PenWorks of the Word | Featured Author | Tracey Thorp

The Case For Rachel

By Tracey Thorp

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I think we owe Rachel a massive apology.

Because I’m not convinced she did the things we’ve spent the last 3,000 years accusing her of.

Somehow, over centuries of retelling her story, assumptions have become facts:

• The Bible tells us Rachel was beautiful, so we decided she was vain.
• The Bible tells us Rachel was infertile, forced to endure the pain of watching her own husband and sister have children together. Then one day she got angry with him, so we decided she was bitter and discontent.
• The Bible tells us Rachel took her father’s household idols, so we decided she worshipped them.
• The Bible tells us Rachel couldn’t stand up during the search for the idols because she had her period, so we decided she was lying.

But where’s the evidence?

As a litigation lawyer, my job was to find the truth buried under mountains of documents. I’d interview witnesses and create detailed timelines, weighing every piece of evidence. It was painstaking work, but it mattered, because only the facts were relevant.

And I never did it alone. I’d run the case past a colleague, usually Pete, who is now my husband, to make sure it was sound.

Those analytical skills are so deeply ingrained in me that despite no longer practicing law, I still approach research for Biblical fiction in much the same way - beginning with the source document, the Bible. I read the passage word by word, intentionally stripping away assumptions and avoiding commentaries to focus on the facts.

I’ll look at the original Hebrew, where the names of people and places can reveal whole sentences. I look for symbols, patterns, and repeating phrases to unlock the story's context, and because iron sharpens iron, I research with my friend Jess, always beginning with prayer and asking God to reveal what He needs us to see.

When I researched Genesis, something remarkable happened: the case against Rachel became what we in the legal field call a “straw man.” There was nothing to substantiate it.

The Rachel who emerged wasn't spoiled, arrogant, or bitter, but a woman deeply loved and deeply wounded, trying to survive a heartbreaking, messy family dynamic. Metaphorically, she emerged as a type of the bride of Christ, while Leah, striving to obtain a love she could never secure by her own efforts, represented legalism under the law.

Real life is messy. Families are complicated. People make mistakes and hurt one another. Sometimes we respond badly to things that hurt us deeply - and sometimes we’re judged for things we never actually did. The more clearly I saw Rachel, the more compassion I felt for her. It made me wonder how often we do the same thing to other characters in Scripture - and the people in our own lives.

I mean, how often do we take one sentence, one reaction, one difficult decision and build an entire story around it, filling in gaps with assumptions? Eventually, the poor person we’re judging bears little resemblance to the person who’s actually in front of us.

Rachel Beth Curwell and Tracey Thorp

I had to set the record straight, to write Rachel’s story and the stories of those around her with the compassion and understanding she deserved. Jessi was so moved by the Rachel we discovered that she named her own daughter Rachel Beth (after Bethel, the house of God the tribe was journeying toward). For me, that same discovery birthed a creative child of my own, my debut Biblical Fiction novel, Rachel, Beloved of Israel.

If you've ever been misunderstood, misjudged, or navigated a complicated season where waiting for God’s promise to be fulfilled looks impossible, you may find a friend in Rachel. 

Maybe she deserves your fair hearing too?

I’d love you to join me on this journey as we learn what it means to live as God's beloved.

Subscribe to my newsletter. I’ll send you the first chapter of Rachel, Beloved of Israel, and my 7-day devotional designed to sit alongside it. You’ll also be among the first to hear when the book is published and receive an invitation to join my launch team.

The snippets I’ve highlighted for you today are just the tip of the iceberg. There’s a lot more to this story than can be covered in this post – so I’ll be sharing more on my socials this month; make sure you give me a follow! 

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Rachel, Beloved of Israel

When a promise from God costs more than she ever imagined.

Rachel’s dreams of becoming the mother of a nation are shattered when, in a shocking betrayal, her sister steals her place as bride. Forced to accept another woman in their marriage or lose Jacob forever, Rachel must learn to live within a fractured household where striving and manipulation are the norm.

When Rachel’s deepest longing for a child is finally fulfilled, her joy is cut short by a loss she never imagined. As grief shatters her understanding of God’s promises, she faces the ultimate test: will she cling to the life she believes He has given her or trust His purposes are greater than her pain?

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Meet Tracey Thorp

Tracey brings a Spirit-led, deeply personal voice to Biblical fiction, rooted in a strong connection to the Word and in a life shaped by her relationship with God.

Her experiences with love, loss, travel through Biblical lands, blended family life, and living with chronic illness lend authenticity, vulnerability, and emotional depth to her writing.

With a background as a lawyer, she draws on research and analytical skills to ensure her stories are accurate, while years spent studying and teaching scripture have shaped her understanding of the biblical personalities she brings to life.

She is preparing her debut novel, Rachel, Beloved of Israel, for traditional publication. It is a compelling, faith-filled story crafted by someone who knows both life's struggles and the hope found in God's promises.