Called Balah in Joshua 19:3, the town was allotted to the tribe of Simeon. According to at least one opinion though, Bilhah came down to Egypt though as she was still alive at the time, thus fulfilling the "moon" part of Joseph's dream. Required fields are marked *. 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. If some liturgies listing the Matriarchs have been corrected to list Leah first, as the older daughter and first wife of Jacob,12Elizabeth Wyner Mark, The Four Wives of Jacob: Matriarchs Seen and Unseen, The Reconstructionist (Fall 1998): 2224. How old were they? Nothing is said about Bilhahs fate, but she continued to be remembered as the ancestress of major clans in Israel (1 Chr 7:13). 31 December 1999. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. I heard a teaching comparing the relationship of Jacob and Esau and the stolen birthright, with the relationship of Leah and Rachael. Bilhah and Zilpah, women in the Bible Zilpah, whose name is believed to mean "drooping", was given to Leah as a handmaiden by Laban, Leah's father, when Leah was given to Jacob as a bride. (Gen 29), Jacob did not buy Zilpah and Bilhah to be his legitimate wives. What nation/family there were from and why the Torah does not see the importance of telling us about that? [4] He was taken into captivity but redeemed by Laban, Rachel and Leah's father. Whether or not Zilpah and Bilhah attained wifely status, there seems to have been a change of status for their children into equal sonship and equal inheritance. Some of these are easier to swallow than others. They repeatedly chose to be willing, humble, and respectful, possibly knowing that this is what would get them what they desiredchildren of their own who would have a future. As Rachel says, Behold, my amah (servant) Bilhah. Since they were servants it wasn't really like they could say no, right? And my goal, at least for now, is to continue the act of reclaiming these women, and making them known. Just like Sarai/Sarah gave her handmaid, Hagar, to Abraham to have children on behalf of Sarai/Sarah, These handmaids were basically considered 'surrogates' if you will, for lack of a better word. As time has passed, Ive learned about other people whove successfully integrated feminism into their Judaism, the way I want to. How many children did Laban have? It only takes a minute to sign up. And then well consider how to respond to our findings. Leah started popping out kids left and right, four boys to be exact. much like their mothers, who, through their humility and forbearance, were eventually able to attain wifely status. Required fields are marked *. Take the Challenge
These two handmaidens, Bilhah and Zilpah, made great sacrifices. It only takes a minute to sign up. This is really an interesting conflict in the bible. Zilpah bore Leah two sons. Rachel in turn gives Bilhah to Jacob as a wife when Rachel is found to be barren. The Hebrew word sahnay does not mean hate as the term is used today, but rather conveys the idea of loving less. A better translation would be, when the Lord saw that Leah was loved less or was not as favored, he opened her womb. Interestingly, the mother is not directly named in any of the sons blessings. Not to be outdone, Leah had a handmaiden too: Zilpah. Each takes ownership of the maid-slave, much like Sarah owned Hagar (Gen 16:1) and Rebekah owned her nurse Deborah (Gen 24:61). The apocryphal Testament of Naftali says that Bilhah and Zilpah's father was named Rotheus. I have issued a standing challenge for all my readers The Women in the Scripture Challenge are you super brave and daring enough to take the challenge. The second son Bilhah bore she named Naphtali and said, "With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed.". 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. Jacob favored Rachel, his other wife, and even loved her maidservant Bilhah more than Zilpah. The few times the story tells of their actions (bearing sons and bowing before Esau),11Schneider, Mothers of Promise, 128. it is at the behest of others. Jacobs, Gender, Power and Persuasion, 159160, 168.4. The plan succeeds, so that when Bilhahs son is born, Rachel names him, an act expressing her maternal authority. Let's just move on. (Source) This adoption ceremony was often conducted by placing the son or daughter on the knees of the mistress and declaring it her child. (Bereishit 31:43) gives [another two equaling] four.'. A boy can regenerate, so demons eat him for years. Is "I didn't think it was serious" usually a good defence against "duty to rescue"? Click here to find out more about this unique and fun Bible study tool! This pushes me to actively seek out women who have been overlooked by our tradition, whether from the Torah or from more recent history. Answer Zilpah was Leah's handmaiden or servant whom Leah gave to her husband, Jacob, as a concubine. Now back to Reuben. