Why was Rachel Buried on the Road?
Apparently, Yaakov deals with this uncertainty in the very next pasuk:

"When I was returning from Padan, Rachel died suddenly during that journey, while we were still some distance from Efrata [and thus even farther away from Chevron!], and therefore I buried her on the road..." (48:7)
Yaakov explains to Yosef that Rachel's burial on the roadside (rather than in "Ma'arat Ha'Machpela") was due to unforeseen circumstances, and thus should not be interpreted as an indication of a lower status. On the contrary, despite Rachel's somewhat disrespectful burial, Yaakov still considers her as having been his 'primary' wife. This is echoed in Yaakov's expression of his concern about sending Binyamin to Egypt, quoted by Yehuda in Parshat Vayigash:
"And your servant, my father, said to us: As you know, my wife bore me two sons, but one is gone..." (44:27)
Therefore, even though Reuven is the firstborn of Leah, Yosef is awarded the family "bechora," since he is the firstborn to Yaakov's primary wife, the "ishah" whom he had originally intended to marry. (See 29:18-30.)

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