what nationality were bilhah and zilpah what nationality were bilhah and zilpah

Bilhah bore two sons. 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. When Bilhah conceives two sons, Leah takes up the same idea and presents Zilpah to Jacob so she can have children through her. 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. Redirecting the Fear of Death, Teaching Genesis Beautiful Vision in an Incarcerated Context, A Pentecostals Biblical Reflections on the Asbury Revival. 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. Zilpah and Bilhahs relationship to their mistress changes when first Rachel and then Leah experience barrenness. 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. (though Rachel is not buried there either). The Children of Jacob - SMU Since they were servants it wasn't really like they could say no, right? I do not take women's rights or my Judaism for granted and explore both in my daily life as well. But dying in childbirth with Benjamin ended that. While Leah, Rachel's older sister, had given birth to four sons. The account of Zilpahs role as Leahs surrogate mother can be found in Genesis 30:9-13. At the same time, two other named figures stand out for their undeserved absence among the honored Matriarchs. The first son Rachel named Dan saying, "God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son." While Leah and Rachel, who are also often named together, competed against each other for Jacob's attention and to accumulate sons, Zilpah and Bilhah were always accommodating, respectful, and supportive of each other and authority figures. 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. Why do you think it is that both Rachel and Leah go on to have their own children. Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. How hard it must have been to be an un-loved wife. 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. The rabbis fill in details about her life, her relationship with Jacob, and the confusing incident between Bilhah and Reuben, Jacob's eldest son. As such, Bilhah gave birth to Dan and Naphtali as detailed in Genesis 30:1-8. This is reinforced by the fact that Rachel named both of the sons Bilhah bore. In Old Testament times this was an acceptable way for a married woman who was barren to gain children. Still without a child! I will use the term maid-slave to capture their feminine and slavish status. 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). I guess I always felt bad for Bilhah and Zilpah because it didn't really seem like they had any say in the matter. He could have opened Rachel's womb he does later but perhaps these women needed to learn these lessons first. 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. I agree too that these women had an understanding in the bigger picture and what was important, Your email address will not be published. Jewish Women's Archive. For me, synagogue was always the place where everyone was truly equal, because my community made such an effort to be inclusive and accepting. She calls him Naphtali, which means I have prevailed, because she has prevailed (Hebrew niftalti) over her sister in a divine contest (Hebrew naftulei Elohim; NRSV, mighty wrestlings). 27 October 2017. This may be because Zilpah and Bilhah never speak within the narrative, nor are they spoken to directly. 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. Though there is some indication that Zilpah and Bilhah were elevated to a matriarchal status as the wives of Jacob, they were still not on par with Leah and Rachel, whose death or burial place is mentioned (Gen 35:19, 49:31). And Jacobs anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? Zilpah bore Leah two sons. I first became fans of Zilpah and Bilhah when I was assigned them for a presentation in a graduate class on women in the Book of Genesis. In Jewish tradition, Zilpah is believed to be buried in the Tomb of the Matriarchs in Tiberias. Leah started popping out kids left and right, four boys to be exact. Probably the greatest sacrifice that any mother could ever make. 10 Vayeitzei in a Nutshell Though both Leah and Rachel were bought by Jacob to be his covenantal wives with his years of labor that functioned as a bride-price1cobs, Gender, Power and Persuasion: The Genesis Narratives and Contemporary Portrait (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2007), 160. Laban gave Rotheus a wife named Euna, who was the girl's mother. Bilhah sons were dark skinned, both Dan and Naphtali, there is no reason to believe that Zilpah sons Gad and Asher were any different. to Laban, the father of Leah and Rachel. Rachel in turn gives Bilhah to Jacob as a "wife" when Rachel is found to be barren. Bilhah and Zilpah are considered lower-status individuals. As Ive thought about these two great women and reflected on their sacrifices I cant help but marvel at what amazing women these two handmaidens must have been. And this is why the children are mentioned sans mothers, because the difference in status was no more for any involved, mothers or children. They are Zilpah and Bilhah. Previous to joining academia, Heather worked in the IT field as a web developer for ten years, learning the importance of input data to output success. What did it take for Bilhah and Zilpah to share their children with two other women? He was taken into captivity but redeemed by Laban, Rachel . Meyers, Carol, General Editor. New York: 2000. Jacob's Concubines | Bible Characters Wilda Gafney in her book Womanist Midrash writes movingly, albeit briefly, on Zilpah and Bilah. 