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. The Middle Kingdom of Egypt reestablished prosperity and stability. It must have been hard, really hard. Bilhah means "to become alarmed" ( lehibahel ). Leah then offered her handmaid, Zilpah, to Jacob. No matter what the circumstances in which they had the children, they had to have had incredible strength to raise those children in those circumstances. The blessings of Dan and Naphtali as tribes of Israel can be found in Genesis 49:16-17, and 21. What a lovely, thoughtful, and inspiring piece. While Leah, Rachels older sister, had given birth to four sons. Zilpah and Bilhahs deaths are never mentioned. All the Bilhahs and the Zilpahs who still selflessly give of themselves to bring children to women who are unable to have them any other way and all the Rachels and the Leahs who will never be able to repay the gift. Now, I try to keep Bilhah and Zilpah in mind in my daily life. And in every case, the mistress wife names the children born to their maid-slave, also indicating that the children are adopted by the mistress as their own. This may be because Zilpah and Bilhah never speak within the narrative, nor are they spoken to directly. In the official record given of Jacobs children in Genesis 46 Dan and Naphtali are listed as the children of Bilhah and Asher and Gad are listed as the children of Zilpah. . Sleeping with ones fathers wife was considered a great offense in biblical law (Lev 18:8; 20:11); perhaps that is why Bilhah is called his secondary wife (pilegesh) in this one textto diminish the gravity of the act. For thousands of years, these three well-known names have been referenced in histories, liturgies, prayer books, and scholarly articles alike. English Standard Version See Schneiders Mothers of Promise: Women in the Book of Genesis (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008), 103105.) I agree too that these women had an understanding in the bigger picture and what was important, Your email address will not be published. The apocryphal Testament of Naftali says that Bilhah and Zilpah's father was named Rotheus. Bilhah and Zilpah most likely died in Israel (Genesis 46 sounds like they didn't come down to Egypt), but hadn't they been living in the South part of the country, not anywhere near Tiberias? The Rabbis count Zilpah among the six Matriarchs. Say, the one of Jacob and his wives. Zilpah bore Leah two sons. Bronze to Iron Age During this period making items of bronze seemed to be migrating into the Iron Age. The Rabbis brought it from here: "If you afflict my daughters" (Bereishit 31:50) gives two. In an ancient Nuzi marriage contract it stipulated that a woman whose servant bore the children of her husband should have full authority over the offspring. (Source) This adoption ceremony was often conducted by placing the son or daughter on the knees of the mistress and declaring it her child. Are there any writings of the backgrounds of Bilhah and Zilpah? Particularly moving to hear from a young woman. Jacob did not become aware of the substitution until after the marriage acts had been committed. Zilpah's background is unknown, other than the fact that Zilpah had been one of Laban's servants before Leah's marriage to Jacob. with Ya'akov and his sons? With that I think we can say Zilpah and Bilah are matriarchs. This act caused Reuben to lose his birthright inheritance as pointed out in Genesis 49:3-4. This amended liturgical prayer is based on the traditional, central Jewish liturgical blessing of praise, the Amidah or Standing Prayer, that invokes the blessing of the ancestors, some of which already have added the four matriarchal figures (though most have Rachel before Leah). s stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? I really do like the way you've likened it to modern day adoption . Upon parting ways again, Laban and Jacob make a pact before Jacobs God. Leah and Rachel, of course! Probably all three maid-slaves desired to have children, as women were primarily valued for their reproductive capacities in the culture. Leah named the first son Gad and declared, "A troop cometh." What is more, the lack of motherly connection on all fronts seems to indicate that this equal status was no longer given through their adoption by the mistress wives of Jacob. For me, this was a revelation. As I've thought about these two great women and reflected on their sacrifices I can't help but marvel at what amazing women these two handmaidens must have been. Why did US v. Assange skip the court of appeal? Thus, they have been forgotten as unworthy or ignored as unremarkable. when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. Leah started popping out kids left and right, four boys to be exact. It must have been hard, really hard. It makes me wonder what sort of relationship Rachel and Leah had with them. Maybe she was buried in Egypt. Is there an obligation to be buried in Jewish Cemetary? Come into her and she will bear on my knees so that I too can build [a family] through her5 This is my own translation of the Hebrew text found in the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. See Schneiders Mothers of Promise: Women in the Book of Genesis (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008), 103105.3. Unexpected uint64 behaviour 0xFFFF'FFFF'FFFF'FFFF - 1 = 0? Humane Imagination, What Does the Bible Say about Anxiety? Unexpected uint64 behaviour 0xFFFF'FFFF'FFFF'FFFF - 1 = 0? Who was the mother and father of Bilhah and Zilpah? Redirecting the Fear of Death, Teaching Genesis Beautiful Vision in an Incarcerated Context, A Pentecostals Biblical Reflections on the Asbury Revival. The maid-slaves would not only serve the daughters, but they could also bear children for their mistress-owner as a surrogate if the mistress