Genesis 35:16-35:29

     Then they journeyed from Bethel;¹ and when they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel was in childbirth, and she had hard labor. When she was in her hard labor, the midwife said to her, "Do not be afraid; for now you will have another son."² As her soul was departing (for she died), she named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem), and Jacob set up a pillar at her grave; it is the pillar of Rachel's tomb, which is there to this day.
     Israel journeyed on, and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder. While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine³; and Israel heard of it⁴.
     Now the sons⁵ of Jacob were twelve. The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob's firstborn),⁶ Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. The sons of Bilhah, Rachel's maid: Dan and Naphtali. The sons of Zilpah, Leah's maid: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram.
     Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had resided as aliens. Now the days of Isaac were one hundred eighty years. And Isaac breathed his last; he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days;⁷ and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

^[1] Why did they leave?
^[2] A blessing will result from her suffering. But the implication is that having a son (rather than a daughter) is worth great suffering and even death to the mother. The low status of women is emphasized again.
^[3] Mother of his child and exclusive sexual partner (until now), but still only considered a concubine. Once again, women have low status.
^[4] And would condemn Reuben for it and take away his inheritance at his deathbed.
^[5] Daughter not even mentioned.
^[6] Two things determine the respectful listing of the sons: status of mother, and birth order.
^[7] Not very dramatic. His life had been full, and now it's over.


Take-home: A series of facts about the family are listed together to tie up loose ends. The low status of women is repeated emphasized, a subtle, likely non-intentional connection that I did not notice fully until several readings.