Beautiful Rachel

עוֹדֶ֖נּוּ מְדַבֵּ֣ר עִמָּ֑ם וְרָחֵ֣ל ׀ בָּ֗אָה עִם־הַצֹּאן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְאָבִ֔יהָ כִּ֥י רֹעָ֖ה הִֽוא׃

While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s flock—for she was its shepherd.
Genesis 29:9 (The Contemporary Torah, JPS 2006)

When Genesis introduces Rachel, it doesn’t tell us how beautiful she is. It tells us her role: she is a shepherdess. Her name means “ewe.”

She is shown as both a sheep and as a good shepherd leading her father’s flock, in contrast to the hired hands from the previous verses.

Little Verses say so Much

Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev.
Genesis 12:9 (NIV)

There’s much being said in such a seemingly irrelevant verse.

1. “Set out and continued.” The rabbis say this describes the shepherd’s method of travel: going, stopping, going, stopping. A month here, a month there. This is a long journey for Abram.
2. The “Negev” means “south.” Towards what would be Judah. Jerusalem. This points to the place God intends to set up a Temple in the future.

There are no irrelevant verses. They all paint a picture we are meant to see.