16 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. 17 And it came to pass when it went hard with her in her childbearing, that the midwife said to her, Fear not; for this also is a son for thee. 18 And it came to pass as her soul was departing—for she died—that she called his name Benoni; but his father called him Benjamin. 19 And Rachel died, and was buried on the way to Ephrath, which [is] Bethlehem. 20 And Jacob erected a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel's grave to [this] day.
21 And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent on the other side of Migdal-Eder.
22 And it came to pass when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father's concubine; and Israel heard of it. And the sons of Jacob were twelve. 23 The sons of Leah: Reuben—Jacob's firstborn—and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun. 24 The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. 25 And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's maidservant: Dan and Naphtali. 26 And the sons of Zilpah, Leah's maidservant: Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob that were born to him in Padan-Aram.
27 And Jacob came to Isaac his father to Mamre—to Kirjath-Arba, which is Hebron; where Abraham had sojourned, and Isaac.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 35:16-27
Commentary on Genesis 35:16-20
(Read 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.
Commentary on Genesis 35:21-29
(Read Genesis 35:21-29)
What a sore affliction Reuben's sin was, is shown, " and Israel heard it." No more is said, but that is enough. Reuben thought that his father would never hear of it; but those that promise themselves secrecy in sin, are generally disappointed. The age and death of Isaac are recorded, though he died not till after Joseph was sold into Egypt. Isaac lived about forty years after he had made his will, Genesis 27:2. We shall not die an hour the sooner, but much the better, for timely setting our hearts and houses in order. Particular notice is taken of the agreement of Esau and Jacob at their father's funeral, to show how God had wonderfully changed Esau's mind. It is awful to behold relations, sometimes for a little of this world's goods, disputing over the graves of their friends, while they are near going to the grave themselves.