were barren. By including Bilhah and Zilpah in the Amidah and Misheberakh prayers along with their better known mistresses . She is given to Jacob as his wife (Hebrew ishah), although in one instance she is called his secondary wife (pilegesh; NRSV, concubine). Subscribe now to receive periodic updates from the Center for Hebraic Thought. And for whatever reason, she just could not conceive. Possibly because of this complexity and their inherent lowly slave status for much of their lives, Zilpah and Bilhah do not get equal status as Matriarchs along with Leah and Rachel, their contemporaries (and owners). This seems to indicate equal status and equal inheritance for all the sons, irrespective of who their mother wasother than the double portion of the firstborn birthright given to Joseph, among Jacobs children. One suggestion I've seen is that many or most of these are cenotaphs - memorials to these people, but not their actual burial places. I had heard these names for as long as I could remember at temple, but I had never heard the last two names before. 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 ). Book of Mormon. (Viewed on May 1, 2023) . In this context, it is better to translate the term as woman, because Rachel still retained full rights over Bilhah.4Louis Katzoff, Nuzi Tablets, Bible and Spade vol 1:2 (Spring 1988): 27. Asked By : David Miller. Probably the greatest sacrifice that any mother could ever make. This was done as part of an ongoing rivalry between Leah and her sister Rachel, Jacobs second and favorite wife. This is reinforced by the fact that Rachel named both of the sons Bilhah bore. For this reason, some modern Jewish feminists have reclaimed Bilhah and Zilpah as matriarchs. So, for those keeping count: Leah 6 (+1 daughter), Bilhah 2, Zilpah 2, Rachel 2. This brought about art, literature, and building projects reappearing on the Egyptian scene. Rosman, Josephine. In the Book of Genesis, Zilpah (Hebrew: .mw-parser-output .script-hebrew,.mw-parser-output .script-Hebr{font-family:"SBL Hebrew","SBL BibLit","Taamey Ashkenaz","Taamey Frank CLM","Frank Ruehl CLM","Ezra SIL","Ezra SIL SR","Keter Aram Tsova","Taamey David CLM","Keter YG","Shofar","David CLM","Hadasim CLM","Simple CLM","Nachlieli",Cardo,Alef,"Noto Serif Hebrew","Noto Sans Hebrew","David Libre",David,"Times New Roman",Gisha,Arial,FreeSerif,FreeSans} Zlp, meaning uncertain)[1] was Leah's handmaid, presumed slave,[2] whom Leah gave to Jacob like a wife to bear him children (Genesis 30:9). Anyway, Rachel said that Jacob would go to Leah if Rachel could have the mandrakes that Reuben brought back. Elizabeth Wyner Mark, The Four Wives of Jacob: Matriarchs Seen and Unseen,. May the God of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, the God whose covenant is eternal, bless you and make you fruitful. Amazing Bible Timeline with World History, http://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/bilhah-bible, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helladic_period, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Georgian_brides_in_church.jpg. If Rachel had not been barren, she would have most likely had the most children. Avigayil is certainly possible as King David could have had her buried in Tiberias (though why I don't know). 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). Rachel, who was Jacob's favorite wife, had not been blessed with children. Is "I didn't think it was serious" usually a good defence against "duty to rescue"? Like many others, these named women have a voice, agency, and power within their stories, at least at times, and use it to achieve their ends. But at night, to mask the deception, Laban gave the veiled bride the younger of the handmaids, so Jacob would think that he was really marrying Rachel, the younger of the sisters.[5]. (What makes the menage a cinq even freakier is that some commentators believe that Bilhah and Zilpah were Leah and Rachel's sisters. Dinah, if you are wondering.). Bilhah was later briefly mentioned in Genesis 35:22 when Jacobs firstborn son Rueben reportedly slept with her after Rachel had died. 8 Zilpah means "to flow" ( lezalef ). Could it be that Zilpah and Bilhah not only gained the status of full wife, but also of full mother? Wife of Patriarch Jacob Biblical family tree showing Jacob's line. They were however mothers of 4 other tribes of Israel. Generating points along line with specifying the origin of point generation in QGIS. The great, mighty, and awesome God, God most high, who bestows loving-kindness and goodness and who creates everything. Bilhah and Zilpah gave birth to four sonsNaphtali, Dan, Asher, and Gadfathered by Jacob, who became the heads of four of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Tzipporah ("the missing matriarch") did she outlive Moshe and make it into Israel? The real difference between Hagar on the one hand and Zilpah and Bilhah on the other lies in their reactions to their situation.6Schneider, Mothers of Promise, 117119. Artist unknown. She was the first wife, but it seems that history has made her a litte shrewish, maybe less attractive. I was thinking about this subject of surrogacy.I recently re-read the record of Jacob and his wives. On the other hand, I know the scriptures don't always give us the whole story and maybe the two servants agreed to this whole