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. Identify blue/translucent jelly-like animal on beach. How well do you know your Biblical stories? I've been involved in far, far left politics for a very long time. The Rabbis brought it from here: "If you afflict my daughters" (Bereishit 31:50) gives two. While the forefathers were very cautious in choosing their spouses from Avraham's family, the Torah says nothing about Bilhah and Zilpah's ancestry. What was her birthright, to marry first,receive her dowery and be fruitful and multiply. Mother of Gad . How is the difference to be accounted for? But more importantly, we will question why these two womens children receive blessings and an inheritance when other sons of women in other stories did not. With a wry smile, I say to my family, Im, As a Pentecostal, I am familiar with revival language. Does a password policy with a restriction of repeated characters increase security? The childs name, Dan, means he judged and indicates Rachels relationship to the boy: she claims that God has judged me [Hebrew dananni] and has also heard my voice and given me a son (Gen 30:6). The only other time Zilpah and Bilhah are termed wife/woman is when their mistresses give them to Jacob to fulfill the procreative, wifely role in their mistresses place. We have here something amounting to a status change for the maid-slaves children. . Can my creature spell be countered if I cast a split second spell after it? What positional accuracy (ie, arc seconds) is necessary to view Saturn, Uranus, beyond? Geni requires JavaScript! Genesis 29:31 "And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren." During the final stage of labor a woman would squat and be supported under the arms by one or two other women. Their names are Bilhah and Zilpah, the servants - probably slaves - of the two sisters Rachel and Leah, the wives of Jacob. 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. Avigayil is certainly possible as King David could have had her buried in Tiberias (though why I don't know). It makes me wonder what sort of relationship Rachel and Leah had with them. And that is the mindset at the core of any matriarch. How to force Unity Editor/TestRunner to run at full speed when in background? Tzipporah ("the missing matriarch") did she outlive Moshe and make it into Israel? 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). She is on the Biblical Timeline Poster between 1754-1704 BC. Gad and Asher were sons of Zilpah and a portion of Gad we know is black, for we can trace Gad's sons Eri, Areli and Arodi to the Igbo people of Nigeria. During the final stage of labor a woman would squat and be supported under the arms by one or two other women. Jacob wanted the super-hot Rachel to have a kid. How Long Was Joseph In Potiphars House? Bilhah and Zilpah's Birth Stories: The Old Testament's Form of Adoption Share Bilhah and Zilpah were the handmaidens (servants) of the patriarch Jacob's wives, Leah and Rachel. At first, it almost seemed wrong for feminists to make their own assertions about thousand-year-old practices, but then I thought more about the fact that the Torah was written by men, which meant our most important text was biased from inception. When I asked Sarah who they were, I didnt know that her answer would be my introduction to the intersection between Judaism and feminism, and would influence how I thought about my role in relation to both. ( , ), , , . What about Rachel, the hapless, unfortunate, super-hot Rachel?! By including Bilhah and Zilpah in the Amidah and Misheberakh prayers along with their better known mistresses . 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. I like your take on it, but I guess it always seemed like Bilhah and Zilpah didn't have any choice. Once again we can see Zilpah and Bilhahs worth in this scene. Despite their sons being adopted by Rachel and Leah, the sons are associated with their birth mothers. 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. Can you direct me to anything about their lineage? Laban gives Zilpah to Leah and Bilhah to Rachel as a maid-slave as part of their wedding dowry (Gen 29:24, 29). Leah and Rachel, of course! Rachel, who was Jacob's favorite wife, had not been blessed with children. My first reactions was: Who were they? In midrashic texts, Rabbis have long given Zilpah and Bilhah matriarchal status, alongside Leah and Rachel. 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. This is my own translation of the Hebrew text found in the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia.6. Sarah explained to me that Bilhah and Zilpah were handmaidens of Rachel and Leah who were given to the sisters by their father. In Genesis 31:17, Jacob and his household leave for Canaan without telling Laban. much like their mothers, who, through their humility and forbearance, were eventually able to attain wifely status. Now, I try to keep Bilhah and Zilpah in mind in my daily life. Back in the 1980s/90s, officers didnt seem to, By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it, Its Tuesday morning. Bilhah is given by Laban to Rachel as a gift when she marries Jacob. Bilhah means "to become alarmed" ( lehibahel ). . Rachel, who was Jacob's favorite wife, had not been blessed with children. 