From Bethel it was only a two days' journey to Hebron, but it brought to Jacob a heavy grief in the death of Rachel. Twice seven years' service he had rendered for her sake, and his love had made the toil but light. How deep and abiding that love had been, was shown when long afterward, as Jacob in Egypt lay near his death, Joseph came to visit his father, and the aged patriarch, glancing back upon his own life, said, "As for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath." Genesis 48:7. In the family history of his long and troubled life the loss of Rachel was alone recalled.

Fra Betel var der kun to dages rejse til Hebron, men på vejen ramtes Jakob af en dyb sorg på grund af Rakels død. To gange syv års tjeneste havde han ydet for hendes skyld, og hans kærlighed til hende havde gjort arbejdet let. Hvor dyb og varig hans kærlighed havde været, sås af, at da Josef længe efter kom på besøg hos sin fader, da denne lå på dødslejet i Ægypten, sagde den gamle patriark, idet han så tilbage på sit liv: "Da jeg kom fra Paddan, døde Rakel for mig, mens jeg var undervejs i Kanaan, da vi endnu var et stykke vej fra Efrat, og jeg jordede hende der på vejen til Efrat, det er Betlehem." 1. Mos. 48, 7. Efter et langt og bevæget liv var tabet af Rakel det eneste, han huskede, af begivenhederne i familien.