THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
Moses, the revered servant of God, recounts the descendants of Jacob, illustrating through his narrative the qualities of a virtuous individual. To dispel any notion that Jacob married Rachel, Leah, and their maidservants without purpose, Moses indicates that these unions were part of a divine plan for the birth of the twelve tribes. Thus, the Scriptures do not refer to any other sons born to him, highlighting that this occurrence was intentional and meaningful.
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The text states, “But the sons,” it says, “Jacob had twelve.” The Scripture distinguishes between the sons of Leah and those of Rachel, and also includes the offspring of the maidservants, declaring, “These are the sons of Jacob, born to him in Mesopotamia.” Notably, Benjamin was born while Jacob was on his way to Bethlehem; hence, one might wonder why the Scripture notes, “born to him in Mesopotamia.” It is possible that Rachel conceived Benjamin prior to their departure from Mesopotamia.