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. 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. Bilhah - Wikipedia Episode 91: Israel at 75: Voices of Protest. That's usually the place to start.) 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). Episode 91: Israel at 75: Voices of Protest. Are there any writings of the backgrounds of Bilhah and Zilpah? Bilhah, whose name is believed to mean bashful or faltering, was given to Rachel as her handmaiden by Laban, Rachels father, when Rachel was given to Jacob as a bride. 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. Tammi J. Schneider notes that a shiphchah or a female slave differs from male slaves by also carrying out sexual and procreative functions, as legislated in Leviticus 19:20, raising the question as to whether these same functions are inherent in the type of slavery this term conveys in the current context. The number of Jacob's descendants through Bilhah was seven. Rachel, who was Jacobs favorite wife, had not been blessed with children. Despite this relationship to Rachel, Dan and Naphtali continue to be considered Bilhahs sons, and that influences their standing in the family. She is on the Biblical Timeline Poster between 1754-1704 BC. Love for their sons, knowing that they were giving them the best position, name, and quality of life possible in their situation. Whats less clear, however, is their roles within the forming Israelite tribe, especially compared with the roles of Leah and Rachel. Women in labor were surrounded by female companions who encouraged them to labor upright and dance and sway during contractions, . Is a downhill scooter lighter than a downhill MTB with same performance? Yet they did it out of love--love for Rachel and Leah, knowing that they could given them something they could not get themselves. 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. 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). If she couldn't have the child herself, she came up with the second best option: her handmaiden, Bilhah! However, Hagar is termed mother at the end of her story when she becomes free (Gen 21:21).7Schneider, Mothers of Promise, 164166. We will examine the compelling evidence regarding Zilpah and Bilhahs wifely and motherly roles, which are fulfilled by the end of their story and elevate them to a well-deserved matriarchal status. Which language's style guidelines should be used when writing code that is supposed to be called from another language? According to Bereishit Rabbah 74:13 Bilhah and Zilpah were also daughters of Lavan. Genesis 46:18 Commentaries: These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban They were considered concubines, or secondary wives of Jacob. May the God of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, the God whose covenant is eternal, bless you and make you fruitful. Have an update or correction? Im about to head out the door. Turns out that he was also shtupping Bilhah at best, his stepmother, at worst, his stepmother AND aunt. Bilhah was named so because of her stunning beauty. Schneider, Mothers of Promise, 164166.8. All four of those women had to have had crazy patience and understanding to make it in that situation. Not exactly. This is beautifuland thoughtful writing, Josie. 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. In Old Testament times this was an acceptable way for a married woman who was barren to gain children. 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. Is there an obligation to be buried in Jewish Cemetary? Bilhah and Zilpah were slaves, not wives of a patriarch, but their descendants eventually became the Jewish people. Rachel, who was Jacob's favorite wife, had not been blessed with children. 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. Love for their sons, knowing that they were giving them the best position, name, and quality of life possible in their situation. Bilhah, Rachel's servant and Jacob's concubine, bears two more sons, Dan and Naphtali. 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. Their children were considered Leah's and Rachel's. While the forefathers were very cautious in choosing their spouses from Avraham's family, the Torah says nothing about Bilhah and Zilpah's ancestry. While Leah and Rachel, who are also often named together, competed against each other for Jacobs attention and to accumulate sons, Zilpah and Bilhah were always accommodating, respectful, and supportive of each other and authority figures. Thankfully, Rachel had a solution. 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. 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. 