Who were Bilhah and Zilpah in the Bible?
Bilhah and Zilpah were the handmaidens (servants) of the patriarch Jacob’s wives, Leah and Rachel. Rachel, who was Jacob’s favorite wife, had not been blessed with children. While Leah, Rachel’s older sister, had given birth to four sons.
Are bilhaa and Zilpah considered Jacob's wives?
I asked Rabbi Ginsburg a while back and he said - specifically and categorically - that both Bilhaa and Zilpah are considered to be Jacob's wives. He married them both and such are considered Matriarchs as well. Reply
How many children did Zilpah have?
Zilpah bore two sons to Jacob, which would have been Gad and Asher. These were Jacob’s sons number seven and eight respectively. The account of Zilpah’s role as Leah’s surrogate mother can be found in Genesis 30:9-13. While Zilpah is a considered a minor Bible character, she was a vessel used to usher in two of the tribes of Israel.
Are Zilpah and Bilhah divine attributes?
Bilhah and Zilpah don't represent a unique divine attribute as do the Patriarch and Matriarchs—rather they are the conduit through which our Patriarch and Matriarchs can be manifest in our reality. 3 1. Berachot 16b. 2. 3.
Who were Bilhah children in the Bible?
Though her reaction is not recorded, Bilhah gives birth to two sons, Dan and Naphtali, who are named by Rachel but referred to as “the sons of Bilhah.” Later in her life, Bilhah would have sex with Reuben, Jacob's eldest son. In later texts, Bilhah is remembered as one of the ancestresses of the Israelites.
Who was Zilpah in Bible?
Zilpah was given as a wedding gift to Leah by her father Laban on the occasion of Leah's marriage to Jacob. Through the initiative of Leah, Zilpah became a secondary wife to Jacob and bore him two sons, Gad and Asher.
Are Bilhah and Zilpah sisters?
In popular culture. In the novels The Red Tent by Anita Diamant and Rachel and Leah by Orson Scott Card, Bilhah and Zilpah are half-sisters of Leah and Rachel by different mothers, following the Talmudic tradition.
Who was Zilpah and Bilhah mother?
Zilpah is given to Leah as a handmaid by Leah's father, Laban, upon Leah's marriage to Jacob (see Genesis 29:24, 46:18). According to the early rabbinical commentary Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer, Zilpah and Bilhah, the handmaids of Leah and Rachel, respectively, were actually younger daughters of Laban.
What race was Bilhah in the Bible?
Bilhah and Zilpah were slaves, not wives of a patriarch, but their descendants eventually became the Jewish people. For this reason, some modern Jewish feminists have reclaimed Bilhah and Zilpah as matriarchs.
Why did Jacob marry Zilpah and Bilhah?
After Bilhah bore Rachel two sons, Leah found that even though she already had four sons she was no longer able to have children. So, following the example of her sister, Leah gave her maid, Zilpah, to Jacob as a wife so that she could have more children.
What does Zilpah mean in Hebrew?
Zilpah. / (ˈzɪlpə) / noun. Old Testament Leah's maidservant, who bore Gad and Asher to Jacob (Genesis 30:10–13) Slang.
Was Jacob married to Bilhah?
Bilhah married Jacob lovingly and did not refuse to bear children for her husband (as Zilpah had done); therefore Naphtali's sons are credited to her and the enumeration of her children in the list of Jacob's descendants in Gen.
Did Dinah get married?
Because Shechem then wished to marry Dinah, Hamor suggested to Jacob that their two peoples initiate a policy of commercial and social intercourse. Dinah's brothers Simeon and Levi pretended to agree to the marriage and the covenant if Shechem and all the other males of the city of Shechem were circumcised.
What does Bilhah mean in Hebrew?
In Biblical Names the meaning of the name Bilhah is: Who is old or confused.
What is mandrakes in the Bible?
Mandrake is mentioned in the Bible (Gen. 30:14-16) and its Biblical use is generally attributed to its supposed fertility power. A detailed study of Pentateuch text and the various commentaries allowed us to re-evaluate the role of mandrake in Biblical events.
Who was Reuben's wife?
EliuramReuben's family According to the Book of Jasher, Chapter 45, Reuben's wife was Eliuram the daughter of Ewi the Canaanite (of Timnah).
What does Zilpah mean in Hebrew?
Zilpah. / (ˈzɪlpə) / noun. Old Testament Leah's maidservant, who bore Gad and Asher to Jacob (Genesis 30:10–13) Slang.
Who was Laban's wife?
AdinahLaban's wife and the mother of Leah and Rachel was Adinah.
Where is Zilpah buried?
Tomb of the MatriarchsZilpah / Place of burialThe Tomb of the Matriarchs, (Hebrew: קבר האמהות, Kever ha'Imahot), in Tiberias, Israel, is the traditional burial place of several biblical women: Bilhah, handmaid of Rachel. Zilpah, handmaid of Leah.
