Gospel Daily with Josh Weidmann
Moving On: Finding the Courage to Keep Going, Part 1
Series: O Little Town of Bethlehem
Scripture: Genesis 35:16-32
Episode: 898
Scripture Summary:
In Genesis 35:16–32, Jacob and his family travel from Bethel toward Ephrath (Bethlehem), where Rachel goes into difficult labor and dies giving birth to Benjamin. Before her death, she names the child Ben-Oni ("son of my sorrow"), but Jacob renames him Benjamin ("son of my right hand"). Rachel is buried near Bethlehem, and Jacob sets up a pillar to mark her grave. The passage also notes that Reuben, Jacob's eldest son, sleeps with Bilhah, Jacob's concubine, which deeply dishonors his father. The chapter concludes by listing Jacob's twelve sons and the death of Isaac at 180 years old. He is buried by his sons, Esau and Jacob.
Key themes include: loss and grief, birth through sorrow, family tension, and the continuation of God's covenant line through Jacob's sons.