thing. Zilpah and Bilhah, who are usually named together, had each other, while Hagar was alone. After Bilhah bore Rachel two sons Leah found that even though she already had four sons she was no longer able to have children. This invasion of Jacob's privacy was viewed so gravely that the Bible equates it with adultery, and lost Reuben his first-born right to a double inheritance. After birthing two children each for their mistresses, the maid-slaves wifely, procreative role ended and presumably Jacobs sexual access to them. Also, the scriptural text seems to indicate that the sons Bilhah bore were considered to be Rachels and that she would have raised them as her own. Thus, Zilpah and Bilhah stand in the shadows of their mistresses Leah and Rachel and have been undeservedly unremembered. I came to realize that being a Jewish feminist means elevating women, those from our sacred texts who have been forgotten like Bilhah and Zilpah, and Jewish women today. According to Bereishit Rabbah 74:13 Bilhah and Zilpah were also daughters of Lavan. Let us know. Their children were considered Leah's and Rachel's. Despite their sons being adopted by Rachel and Leah, the sons are associated with their birth mothers. In later texts, Bilhah is remembered as one of the ancestresses of the Israelites. This lack of any qualifier title leaves the question of their status open ended. Oh, you know this one! Bilhahs own status in the household is somewhat ambiguous. 10 Vayeitzei in a Nutshell These two handmaidens, Bilhah and Zilpah, made great sacrifices. This image of a woman being supported in a squat by other women is the most common image of women giving birth throughout history and around the world. Image source Either way it is almost certain that Rachel would have been with Bilhah during the births of her two sons. And this is why the children are mentioned sans mothers, because the difference in status was no more for any involved, mothers or children. And they are not buried in the cave of Machpelah where Leah and other honored family are buried, including Sarah and Rebekah 10Schneider, Mothers of Promise, 7475, 137. 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, Jacobs eldest son. Bilhah and Zilpah were the handmaidens (servants) of the patriarch Jacobs wives, Leah and Rachel. Schneider, Mothers of Promise, 117119.7. Why are players required to record the moves in World Championship Classical games? some modern Jewish feminists have reclaimed Bilhah and Zilpah as matriarchs, Copyright 19982023, Jewish Women's Archive. Schneider, Mothers of Promise, 164166.8. These two handmaidens, Bilhah and Zilpah, made great sacrifices. I have long identified as a feminist and have always been interested in Judaism, but before this, I had never really considered how the two could overlap. This is beautifuland thoughtful writing, Josie. 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. What positional accuracy (ie, arc seconds) is necessary to view Saturn, Uranus, beyond? Matriarchs: A Liturgical and Theological Category, Biblical Women in World and Hebrew Literature, Modesty and Sexuality in Halakhic Literature, The Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women, Copyright 19982023, Jewish Women's Archive. Alternatively she may have just been referring to the way in which ancient women commonly gave birth. 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. And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her., 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 a similar way, when I omit Bilhah and Zilpah, the mothers of 4 of the 12 Israelite tribes, missing in the liturgy due to their subordinate status, I collude in the marginalization of those whom society has assigned a lower status. I have no idea of the provenance of this tradition. (The poor girl is always forgotten. Thus, while in Canaan and after Rachels (and probably Leahs) death, Zilpah and Bilhah were possibly able to transition in status to the wives of Jacob. For example, II Chron. This amended liturgical prayer is based on the traditional, central Jewish liturgical blessing of praise, the Amidah or Standing Prayer, that invokes the blessing of the ancestors, some of which already have added the four matriarchal figures (though most have Rachel before Leah). So following the example of her sister Leah gave her maid, Zilpah, to Jacob as a wife so that she could have more children. Wow,what an interesting post. They were named Dan and Naphtali and raised by Rachel. When Rachel marries Jacob, her father Laban gives her a maid, Bilhah (Gen 29:29; 46:25), whom she gives to Jacob as a wife (Hebrew ishah) when she finds herself barren (Gen 30:37). Women in labor were surrounded by female companions who encouraged them to labor upright and dance and sway during contractions (belly dancing is actually an ancient fertility dance that women were taught a young age to help with conception and labor). Zilpah, whose name is believed to mean drooping, was given to Leah as a handmaiden by Laban, Leahs father, when Leah was given to Jacob as a bride. Whether or not they had any say in the matter, I do think you point out a really good point. And the maids apparently must share a tent, whereas the wives have their own (Gen 31:33). It makes me wonder what sort of relationship Rachel and Leah had with them. : Ethel Reynolds Smith, Why