Taking Care of the Burial of Deborah

Jacob had to take care of the burial of Deborah, his mother Rebekah’s nurse, without seeing his mother (v. 8). God did not allow Jacob to see his mother, but he had to take care of the funeral of his mother’s nurse. This, no doubt, was a suffering to him.

Suffering the Death of Rachel

Jacob later had to suffer the death of Rachel (vv. 16-20). Rachel was the wife of his choice, the one whom he loved the most. She died while she was delivering Benjamin. While she was dying, she called his name Ben-oni, which means “the son of my sorrow.” But Jacob immediately called him Benjamin, which means “the son of the right hand.” This became a prophecy in typology. Christ in His incarnation, on the one hand, was the Son of sorrows from His birth through His human life on the earth (Isa. 53:3). Then through His resurrection and in His ascension, He became the Son of the right hand of God. Thus, “from Ben-oni to Benjamin” is the story of Christ accomplishing His redemption from His incarnation through His ascension. Benjamin represents God’s accomplishment of His complete redemption through Christ, first as a Man of sorrows and second as the One at the right hand of God.

Suffering His Son Reuben’s Incest 
with His Concubine Bilhah

Jacob had to suffer his son Reuben’s incest with his concubine Bilhah (Gen. 35:22). What a shameful thing this was for Jacob! Because of Reuben’s defilement, he lost the birthright, which was then given to the sons of Joseph (49:3-4; 1 Chron. 5:1-2).

Suffering the Loss 
of His Beloved Son Joseph

Genesis 37 speaks of Jacob’s suffering the loss of his beloved son Joseph. Jacob’s sons conspired to do away with Joseph, and then they lied to Jacob about what had happened. For many years Joseph was separated from Jacob, who thought that he had died.

Suffering the Danger 
of Losing Simeon and Benjamin

Because of the famine in the land, Jacob was forced to send his sons to Egypt to buy grain. As a result, he had to suffer the danger of losing his son Simeon and his youngest son Benjamin (42:18— 43:15; 44:9-34). When Jacob’s sons returned from Egypt with the grain, Jacob learned that Simeon had been detained there (42:24), and he also learned the sad news that Benjamin had to go to Egypt. After he heard this, he said, “You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and you would take Benjamin; all these things are against me” (v. 36). Although Reuben promised to bring Benjamin back, Jacob did not listen to him. Rather, he said, “My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. And if harm should befall him on the way in which you go, then you will bring down my gray hairs in sorrow to Sheol” (v. 38). Eventually, due to the severity of the famine, Jacob was forced to send his youngest son with his brothers to Egypt to buy grain (vv. 4, 36; 43:1-15). What a suffering this was to Jacob!