Matthew Poole and continuators on Genesis 48:7

7 And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan, in the way when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath : the same is Bethlehem.

Or, beside me, near me, before mine eyes, I seeing, but not being able to help her in her extremity: which makes the remembrance of it more grievous to me. This story he here mentions partly because the sight of Ioseph and his children brought his beloved Rachel to his remembrance: partly to give the reason of this action of his to the rest of his children, which was not onely because Rachel was his first rightful wife by designation and contract, and therefore the right of the first-born was truly Josephs; but because by her early death he was cut off from all hopes of having more children by her, and therefore it was but fit he should supply that defect by adopting Iosephs children.

Not out of disrespect to her, whose person was, and memory yet is, precious and honourable to me, but either because dying in child-bed they could not keep her till they came to the burying-place of the Patriarchs, at Hebron, Gen. 23. 19. especially when they were tyed to the slow motion of the flocks and herds: or because I would not bury her in the common burying-place with heathens and Idolaters, in the city of Ephrath. By which he tacitly implies, that he would not have Ioseph joyned with the Egyptians in burial.

Marginal references: Gen. 35. 19.