Then they journeyed from Bethel: Then translates the Hebrew connective, which may also be expressed as “After that,” or “Later.” They refers to Jacob and his people and may need to be expressed in this way. Journeyed means they left Bethel and were going to a new destination.

When they were still some distance from Ephrath is literally “there was still a stretch of land to go to Ephrath.” The distance from Bethel south to Ephrath (Bethlehem, according to verse 19) is about 28 kilometers (18 miles). We may translate, for example, “While they were still a short distance from Ephrath.” Ephrath is identified with Bethlehem in verse 19 and in 48.7. See also Ruth 4.11; Micah 5.2. However, in 1 Sam 10.2 the tomb is in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah.

Rachel travailed: travailed translates the form of the verb “to give birth” that means “she was beginning to give birth.” Revised English Bible says “Rachel was in labour,” New English Bible “Rachel went into labour.” In some languages this event is expressed as “began to have the pains of birth.”

And she had hard labor is in the Hebrew “and she had hard labor in her bearing [of the child].” See Good News Translation. We may also translate, for example, “and her labor [birth pains] was difficult” or “she had a difficult birth.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .