They are never presented as subjects with a voice, agency, or power. Jewish Women's Archive. These were the sons born to Jacob by Bilhah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachelseven in all. Rachel did not have to do this for Jacobs sake, for Jacob already had children to be his heirs by his other wife, Leah; rather, she is said to do this so that Jacob could fulfill her demand to give her children. Read the latest from JWA from your inbox. I had always thought of Jewish spaces as empowering ones; most of the people who bolstered my Jewish education were women, including my rabbi. This name proved to be prophetic, as when Zilpah was toldas a young girlthat she was destined to join Leah in her marriage to the evil Esau, 9 tears would flow down her face. [2] Bilhah gave birth to two sons, whom Rachel claimed as her own and named Dan and Naphtali. 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). Some pictures, and directions, are here. For you are forgetting Bilhah and Zilpah, Jacob's other two wives. Heather M. Burrow (PhD Candidate, Claremont Graduate University) is an Adjunct Assistant Professor for the Pacific Christian College of Ministry and Biblical Studies at Hope International University in Fullerton, California. They never speak in the narrative, interact with God, or are set free, like Hagar, but they also never show contempt for their mistress or run away, like Hagar (Gen 16). Im about to head out the door. Schneider, Mothers of Promise, 164166.8. It really does amaze me how the Lord has different experiences planed for each of us. Bilhah (.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} "unworried", Standard Hebrew: Bilha, Tiberian Hebrew: Blh) is a woman mentioned in the Book of Genesis. [12][13], "The Testament of Naphtali" (1:9) as translated in, "The Testament of Naphtali" (1:11) as translated in, Flemish tapestry made around 1550, depicting Rachel giving Bilhah to Jacob, "10 Things You Didn't Know About 'The Handmaid's Tale', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bilhah&oldid=1146218235, This page was last edited on 23 March 2023, at 13:56. Leah named the first son Gad and declared. In the Books of Chronicles, Shimei's brothers were said to have lived in a town called Bilhah and surrounding territories prior to the reign of David. 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. What about Rachel, the hapless, unfortunate, super-hot Rachel?! If nothing else, we can surmise that the institution of marriage and the status and roles of women in such relationships in the ancient Near East were complex and often-changing, depending on circumstances. Zilpah: Midrash and Aggadah | Jewish Women's Archive These women may not have had legal claim to their children but they still played a large part in their upbringing and in their daily lives. [9], Reuben was Jacob's (Israel) eldest son with Leah. Interestingly, the mother is not directly named in any of the sons blessings. For thousands of years, these three well-known names have been referenced in histories, liturgies, prayer books, and scholarly articles alike. Which language's style guidelines should be used when writing code that is supposed to be called from another language? 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. Joshua, as noted in the article " The Twelve Tribes in the Song of Deborah ," divided the land among these tribes. How did Zilpah and Bilhahs attitude and possible wifely status affect their childrens status? The point is that these women acted prudently in each given situation with the best interests of their children in mind. Who was the mother and father of Bilhah and Zilpah? Enjoying this article? In all, Bilhah and Zilpah are given to Jacob by their mistresses to act in their place twice each to overcome barrenness, resulting in two sons each (Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher). Rachel Giving Bilhah to Jacob from The Story of Jacob series, 1550-75, Netherlandish, Brussels. Who are considered "avot" who worshipped idols? This lack of any qualifier title leaves the question of their status open ended. Most named biblical women are of this dynamic variety. Yet they did it out of lovelove for Rachel and Leah, knowing that they could given them something they could not get themselves. "Lower status" is a trigger for me. Mignon R. Jacobs, Gender, Power and Persuasion: The Genesis Narratives and Contemporary Portrait (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2007), 160.2. Nevertheless, just as consistently, Zilpah and Bilhah are not traditionally listed among the Matriarchs that include Sarah, Rebekah, Leah, and Rachelthe mothers of the higher social class of privilege who speak and act. These two handmaidens, Bilhah and Zilpah, made great sacrifices. Elisheva -- see notes on Tzipporah. 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. 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. Bilhah and Zilpah - Jew or Not Jew I guess I always felt bad for Bilhah and Zilpah because it didn't really seem like they had any say in the matter. Episode 91: Israel at 75: Voices of Protest. During this time on theBible Timeline with World History, the following events at various locations around the world are recorded: But from whom were Bilhah and Zilpah descendant ? What a lovely, thoughtful, and inspiring piece. . The promises of God endure from generation to generation. This may have been what Rachel meant when she said that Bilhah shall bear upon my knees. Alternatively she may have just been referring to the way in which ancient women commonly gave birth. (Source) This adoption ceremony was often conducted by placing the son or daughter on the knees of the mistress and declaring it her child. Genesis 30 records that, when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. He could have opened Rachel's womb he does later but perhaps these women needed to learn these lessons first. . The MatriarchsSarah, Rebekah, Leah, and Rachel, the corresponding mother figuresare increasingly being remembered and honored as well, to highlight their important role in forming the twelve tribes of Israel. 