How many sons did Zilpah have?
Zilpah bore two sons to Jacob, which would have been Gad and Asher. These were Jacob’s sons number seven and eight respectively. The account of Zilpah’s role as Leah’s surrogate mother can be found in Genesis 30:9-13. While Zilpah is a considered a minor Bible character, she was a vessel used to usher in two of the tribes of Israel.
What is Zilpah used for in the Bible?
While Zilpah is a considered a minor Bible character, she was a vessel used to usher in two of the tribes of Israel. You can read about Jacob, also known as Israel, blessing Gad and Asher as tribes of Israel in Genesis 49:19-20.
Why did Leah give Zilpah to Jacob?
Who is Zilpah? After Leah had already bore Jacob four sons and then stopped having babies, she presented Zilpah to Jacob to act as a type of surrogate mother and have more children for Jacob. This was done as part of an ongoing rivalry between Leah and her sister Rachel, Jacob’s second and favorite wife.
What happened to Bilhah in Genesis 35?
Bilhah was later briefly mentioned in Genesis 35:22 when Jacob’s firstborn son Rueben reportedly slept with her after Rachel had died. This act caused Reuben to lose his birthright inheritance as pointed out in Genesis 49:3-4.
Why was Zilpah given to Leah?
Some Bible scholars believe that Zilpah was younger than Bilhah and was given as the maidservant of Leah to contribute to the deception that surrounded the two brides. Jacob had worked for seven years as part of an agreement to earn Rachel’s hand in marriage from her father, Laban.
What is Bilhah in the Bible?
Bilhah is also considered a minor Bible character but was also used to bring two of the twelve leaders of the tribes of Israel onto the earth. The blessings of Dan and Naphtali as tribes of Israel can be found in Genesis 49:16-17, and 21.
When was Bilhah first mentioned in the Bible?
Bilhah was first introduced in the Bible in Genesis 29:29. [This article continues after a message from the authors]
Who were Bilhah and Zilpah?
Bilhah and Zilpah were the handmaidens (servants) of the patriarch Jacob’s wives, Leah and Rachel . Rachel, who was Jacob’s favorite wife, had not been blessed with children. While Leah, Rachel’s older sister, had given birth to four sons.
What sacrifices did Bilhah and Zilpah make?
These two handmaidens, Bilhah and Zilpah, made great sacrifices. Probably the greatest sacrifice that any mother could ever make. Yet they did it out of love–love for Rachel and Leah, knowing that they could given them something they could not get themselves.
Why did Rachel marry Bilhah?
In her desperation for children Rachel followed the example of Sarah, the wife of Abraham, and married her maid Bilhah to her husband so that she could have children through her. In Old Testament times this was an acceptable way for a married woman who was barren to gain children. In an ancient Nuzi marriage contract it stipulated ...
What does Rachel mean by "bilhah bears upon her knees"?
So when Rachel meant that Bilhah would bear upon her knees she may have been referring to the actual position in which she would give birth. Image Source.
Why did Leah have more children than Rachel?
Jacob of course only wanted to marry Rachel, and worked for 7 years to do so, only to be tricked by his uncle, Laban. The only reason Leah had more children was because she was fertile, while Rachel was barren.
When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb?
Genesis 29:31 When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
Who was Bilhah's second son?
The second son Bilhah bore she named Naphtali and said, “With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed.”After Bilhah bore Rachel two sons Leah found that even though she already had four sons she was no longer able to have children.
Who were Bilhah and Zilpah?
Sarah explained to me that Bilhah and Zilpah were handmaidens of Rachel and Leah who were given to the sisters by their father. Bilhah and Zilpah gave birth to four sons— Naphtali, Dan, Asher, and Gad —fathered by Jacob, who became the heads of four of the T welve Tribes of Israel.
Was Bilhah a patriarch?
Bilhah and Zilpah were slaves, not wives of a patriarch, but their descendants eventually became the Jewish people. For this reason, some modern Jewish feminists have reclaimed Bilhah and Zilpah as matriarchs. For me, this was a revelation.
Who were Zilpah's sons?
Zilpah’s two sons, Gad and Asher, became forebears of two of the twelve tribes of Israel ( Genesis 35:26 ). Nothing is said in Scripture about how Zilpah viewed this arrangement, but, as a servant, she would have had no recourse even if she had objected to it.
Who gave Bilhah to Rachel?
A week later, when Jacob married Leah’s sister, Rachel, Laban gave Bilhah to Rachel as her attendant ( Genesis 29:29 ). Some Jewish scholars have suggested that Zilpah and Bilhah were Laban’s daughters by a concubine ...
