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Rachel

Laban's younger daughter and the love of Jacob's life — a shepherdess he meets at the well and serves fourteen years to marry (29:9-30). 'Beautiful in form and lovely to look at,' and beloved, but for years barren while her unloved sister bears son after son; the ache turns to bitter rivalry ('give me children, or I die,' 30:1). At last God 'remembers' her and she bears JOSEPH, and then dies giving birth to BENJAMIN on the road near Bethlehem, naming him with her last breath Ben-oni, 'son of my sorrow' (35:16-20). Her lonely wayside tomb becomes a landmark, and the prophet hears her still weeping there for her exiled children — 'Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted' (Jeremiah 31:15), the verse Matthew hears again over Bethlehem's murdered infants (Matthew 2:18).

▶ No films on the shelf yet — archaeology and geography videos get added here as Mr. Librarian finds good ones.