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. Zilpah gave birth to two sons, whom Leah claimed as her own and named Gad and Asher. The God of Sarah, Rebekah, Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah. Zilpah and Bilhah are instead each introduced as a shiphchah (meaning maid-servant, slave-girl, or handmaid2For maid-servant or female servant see such translations as JPS, ESV, and YLT; for slave-girl see CJB, EXB, GNT, ICB, and NRSV; for handmaid see ASV and KJV. 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.[3]. It must have been hard, really hard. RGG, I'll agree that this is a super interesting story. (Did they time her ovulation cycle? Upon parting ways again, Laban and Jacob make a pact before Jacobs God. Only the tribe of Judah are Jews. Zilpah also figures in the competition between Jacob's wives to bear him sons. Dinah, if you are wondering.). Leah was the oldest daughter in lieu of an elder brother. Your email address will not be published. Mother of Gad . Zilpah also figures in the competition between Jacob's wives to bear him sons. With the help of hormone supplementation, Casey, who had gone through menopause 10 years earlier, became pregnant during her second round of in vitro fertilization, the Chicago Tribune reported. So, yes, you remember the part where Jacob married the ugly Leah and the super-hot Rachel, and lived happily ever after in a sanctioned menage a trois. Bilhah, Zilpah, and Me - Medium What is significant about the names Rachel and Leah give their sons? Tammi J. Schneider notes that a, This is my own translation of the Hebrew text found in the. She was the first wife, but it seems that history has made her a litte shrewish, maybe less attractive. When and how did the Twelve Apostles die? 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. I contend that these two women are relatable and worthy of emulation for different reasons than the more well-known Matriarchs are. [4] He was taken into captivity but redeemed by Laban, Rachel and Leah's father. Women in Scripture. The only reason Leah had more children was because she was fertile, while Rachel was barren. But in having a child, Hagar becomes prideful and disrespects her mistress Sarah. Nothing is said about Bilhahs fate, but she continued to be remembered as the ancestress of major clans in Israel (1 Chr 7:13). To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Nonetheless Bilhah and Zilpah would have been able to see their sons every day and their sons would have know that they were their birth mothers. (The poor girl is always forgotten. [5] On the other hand, the early rabbinical commentary Pirkei De-Rabbi Eliezer and other rabbinic sources (Midrash Rabba and elsewhere) state that Bilhah and Zilpah were also Laban's daughters, through his concubines, which would make them half-sisters to Rachel and Leah.[6][7][8]. And Jacobs anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Rachel and Leah named Bilhah's and Zilpah's boys. After birthing two children each for their mistresses, the maid-slaves wifely, procreative role ended and presumably Jacobs sexual access to them. Nevertheless, when the danger from Esau has passed, Bilhah again is called Jacobs wife; and her sons are not disadvantaged, for Rachels biological son Joseph becomes a shepherd, a helper to the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his fathers wives (Gen 37:2). These were Jacobs sons number seven and eight respectively. I now discuss these two amazing biblical women every chance I get, including here, because their story resonates with so many who are voiceless or powerless. Nonetheless Bilhah and Zilpah would have been able to see their sons every day and their sons would have know that they were their birth mothers. "Bilhah: Bible." Jacob's Concubines | Bible Characters And then, for good measure, she finishes out the brood with Benjamin (those must have been some powerful mandrakes). rev2023.5.1.43405. He was taken into captivity but redeemed by Laban, Rachel . Leah started popping out kids left and right, four boys to be exact. The union resulted in two sons, Gad and Asher. Simple deform modifier is deforming my object. 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. Thank you. Probably the greatest sacrifice that any mother could ever make. In the novel The Red Tent by Anita Diamant, Zilpah and Bilhah are represented as half-sisters of Leah and Rachel by different mothers. Importantly, this agreement prohibits Jacob from elevating Zilpah and Bilhah to the status of full wives, at least for now. No longer are Zilpah and Bilhahs children given a shared tent (Gen 31:33) or set in the dangerous frontal position of the caravan (Gen 33:2). 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." Something that sounds weird and wrong to me now might have made perfect sense in their day. Episode 91: Israel at 75: Voices of Protest. 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. Matthew - John Passing negative parameters to a wolframscript, Two MacBook Pro with same model number (A1286) but different year. Zilpah bore two sons to Jacob, which would have been Gad and Asher. 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). The second son Zilpah bore Leah named Asher and said, "Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed." Jacob wanted the super-hot Rachel to have a kid. At the start of Jacobs story, the Genesis narrator makes it clear that Zilpah and Bilhah are maid-slaves. In this instance, no functional role is in view. The rabbis fill in details about her life, her relationship with Jacob, and the confusing incident between Bilhah and Reuben, Jacob's eldest son. It's all in there! 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." Folder's list view has different sized fonts in different folders. This is reinforced by the fact that Rachel named both of the sons Bilhah bore.
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