Verse: Genesis 35:18
Theme: Final Words and Legacy in Life’s Last Moments
“As she breathed her last—for she was dying—she named him Ben-Oni. But his father named him Benjamin.”
— Genesis 35:18, New International Version (NIV)
“Rachel was about to die, but with her last breath she named the baby Ben-oni (which means ‘son of my sorrow’). The baby’s father, however, called him Benjamin (which means ‘son of my right hand’).”
— Genesis 35:18, New Living Translation (NLT)
“Rachel gave birth to the son, but she herself died. As she lay dying, she named him Ben-Oni, but Jacob called him Benjamin.”
— Genesis 35:18, Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Meaning of Genesis 35:18
This verse captures the profound moment when Rachel’s life ends but her legacy continues through her newborn son. Her final act was naming the child, revealing her heart’s condition in her last breath while simultaneously passing on the responsibility of motherhood to Jacob.
Rachel’s chosen name “Ben-oni,” meaning “son of my sorrow,” reflects the pain and difficulty of her final moments. Yet Jacob’s choice of “Benjamin,” meaning “son of my right hand,” transforms tragedy into blessing, demonstrating how perspective shapes our response to life’s most difficult circumstances.
The verse illustrates the tension between human perspective and divine purpose. Rachel saw her son through the lens of her suffering, while Jacob viewed him through hope and blessing. Both perspectives were valid, yet Jacob’s choice would define the child’s future identity.
This moment shows how our final words and actions create lasting impact. Rachel’s naming reveals her heart’s burden, while Jacob’s renaming demonstrates redemptive love that refuses to let tragedy define a child’s destiny.
The passage teaches us that even in death, our choices matter. Rachel used her last strength to name her son, showing that maternal love persists even in life’s final moments, while Jacob’s response shows how love can transform pain into purpose.
Popular Words of Wisdom from Genesis 35:18
“Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come.”
— Rabindranath Tagore, Christian Mystic
“A mother’s love is something that no one can explain. It is made of deep devotion and of sacrifice and pain.”
— Helen Rice, Christian Poet
“To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.”
— Thomas Campbell, Scottish Poet
“Grief is the price we pay for love.”
— Billy Graham, American Evangelist
“The legacy we leave is not in our buildings or our bank accounts, but in the lives we touch.”
— Max Lucado, Christian Author
Explaining the Context of Genesis 35:18
This verse immediately follows Rachel’s difficult labor described in the previous verse. After enduring prolonged and dangerous childbirth complications, Rachel finally delivers her second son but at the ultimate cost of her own life.
The birth occurs during Jacob’s family journey from Bethel toward Hebron, as they were settling permanently in the promised land. This should have been a time of celebration and fulfillment of God’s covenant promises to multiply Jacob’s descendants.
Rachel had previously struggled with barrenness and had desperately desired more children. Her first son Joseph was born after years of waiting, and this second child represented the continued fulfillment of her maternal hopes despite the tragic outcome.
The naming controversy between Rachel and Jacob reveals different ways of processing grief and trauma. Rachel’s perspective was shaped by immediate pain, while Jacob’s response reflected long-term hope and the refusal to let tragedy define his son’s identity.
This birth completed Jacob’s twelve sons, fulfilling God’s promise of multiplication. Benjamin would become one of the twelve tribes of Israel, making Rachel’s sacrifice part of God’s covenant plan even amid personal tragedy.
Explaining the Key Parts of Genesis 35:18
“And as her soul was departing”
This phrase describes the exact moment of Rachel’s death with tender sensitivity. The Hebrew concept of soul departing reflects the biblical understanding that life is more than physical existence but includes the spiritual essence that returns to God.
The timing emphasizes that Rachel’s final act was naming her son, showing that maternal love and responsibility persisted even in death’s approach. Her soul’s departure marked both ending and beginning.
“She called his name Ben-oni”
Rachel’s choice of “Ben-oni,” meaning “son of my sorrow,” reveals her emotional state in final moments. The name reflected her physical pain, emotional distress, and perhaps grief at leaving her children motherless.
This naming demonstrates how trauma can shape our perspective on life’s events. Rachel saw this birth through the lens of her suffering rather than the joy typically associated with welcoming a new child.
“But his father called him Benjamin”
Jacob’s renaming to “Benjamin,” meaning “son of my right hand,d” shows remarkable emotional wisdom and spiritual maturity. He refused to let Rachel’s pain define their son’s identity and future.
