

the best Catholic commentary about Scripture
To find out more about how Church teaching is supported by Scripture passages in In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis, check out the Index of Citations in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Links (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition [RSVCE*]) to the primary Scripture passages in the lesson and relevant paragraphs in the Catechism are provided here. Not every passage in the biblical text for this Catholic study is referenced in a Catechism paragraph, however, including the passage in this lesson from the book of Genesis 35:1—36:43.

to learn more, read more Scripture
If you’re having difficulty with a particular passage of Scripture, it can be helpful to read the relevant cross references—but looking these up can take time. To make that easier, we’ve compiled the cross references from the Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE)—the translation that we reprint in our study books. That list can be found at the top of every online study page, and it includes links to cross references in the primary biblical text for In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis.

don’t forget about our indexes & extra online material
If you’re trying to locate information about a specific Scripture passage, you can look it up in the index at the back of the study book or sample lesson. If you want to find a particular commentary, you can look up its title in the topics index. To learn more about another book of the Bible for which there’s a Turning to God’s Word study, visit the online study directories to read the commentaries and watch any accompanying videos. Finally, if you have a question or would like to make a comment about any of our studies, you can use one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons to email our authors.

ex libris—Church documents & books about religious topics
Link to magisterial documents referred to in our Bible studies at ex libris—magisterial documents. This listing includes significant recent encyclicals as well as a number of historical Church documents. Recommended books related to Scripture study can be found at ex libris—main bookshelf.

wondering how to pronounce some of these words?
The following link is to a reading from the New International Version (NIV) Bible. To listen, open the link and click on the audio icon above the printed text. Although not taken from the translations used in our study materials, the NIV reading provides an audio guide to pronunciation of words in this lesson’s primary biblical text. A close online version of the translation of the Bible used in Catholic liturgy in the United States as well as an audio guide for daily Mass readings for the current month can be found on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

the book of Genesis 35:1—36:43 (NIV)

round black doveclose with Bible-based prayer related to this lesson
Many of our Catholic study groups like to conclude their discussions with a prayer based on the scriptural focus of their lesson, and some participants include Scripture-specific prayer in their individual study. If you’re uncomfortable composing your own Bible-based prayers, you can follow our four easy steps. If you prefer, you can use the following prayer based on this lesson’s text from the book of Genesis.

O God, you were patient with Jacob
as he gradually realized the importance
of doing his part to maintain a relationship with you.
Be patient also with us and with our failings
as we struggle to understand what you desire from us.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ,
who always did your will without hesitating. Amen.

Lesson 22 Joseph Is Sold into Slavery by His Brothers—the book of Genesis 37:1–36
Lesson 20 The Story of Dinah—the book of Genesis 34:1–31

you also may like our free Lenten study of Jesus’ Passion (digital only)
Jesus’ Passion: The Story of Redemptive Suffering is a five-lesson Catholic Bible study offering an in-depth look at the biblical foundations of the movie The Passion of the Christ. This revised study, which has been granted an imprimatur, contains all of the original material of the 2004 edition as well as many new features in an improved, reader-friendly format. Click on the book’s cover to view the introduction. Free digital lessons of Jesus’ Passion: The Story of Redemptive Suffering are available on the website during Lent.

start a Turning to God’s Word Bible study
Thank you for your interest in our study In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis. Information about beginning a Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study can be found at start a Bible study. Tami, Matthew, and I are available to answer questions and offer support. Contact us if you’d like to start a Turning to God’s Word study or have your schedule listed with other TtGW study groups on our website. —Jennifer

*There are seven deuterocanonical books in the Old Testament—the Books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees, as well as some passages in the Books of Esther and Daniel. Protestants usually refer to these works as “apocryphal,” a word that means “outside the (Protestant) canon” because they’re excluded from most Protestant Bibles. The word “deuterocanonical” means “second canon”; Catholics use that word to refer to any section of the Catholic Old Testament for which there are no extant, or existing, Hebrew manuscripts. All of the deuterocanonical books appear in the Septuagint, the earliest remaining versions of which date to the 1st century B.C. This Greek translation of the Old Testament was in common use by Jews at the time of Jesus—but the same books aren’t found in existing Hebrew manuscripts, which aren’t as old as the oldest version of the Septuagint. Learn more by reading How Do Catholic & Protestant Bibles Differ?

Turning to God’s Word printed Bible studies use the 2006 Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE) translation for all Scripture references except those to the Psalms, which are taken from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and published in 2020 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). All Scripture links for the online study pages for In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis are to the 1966 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE) translation. The New International Version (NIV) audio recordings follow the same chapter and verse numbering as the RSV Catholic translations, but the NIV translation doesn’t include the deuterocanonical books and passages.

The 1966 RSVCE uses archaic pronouns and verb forms such as “thee,” “thou,” “didst” in the Psalms and in direct quotations attributed to God. The 2006 RSV2CE replaces those with more accessible English. The few significant translation changes in the RSV2CE include rendering almah as “virgin” in the Book of Isaiah 7:14 and restoring the term “begotten” in the Gospel According to John 3:16.

Numbering varies for some passages in this Bible study. Turning to God’s Word studies (print and digital) follow the numbering in the Revised Standard Version Catholic translations (RSV2CE and RSVCE). Discrepancies in the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) are noted in the Index of Scripture Citations in the study book and the online sample.

You can learn more about the Psalms by viewing a sample lesson from the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers. The second part of that study, Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline, is scheduled for publication in 2025. Some verse numbers may vary in different translations of the Psalms.