John Calvin Commentary Genesis 35:17

"And it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; for now thou shalt have another son." — Genesis 35:17 (ASV)

The midwife said unto her. We know that the ancients were very eager for children, especially for male children. Since Rachel therefore does not accept this kind of consolation when offered, we infer that she was completely overcome with pain. She therefore died in agonies, thinking of nothing but her sad childbirth and her own sorrows: from this feeling she gave a name to her son; but Jacob afterward corrected the error.

For the choice of the name sufficiently shows that, in his judgment, his wife's excessive sorrow was wrong, since she had branded his son with a sinister and shameful name. For such sadness is not free from ingratitude when it so occupies our minds in adversity that God's kindness does not cheer them, or, at least, does not infuse some sweetness to lessen our grief.

Then her burial is mentioned. The holy fathers would not have attended to it with such religious care, except for their hope of the future resurrection. Therefore, whenever we read about them burying the dead, as if they were anxious about performing some extraordinary duty, let us remember the purpose I have mentioned. For it was no foolish ceremony, but a living symbol of the future resurrection.

Indeed, I acknowledge that profane and degenerate men at that time, in various places, vainly incurred much expense and labor in burying their dead, merely as an empty solace for their grief. But although they had strayed from the original institution into gross errors, the Lord nevertheless ensured that this rite would remain intact among His own people.

Moreover, He intended for a testimony to exist among unbelievers, by which they would be rendered inexcusable. For since, apart from instruction, the sentiment that burying the dead was an act of piety was innate in all people, nature has clearly dictated to them that the human body is formed for immortality. Therefore, in sinking into death, it does not utterly perish.

The statue or monument he erected signifies the same thing. He built no citadel that might stand as a token of his glory among his descendants. Instead, he took care to raise a memorial tomb, which would be a witness to all ages that he was more devoted to the life to come. And, by God's providence, this memorial remained standing until the people returned from Egypt.