Genesis 35 · Verse 16

Genesis 35:16

And they journeyed from Beth–el; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour.
Genesis 35:16, King James Version

Genesis 35:16 in other translations

BSBLater, they set out from Bethel, and while they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth, and her labor was difficult.
WEBThey traveled from Bethel. There was still some distance to come to Ephrath, and Rachel travailed. She had hard labor.
ASVAnd they journeyed from Beth-el; and there was still some distance to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labor.
YLTAnd they journey from Bethel, and there is yet a kibrath of land before entering Ephratha, and Rachel beareth, and is sharply pained in her bearing;
DARBYAnd they journeyed from Bethel. And there was yet a certain distance to come to Ephrath, when Rachel travailed in childbirth; and it went hard with her in her childbearing.
BBESo they went on from Beth-el; and while they were still some distance from Ephrath, the pains of birth came on Rachel and she had a hard time.
WebsterAnd they journeyed from Beth-el; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labor.

What does Genesis 35:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Ge 35:16-27. Birth of Benjamin--Death of Rachel, &c.

16. And they journeyed from Beth-el--There can be no doubt that much enjoyment was experienced at Beth-el, and that in the religious observances solemnized, as well as in the vivid recollections of the glorious vision seen there, the affections of the patriarch were powerfully animated and that he left the place a better and more devoted servant of God. When the solemnities were over, Jacob, with his family, pursued a route directly southward, and they reached Ephrath, when they were plunged into mourning by the death of Rachel, who sank in childbirth, leaving a posthumous son [Ge 35:18]. A very affecting death, considering how ardently the mind of Rachel had been set on offspring (compare Ge 30:1).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 There was but a little way to come to Ephrath - The word כברת kibrath, translated here a little way, has greatly perplexed commentators. It occurs only here, in Gen 48:7, and 2Kgs 5:19; and it seems to have been some sort of measure applied to land, as we say a mile, an acre, a rood, a perch; but what the exact quantity of the kibrath was cannot be ascertained. Ephrath, called also Bethlehem, and Bethlehem Ephrata, was the birthplace of our blessed Redeemer. See its meaning Mat 2:6 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 35:16-20
Rachel had passionately said, Give me children, or else I die; and now that she had children, she died! The death of the body is but the departure of the soul to the world of spirits. When shall we learn that it is God alone who really knows what is best for his people, and that in all worldly affairs the safest path for the Christian is to say from the heart, It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good. Here alone is our safety and our comfort, to know no will but his. Her dying lips called her newborn son Ben-oni, the son of my sorrow; and many a son proves to be the heaviness of her that bare him. Children are enough the sorrow of their mothers; they should, therefore, when they grow up, study to be their joy, and so, if possible, to make them some amends. But Jacob, because he would not renew the sorrowful remembrance of the mother's death every time he called his son, changed his name to Benjamin, the son of my right hand: that is, very dear to me; the support of my age, like the staff in my right hand.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Genesis 35:16 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּסְעוּ֙vai.yis.'Uand they set outH5265
מִבֵּ֣יתmi.Beitfrom Beth-H1008
אֵ֔ל'El-elH1008
וַֽיְהִי\־vay.hi-and it wasH1961
ע֥וֹדodyetH5750
כִּבְרַת\־kiv.rat-[the] distance ofH3530
הָאָ֖רֶץha.'A.retzthe landH776
לָב֣וֹאla.Vo'to goH935
אֶפְרָ֑תָה'ef.Ra.tahEphrathahH672
וַתֵּ֥לֶדva.Te.ledand she gave birthH3205
רָחֵ֖לra.ChelRachelH7354
וַתְּקַ֥שׁva.te.Kashand she had difficultiesH7185
בְּלִדְתָּֽהּ\׃be.lid.Tahwhen gave birth sheH3205

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 35:16

  • Micah 5:2

    But thou, Beth–lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

  • Genesis 48:7

    And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Beth–lehem.

  • 1 Chronicles 2:19

    And when Azubah was dead, Caleb took unto him Ephrath, which bare him Hur.

  • 2 Kings 5:19

    And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.

  • Ruth 1:2

    And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth–lehem–judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.

  • Matthew 2:16

    Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

  • Matthew 2:18

    In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

  • Genesis 3:16

    Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

  • 1 Timothy 2:15

    Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

  • Genesis 35:19

    And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Beth–lehem.

  • Psalms 132:6

    Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it in the fields of the wood.

  • Matthew 2:1

    Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
a little way to come. Heb. a little piece of ground.
2Ki 5:19
Ephrath.
48:7; Ru 1:2; 1Ch 2:19; Ps 132:6; Mic 5:2; Mt 2:1,16,18
hard labour.
3:16; 1Ti 2:15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 35:15

    And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Beth–el.

  • Genesis 35:16

    And they journeyed from Beth–el; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour.

  • Genesis 35:17

    And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.

Read all of Genesis 35

Genesis 35:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y partieron de Beth-el, y había aún como media legua de tierra para llegar á Ephrata, cuando parió Rachêl, y hubo trabajo en su parto.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ils partirent de Béthel; et il y avait encore quelque espace de pays pour arriver à Éphrath, et Rachel enfanta, et elle eut un enfantement pénible.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und sie brachen auf von Bethel. Und es war noch eine Strecke Landes, um nach Ephrath zu kommen, da gebar Rahel, und es wurde ihr schwer bei ihrem Gebären.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Egressus autem inde, venit verno tempore ad terram quæ ducit Ephratam: in qua cum parturiret Rachel,