John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 35:19
And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem . Hence called Bethlehem Ephratah, Micah 5:2 ; with great pertinency is Rachel represented as if risen from her grave, and weeping for her children, when the children of Bethlehem, and thereabout, were slain by Herod, she being buried so near that place, Matthew 2:16 ; at what age she died is not said. Polyhistor, out of Demetrius F4 Apnd Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 21. p. 424. , reports, that she... read more
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 35:16-20
We have here the story of the death of Rachel, the beloved wife of Jacob. 1. She fell in travail by the way, not able to reach to Bethlehem, the next town, though they were near it; so suddenly does pain sometimes come upon a woman in travail, which she cannot escape, or put off. We may suppose Jacob had soon a tent up, convenient enough for her reception. 2. Her pains were violent. She had hard labour, harder than usual: this was the effect of sin, Gen. 3:16. Note, Human life begins with... read more