How many sons did Leah have?
Leah had four sons, but then she stopped bearing children. Jacob’s next two sons were through Rachel’s servant, and Leah, wanting more children in her name, followed the lead of her younger sister and offered Zilpah to her husband ( Genesis 30:9–10 ). Zilpah’s two sons, Gad and Asher, became forebears of two of the twelve tribes of Israel ...
Who did Rachel give her servant to?
Once Rachel realized she was not able to bear children, she gave her servant, Bilhah, to Jacob to produce children through a surrogate ( Genesis 30:3–4 ). In doing so, Rachel followed a then-common practice for a barren wife to give her servant to her husband as a concubine. The offspring born to that concubine would be considered children ...
Who were Laban's daughters?
Some Jewish scholars have suggested that Zilpah and Bilhah were Laban’s daughters by a concubine (and therefore half-sisters of Leah and Rachel), but this is nowhere stated in the Bible. Leah and Rachel were soon involved in a child-bearing war with each other.
Who was Leah's handmaiden?
Answer. Zilpah was Leah’s handmaiden or servant whom Leah gave to her husband, Jacob, as a concubine. Zilpah bore Jacob two sons: Gad and Asher. Zilpah ’s background is unknown, other than the fact that Zilpah had been one of Laban’s servants before Leah’s marriage to Jacob.
Is Zilpah a silent character?
Zilpah is a silent character in the Bible; we have no recorded words from her. Like other women used as child-bearers in that era, Zilpah would have been viewed as insignificant and unimportant to society. To Jacob, Zilpah’s two sons were counted among Leah’s, but we know that Zilpah was recognized by the Lord.
Who were Bilhah and Zilpah?
Bilhah and Zilpah Bilhah and Zilpah were surrogates. In today's jargon, they would be termed Gestational Surrogates . They helped Rachel and Leah have children, but did so without any intention of keeping these children as theirs.
How many sons did Bilhah and Zilpah have?
They should be included Bilhah and Zilpah bore four sons, and probably helped raise all of Jacob's children. We carry their genetic material. Whether o not Jacob loved them is not relevant. They deserve to be included. Reply
Why did Bilhah and Zilpah bore these children?
Bilhah and Zilpah imbue every Jew with the capability to carry over the holiness we inherit from the Patriarchs and Matriarchs into creation. This is why Bilhah and Zilpah bore these children "on behalf of" and as "the agents of" Leah and Rachel. The children they bore were even named by Leah and Rachel.
What are the souls of the patriarchs?
According to kabbalah, the souls of the Patriarchs were the embodiment of the G‑dly attributes – that transcend creation – of Kindness ( Abraham ), Severity ( Isaac) and Harmony ( Jacob ); while the Matriarch's souls were the embodiment of (four components of) the Divine attribute of Royalty ( Malchut ).
What is the Hebrew word for wife?
In Hebrew wife is ishto, concubine is pilegesh. They are not the same. Reply
Where is Rabbi Naftali Silberberg?
Rabbi Silberberg resides in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife, Chaya Mushka, and their three children.
Who are the four spiritual giants?
The four are a reference to Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah . These seven spiritual giants are considered our nation's patriarchs and matriarchs not so much because they are our shared biological antecedents, but primarily because they are our spiritual ancestors.
Who are Bilhah and Zilpah?
In the novels The Red Tent by Anita Diamant and Rachel and Leah by Orson Scott Card, Bilhah and Zilpah are half-sisters of Leah and Rachel by different mothers, following the Talmudic tradition.
Who did Rachel give Bilhah to?
When Rachel failed to have children, Rachel gave Bilhah to Jacob as a concubine to bear him children. Bilhah gave birth to two sons, whom Rachel claimed as her own and named Dan and Naphtali. Genesis 35:22 expressly calls Bilhah Jacob 's concubine, a pilegesh . The apocryphal Testament of Naftali says that Bilhah and Zilpah 's father was named ...
Where is Bilhah buried?
Bilhah is said to be buried in the Tomb of the Matriarchs in Tiberias . In the Book of Chronicles, Shimei 's brothers were said to have lived in a town called Bilhah and surrounding territories prior to the reign of David.
Why did Jacob move his bed into Bilhah's tent?
When Rachel died, Jacob moved his bed into the tent of Bilhah, who had been mentored by Rachel, to retain a closeness to his favourite wife. However, Reuben, Leah's eldest, felt that this move slighted his mother, who was also a primary wife, and so he moved Jacob's bed into his mother's tent and removed or overturned Bilhah's. ...
What does Genesis 35:22 mean?
Genesis 35:22 says, "And it came to pass, while Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine; and Israel heard of it.". As a result of this adultery, he lost the respect of his father, who said: "Unstable as water, have not thou the excellency; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed;