Having a December Birthday is NOT a Bummer. Bilah is cited a few verses later in verse 25 of the same genealogy. Is there a minhag or halacha that states that men and women should be buried in separate cemetery plot areas? During the final stage of labor a woman would squat and be supported under the arms by one or two other women. Help us elevate the voices of Jewish women. Bilhah is given by Laban to Rachel as a gift when she marries Jacob. Rachel and Leah named Bilhah's and Zilpah's boys. and Asher . This is reinforced by the fact that Rachel named both of the sons Bilhah bore. I had always thought of Jewish spaces as empowering ones; most of the people who bolstered my Jewish education were women, including my rabbi. @CashCow Do you happen to know the source for this opinion? That's usually the place to start.) In an ancient Nuzi marriage contract it stipulated that a woman whose servant bore the children of her husband "should have full authority over the offspring." What nation/family there were from and why the Torah does not see the importance of telling us about that? All four of those women had to have had crazy patience and understanding to make it in that situation. Why did Avraham prefer the daughters of Aner, Eshkol and Mamre over Eliezer's daughter? Schneider, Mothers of Promise, 128.9. While Leah, Rachels older sister, had given birth to four sons. Which language's style guidelines should be used when writing code that is supposed to be called from another language? Bilhah bears another son to Jacob under this arrangement, with Rachel again naming the child. There's a place in Tiberias that is supposed to be the common gravesite of several prominent women from Tanach; a sign there lists Bilhah, Zilpah, Yocheved, Tzipporah, Elisheva, and Avigayil. I have often wondered the nationality (color) of the wives of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but can not find any concrete evidence. . In Old Testament times this was an acceptable way for a married woman who was barren to gain children. "Lower status" is a trigger for me. For instance, Reuben speaks and acts to dissuade the brothers from killing Joseph (Gen 37:22), Simeon and Levi speak and act after the rape of their sister Dinah (Gen 34:30), Judah speaks and acts on behalf of Benjamin over a stolen cup (Gen 44:18), Joseph speaks and acts by telling his brothers of his dreams of greatness (Gen 37:6), and Benjamin acts to weep with Joseph upon being reunited (Gen 45:14). In general it's a big question what it means when various places in the north of Eretz Yisrael are identified as the kevarim of famous tzaddikim or tzidkaniyos - especially when those seem to contradict information given elsewhere. Its possible this difference of reaction is partially attributable to the support of fellow women. Yet they did it out of love--love for Rachel and Leah, knowing that they could given them something they could not get themselves. The promises of God endure from generation to generation. I contend that these two women are relatable and worthy of emulation for different reasons than the more well-known Matriarchs are. And this is how Laban wanted it to remain. But apparently he considered it a major offense, for in his deathbed speech, he removes Reuben from his extra inheritance as firstborn and alludes to Reubens dreadful deed (Gen 49:4). Does a password policy with a restriction of repeated characters increase security? Joshua, as noted in the article " The Twelve Tribes in the Song of Deborah ," divided the land among these tribes. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Whats less clear, however, is their roles within the forming Israelite tribe, especially compared with the roles of Leah and Rachel. 35, Dan and Naphtali are presented as the sons of Bilhah, Rachels maid (v. 25). She carried full term and gave birth via Cesarean section to Finnean, her first grandchild, .". These two handmaidens, Bilhah and Zilpah, made great sacrifices. Most named biblical women are of this dynamic variety. Passing negative parameters to a wolframscript, Two MacBook Pro with same model number (A1286) but different year. While Leah, Rachel's older sister, had given birth to four sons. They fade into the background so easily. Zilpah and Bilhah, who are usually named together, had each other, while Hagar was alone. While Sarah, Rebekah, Leah, and Rachel used more competitive, empowered, persuasive, and often deceptive means to achieve their ends according to their privileged status, Zilpah and Bilhah wisely used cooperation and submissiveness within their less privileged status. but doesn't it seem more like two women fighting with each other about who has the most children, forcing their handmaids to lay with their husband, and then claiming their servant's children? Just you wait. Genesis 30 records that, Primary among them are (1) Rachel's and Leah's historical (or quasi-historical) position as progenitors of Israel; (2) patriarchy in the Hebrew Bible; (3) the place of Rachel and Leah as characters in world exegetical literature and feminist scholarship; and (4) Rachel's special role as universal mother and theological image of the feminine. This being the case, it is likely the sons of Jacob from Bilhah and Zilpah were darker than the rest of their brothers.
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