GENESIS 48:1-7

[pebbles]

   Genesis 48:7.  The first mention of Bethlehem was the death of Rachel where she was buried some distance from Ephrath (that is Bethlehem). 

   Rachel’s miracle is a child in her old age.  And in her death, she was buried in Bethlehem.  Mary’s miracle is the virgin birth and said birth happened in Bethlehem.

[pebbles]

Uh-oh!  I think I mistook Rachel for Sarah (Abraham's wife).    But then again, Rachel would have given birth to Joseph and Benjamin quite old already.  Since Benjamin became the apple of Jacob's eye in his old age.  He spent 7 years in service to Laban to marry Rachel, but was given the sister, then had to spend another 7 years ... 14 years has passed.  Rachel didn't get pregnant so she gave her handmaiden(?) to get child from her... then her sister gave her handmaiden to counter Rachel's handmaiden's child....If 14 was the age a girl can marry, Rachel would have been 28 when she got married to Jacob, then with the intervening birth of other children.  So, Joseph and Benjamin are sort of menopause(?) babies