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. The Greatest Champion Of Woman And Womanhood Is Jesus Christ James E. Talmage. Joshua, as noted in the article " The Twelve Tribes in the Song of Deborah ," divided the land among these tribes. They were however mothers of 4 other tribes of Israel. We could continue this tradition by claiming Bilhah and Zilpah as matriarchs. While Zilpah is a considered a minor Bible character, she was a vessel used to usher in two of the tribes of Israel. The text says nothing to suggest that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the God of Bilhah and Zilpah. And it gets weirder. Only the tribe of Judah are Jews. Many scholars, including Steinberg and Speiser, interpret this event as just thata change of status to secondary wives or full wives of Jacob.8Schneider, Mothers of Promise, 128. 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. Whom were Bilhah and Zilpah descendant? 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. In contrast, Zilpah and Bilhahs children, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher, never directly speak or act within the tribal family,9Many of the brothers directly speak and act within the familial affairs. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. And Jacobs anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said. 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). Your email address will not be published. As opposed to Isaacs story in which the maid-slave Hagars child is not included in the inheritance, the maid-slaves children are included in the inheritance in Jacobs story. Simple deform modifier is deforming my object. Being a skinhead in Tulsa Oklahoma meant regular encounters with the police. New Living Translation These were the sons of Bilhah, the servant given to Rachel by her father, Laban. Why did Avraham prefer the daughters of Aner, Eshkol and Mamre over Eliezer's daughter? 8 Zilpah means "to flow" ( lezalef ). [9], Reuben was Jacob's (Israel) eldest son with Leah. 1. Bilhah and Zilpah were the handmaidens (servants) of the patriarch Jacobs wives, Leah and Rachel. 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? Its possible this difference of reaction is partially attributable to the support of fellow women. The Key Biblical Principle for Police Reform? It's not them. Their sacrifice reminds me of all the women who make similar sacrifices around the world today. Probably the greatest sacrifice that any mother could ever make. 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. Many of the brothers directly speak and act within the familial affairs. Elisheva -- see notes on Tzipporah. LITERATURE IN SUPPORT OF LAW: THE PROBLEM OF BILHAH AND ZILPAH - De Gruyter Tammi J. Schneider notes that a, This is my own translation of the Hebrew text found in the. In the novel The Red Tent by Anita Diamant, Zilpah and Bilhah are represented as half-sisters of Leah and Rachel by different mothers. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. Easily See 6017 Years of Biblical and World History Together! Zilpah also figures in the competition between Jacob's wives to bear him sons. How to force Unity Editor/TestRunner to run at full speed when in background? The second son Bilhah bore she named Naphtali and said, "With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed.". avot-patriarch-fathers. We can read the little that we know about them in Genesis 30. This pushes me to actively seek out women who have been overlooked by our tradition, whether from the Torah or from more recent history. But the son's that were the most important were the ones that had the birthright, which was Reuben, Leah's firstborn, until he slept with Bilhahthen lost that birthright and then it went to Joseph, Rachel's firstborn. This is really an interesting conflict in the bible. Instead, Zilpah and Bilhahs motherly role comes to the forefront. Leah named the first son Gad and declared. This is reinforced by the fact that Rachel named both of the sons Bilhah bore. How are engines numbered on Starship and Super Heavy? Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. According to some sources, Bilhah and Zilpah were half-sisters of Leah and Rachel. Probably the greatest sacrifice that any mother could ever make. At the same time I know that it's hard to understand things that occurred in a different culture. 31 December 1999. When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob like a wife to bear him children as well. [3] So following the example of her sister Leah gave her maid, Zilpah, to Jacob as a wife so that she could have more 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. As Rachel says, Behold, my amah (servant) Bilhah. 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." With Bilhah and Zilpah, it wasn't a forced issue, it was more of a 'that's what they did in those days' issue. Some of these are easier to swallow than others. What did it take for Bilhah and Zilpah to share their children with two other women? The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? [1] Genesis 29:29 describes her as Laban's handmaiden (), who was given to Rachel to be her handmaid on Rachel's marriage to Jacob. Bilhah is said to be buried in the Tomb of the Matriarchs in Tiberias. Old Testament Many of the brothers directly speak and act within the familial affairs. After birthing two children each for their mistresses, the maid-slaves wifely, procreative role ended and presumably Jacobs sexual access to them. rev2023.5.1.43405.