Myth #60:

Jacob buried Rachel in Bethlehem.

The Myth: And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. (Gen. 35:19)

The Reality: Genesis has two stories about Rachel’s burial place, reflecting the political factionalism between Israel and Judah.

Rachel was Jacob’s favorite wife and the mother of his two youngest and favorite children, Joseph and Benjamin. While Joseph was born in Syria, Benjamin was born en route to Canaan, but Rachel died during childbirth.

According to Genesis, Jacob buried Rachel in Bethlehem, in the territory of Judah and “The Tomb of Rachel” in that city is currently one of the more popular tourist spots in Israel.

However, 1 Samuel 10:2 places Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin: “When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel’s sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah.”

Since the Benjaminites claimed descent from Rachel, this difference of opinion was of no small moment. The dispute reflects the feuding between Judah and Israel, with each kingdom trying to identify itself with the mother of the House of Israel.

Bethlehem lies within Judah and was the home city of King David. Benjamin was the home territory of King Saul, the first king of Israel. David and Saul were political rivals.

When David came to power, contrary to his modern public image, he did not remain very popular. Northern Israelites twice led military rebellions against him, once even ousting him temporarily from the throne.

This conflict over where Jacob buried Rachel had important political significance in the feuds between Judah and Israel. The location would have been considered a site of great religious and political importance, an omen as to which territory should rule the other.