The Consolation of Mother Rachel: Jeremiah 31,15-17

Abstract

The image of a weeping Rachel over her children (Jer 31,15//Matt 2,18) has struck many Bible readers. And Mother Rachel has been often remembered as the Mother of sorrows par excellence. Revisiting the unit of Jer 31,15-17 from which Rachel’s lament is taken, we argue in this paper that more than a Mother of sorrows, Rachel is the Mother of consolation and hope. She is not only a powerful intercessor for her children in pain, but also, and maybe more, the recipient of God’s consolation for his people, her children. Through her, the Prophet Jeremiah gives us a message of consolation and hope, announcing the triumph of life over death.