The “right hand” symbolizes strength, blessing, and favor. Jacob transformed a name of sorrow into one of honor and promise, demonstrating redemptive love that reframes tragedy into hope.
Lessons to Learn from Genesis 35:18
1. Our Final Words Carry Lasting Impact
Rachel’s dying declaration shows that what we say in critical moments can shape others’ understanding and memory, emphasizing the importance of choosing our words carefully.
2. Perspective Shapes Experience
Rachel saw sorrow while Jacob saw blessing in the same event, teaching us that how we frame circumstances affects both our experience and others’ futures.
3. Love Can Transform Pain into Purpose
Jacob’s renaming demonstrates how redemptive love refuses to let tragedy define identity, showing us the power of speaking blessing over painful circumstances.
4. Legacy Continues Beyond Life
Though Rachel died, her son Benjamin became a crucial part of God’s covenant plan, reminding us that our influence extends beyond our physical presence.
5. Grief and Joy Can Coexist
The same event brought both death and new life, showing that complex emotions and mixed outcomes are normal parts of human experience.
Related Bible Verses
“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants.”
— Psalm 116:15, New American Standard Bible (NASB)
“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.”
— Proverbs 31:25, Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
— Romans 8:38-39, The Message (MSG)
“The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.”
— Proverbs 10:7, Good News Translation (GNT)
“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.”
— Proverbs 31:28, American Standard Version (ASV)
How This Verse Points to Christ
Genesis 35:18 foreshadows the death and life that would characterize Christ’s redemptive work. Just as Rachel’s death brought forth Benjamin, who would become part of God’s covenant people, Christ’s death brings forth spiritual children who inherit eternal life.
Rachel’s final act of naming reflects how Christ’s final words on the cross carried eternal significance. Her dying declaration shaped identity, just as Christ’s “It is finished” transformed humanity’s spiritual identity from condemned to redeemed.
Jacob’s renaming of Benjamin from sorrow to blessing parallels how God renames us through Christ. We move from being children of wrath to children of the Most High, from cursed to blessed, through the transformative power of redemptive love.
The location near Bethlehem connects Rachel’s death to Christ’s birth. The same region that witnessed maternal sacrifice would later celebrate the birth of One who would ultimately conquer death and give life to all who believe.
Benjamin’s survival despite his mother’s death points to how Christ’s resurrection guarantees our spiritual survival despite physical death. Through Christ, death becomes not an ending but a transition to eternal life.
Rachel’s legacy living on through Benjamin reflects how Christ’s sacrifice creates an eternal legacy in believers who carry His name and continue His mission in the world.
Closing Reflection
Genesis 35:18 presents us with one of Scripture’s most poignant moments where death and life intersect in profound ways. Rachel’s final breath carries both sorrow and significance as she exercises her last act of maternal authority.
The contrast between Rachel’s “Ben-oni” and Jacob’s “Benjamin” teaches us that while we cannot always control our circumstances, we can choose how we respond to them and how we shape others’ futures through our words and actions.
Rachel’s death was not meaningless but became part of God’s larger plan of building a nation through Jacob’s twelve sons. Her sacrifice contributed to the covenant promises even though she didn’t live to see their fulfillment.
Jacob’s wisdom in renaming Benjamin shows us the power of speaking life and blessing over situations marked by pain and loss. His choice demonstrates how love can reframe tragedy and create hope for the future.
This verse reminds us that our legacies are not determined by how our lives end but by how our love continues through those we leave behind. Rachel’s influence lived on through both Joseph and Benjamin, who would become key figures in Israel’s history.
As we face our own moments of transition and loss, we can find comfort in knowing that God uses even our most difficult experiences as part of His greater purpose and that love truly is stronger than death.
Say This Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for Rachel’s example of love that persisted even in her final moments. Help us understand that our words and actions carry weight beyond our own lives and can shape the destinies of those we love.
When we face circumstances that tempt us to speak from pain rather than hope, give us wisdom like Jacob showed in choosing blessing over bitterness. Help us see beyond immediate sorrow to Your eternal purposes.
Comfort those who are grieving the loss of loved ones, reminding them that love creates legacies that death cannot destroy. Help us honor those who have gone before us by continuing the good work they began.
Thank You for Jesus, who transformed the ultimate tragedy of the cross into the ultimate victory of resurrection. Help us trust that You can bring life from death and purpose from pain in our own circumstances.
Make us people who speak life and blessing into situations marked by sorrow, following Jacob’s example of redemptive love.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.