22. According to the Book of Genesis, a woman and her sister were married to the same man and the two women did not get along well. Who was the woman? Was it Rebekah or was it Rachel?
From Quiz Who Did It: Was it Rebekah or was it Rachel?
Answer:
Rachel only
Rachel and her sister Leah were both married to Jacob. According to Scripture, the two sisters did not get along, largely because Jacob loved Rachel and didn't care much for Leah. And while this was happening, Leah was giving birth to children while Rachel was barren.
Scripture suggests there was friction between the two, notably in passages beginning in Genesis 29:31 to 30:32. Leah took delight in bearing children for Jacob while Rachel was barren. By bearing children, Leah mistakenly thought she could win Jacob's affection, but it was not to be. Rachel may have been Jacob's true love, but she was apparently jealous of Leah for being able to bear children while she was barren.
Genesis 30:1, in the NIV Bible, states: "When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister. So she said to Jacob, 'Give me children, or I'll die!'"
Genesis 30:14-15, tells of an exchange between the two sisters after Rachel requested to have some mandrakes that were picked by Leah's son Reuben. Verse 15 quotes Leah as responding: "Wasn't it enough that you took away my husband? Will you take my son's mandrakes too?" The story goes on to state Rachel told Leah she could sleep that night with Jacob for the mandrakes. The story ends with Leah giving birth to a fifth son, Issachar, followed by a sixth son, Zebulun, as well as a daughter, Dinah.
Notes in the NKJV Study Bible, state this about the unusual story: "Mandrakes are a special type of herb that the peoples of the ancient Middle East regarded as aid to conception. Their aroma was associated with lovemaking (Song of Solomon 7:13). Reuben's discovery of the mandrakes led to another squabble between Leah and Rachel. In the end, Leah hired Jacob for a night with her."