Ah, thanks Lafftur. I knew Rachel's tomb was near Bethlehem, I saw it last year - ..well, I saw the graveyard. That was as close as I could get as it was beyond the walled off Palestinian region.
Anyway, I had wondered about that passage, and had never made the connection of 'Rachel weeping' to her tomb in Bethlehem. So obvious, but that is awesome, thanks!
Now, chew on this - this blows my socks off..
Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin, and as she was dying named him 'Benoni', which means 'son of my sorrow'.
But Jacob instead named him 'Benjamin', which means 'son of my right hand'.
Now, in the Jews' struggle to understand the conflicting OT prophecies concerning the messiah, they determined that there must be two messiahs. One, the all-conquering messiah, they call 'messiah ben David' - this is who they are waiting for, and why they didn't/don't accept Jesus as their messiah. The other, the all-suffering messiah, they call 'messiah ben Joseph' - this one they have decided must refer to Israel themselves.
So it is very interesting that Jesus was also both 'son of Joseph' (Mary's husband) and the 'son of David' (aire to the throne). And the two names of Benjamin are also a picture of the 'two' messiahs, the two different aspects to Christ's time on earth.
Further, Bethlehem (where Rachel died) became the place where the special flock for the temple sacrifices was kept (it is not far from Jerusalem). So when the shepherds were summoned to witness Jesus in the 'manger', it was typical (a type) of them inspecting the lambs for the sacrifices (which needed to be perfect and without spot) and a foreshadowing of his sacrifice on Passover many years later.
And so, it must also be significant that the name 'Rachel' means 'ewe' - ie. the mother of sheep.
And lastly (I'd really like it to be, but still a little unconvinced),..
I have seen a study suggesting the actual birthplace of Jesus was not some stable at the back of a hotel, but the place where the temple lambs were birthed. The watchtower for the shepherds. If you do a search on 'migdal eder' or 'tower of the flock' you will find it. I can't work out if the tower still exists today or exactly where it was. But it was certainly close by.
Gen 35:19 And Rachel died and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.
Gen 35:20 And Jacob set up a pillar upon her grave. That is the pillar of Rachel's grave to this day.
Gen 35:21 And Israel moved, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar.
Mic 4:8 And you, O tower of the flock, the hill of the daughter of Zion, to you it shall happen. And rulers, the chief ones, shall come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.
