Even though they had been aware of her weakness, none of them had imagined she could leave them so quickly. Jacob’s other wives had all survived having children and no one had thought such disaster could strike so suddenly and at such an unlikely time and place.
Only Leah had the presence of mind to lift the baby from Rachel’s arms. She handed him to Jacob. He was already in swaddling clothes and wrapped in Rachel’s mantle. Jacob buried his head in the folds of the white homespun, and smelling the lavender of Rachel’s garments, he wept.
Everyone knew she must be buried before sundown and they wondered how it could be managed. To their surprise Jacob handed the new arrival to Leah and then took charge. He first took the cloak Rachel had woven for him and, removing it from his own shoulders, gently wrapped her in it. Joseph brought a wreath of sand lilies and black iris to place on her head. This reminded Jacob of the floral wreath she had worn when he had first seen her at the well in Haran. It moved him so deeply he had to turn away until he could regain his composure.
With a heartrending sob, Jacob placed her in the cave. Then with feverish activity, he encouraged his sons to join him in gathering stones to build a monument to mark the site.
When it was finished, he sought out Leah. Taking the baby from her, he announced, “I intend to call him Benjamin, son of my right hand.”
* * *
The next day they pressed on to camp beyond the tower of Eber. The plan was to stay there briefly while preparing themselves for their arrival at Isaac’s camp beside the Oaks of Mamre.
Jacob was so consumed with his grief and pity for his two motherless sons that he was totally unaware of the growing resentment of his other wives and their sons. Reuben, the eldest, was the most affected. He saw the love his father had for Joseph and this new child, and a great fear and resentment rose within him.
It was as though Jacob suddenly had no children but these two children of Rachel. Reuben had been able to endure his preference of Rachel over his own mother, but now his obvious favoritism of Rachel’s sons was too painful.
When he tried to talk to his father, it was as though Jacob didn’t even hear what he was saying. When Reuben thoughtfully and patiently waited on him, Jacob took it for granted. Finally, when Reuben sought his father out to discuss his future, Jacob didn’t have enough time. Reuben had been led to believe that he, as the eldest, was the one to receive the birthright and the blessing. Now he strongly suspected that his father would choose Joseph. Then there was the matter of his marriage. If he, Reuben, was to receive the birthright, some thought should be given to his marriage.
All these concerns had been pushed aside for the greater matter of Rachel and her children. Jacob seemed consumed with their welfare. He had for some time openly favored Joseph, and now they had all seen him rename this new child “son of my right hand.” What could that mean but that he was thinking of giving Benjamin the birthright or the blessing?
Others felt equally left out. Bilhah had always depended on Rachel’s friendship to make her feel needed and loved. Now that was gone. Leah had found a wet nurse for the new baby, and Bilhah was left to grieve and mull over her new situation. She had always shared Rachel’s tent, and now that tent had temporarily become her own. It was filled with Rachel’s belongings; in the future, when Joseph married, it would become his wife’s tent.
Bilhah was still young. She had borne two sons with little or no attention from Jacob. Gradually as she had seen the love and concern he had lavished on Rachel and Rachel’s sons, she had become resentful. She felt cheated. She had at last become resigned to the fact that no matter what she did, Jacob would never love her.
With these feelings it was quite natural that she should also be very aware of Reuben’s frustration. He was a proud and sensitive young man and would never think of complaining to any of his brothers or even his father. It didn’t seem as threatening to come to Bilhah’s tent, where he could talk over his situation and find a sympathetic ear.
“My father has never come out and said that I am the one to receive the birthright and the blessing, but I am the oldest,” he confided one evening as he sat eating the honey cakes she had baked.
“But this need not concern you now,” she said.
“But don’t you see, I should have taken a wife long ago.”
“I don’t understand.”
“If I am to have the blessing of my father, I can’t marry just anyone.”
“And …”
“When I mention this to my father, he never answers. He is only concerned with his two favorites.” He said this with such an air of bitterness that Bilhah was immediately pleased.