The Meaning of Genesis 35:16 Explained

Genesis 35:16

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

YLT: And 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;

Darby: And 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.

ASV: And they journeyed from Beth-el; and there was still some distance to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labor.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Genesis 35:16 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 35:16-29 - Jacob's Sons Esau's Sons Isaac's Death
From Bethel to Bethlehem is not far. The one, the House of God; the other, the House of Bread. We need them both, if we are to bear up under the repeated shocks of life, such as the death of the old nurse Deborah, the death of our beloved Rachels, the sins of our children, and the breakup of the old home, as when our father is borne to his grave. Well was it for Jacob that he had got right with God before these repeated waves broke upon him. Isaac had not lived a great life, but his full years gave him a claim on the veneration of his sons, who forgot their jealousies and feuds as they stood together at his bier. But how greatly men misjudge death. It is not the end, but the beginning. We find hereafter Isaac associated with Abraham and Jacob, as welcoming the saints homeward. Death greatens good men! [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 35

1  God commands Jacob to go to Bethel
2  He purges his house of idols
6  He builds an altar at Bethel
8  Deborah dies at Allon Bacuth
9  God blesses Jacob at Bethel
10  Jacob Named Israel
16  Rachel travails of Benjamin, and dies in the way to Edar
22  Reuben lies with Bilhah
23  The sons of Jacob
27  Jacob comes to Isaac at Hebron
28  The age, death, and burial of Isaac

What do the individual words in Genesis 35:16 mean?

And they journeyed from Bethel and when there was but a little land to go to Ephrathah then travailed Rachel and was difficult her labor
וַיִּסְעוּ֙ מִבֵּ֣ית אֵ֔ל וַֽיְהִי־ ע֥וֹד כִּבְרַת־ הָאָ֖רֶץ לָב֣וֹא אֶפְרָ֑תָה וַתֵּ֥לֶד רָחֵ֖ל וַתְּקַ֥שׁ בְּלִדְתָּֽהּ

וַיִּסְעוּ֙  And  they  journeyed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָסַע  
Sense: to pull out, pull up, set out, journey, remove, set forward, depart.
אֵ֔ל  Bethel 
Parse: Preposition, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בֵּית־אֵל  
Sense: ancient place and seat of worship in Ephraim on border of Benjamin, identified with Luz (former name).
וַֽיְהִי־  and  when  there  was 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כִּבְרַת־  a  little 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: כְּבָרָה  
Sense: distance (undetermined length).
הָאָ֖רֶץ  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
לָב֣וֹא  to  go 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֶפְרָ֑תָה  to  Ephrathah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶפְרָת 
Sense: a place near Bethel where Rachel died and was buried.
וַתֵּ֥לֶד  then  travailed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.
רָחֵ֖ל  Rachel 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: רָחֵל  
Sense: daughter of Laban, wife of Jacob, and mother of Joseph and Benjamin.
וַתְּקַ֥שׁ  and  was  difficult 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: קָשָׁה  
Sense: to be hard, be severe, be fierce, be harsh.
בְּלִדְתָּֽהּ  her  labor 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person feminine singular
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.