So following the example of her sister Leah gave her maid, Zilpah, to Jacob as a wife so that she could have more children. Book of Mormon. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Bible Charts and Maps, PO Box 171053, Austin, TX 78717 While Leah, Rachel's older sister, had given birth to four sons. Was Aristarchus the first to propose heliocentrism? 31 December 1999. [9], Reuben was Jacob's (Israel) eldest son with Leah. 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). Some of these are easier to swallow than others. Unique Circular Format see more in less space. 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." I had heard these names for as long as I could remember at temple, but I had never heard the last two names before. I do not take women's rights or my Judaism for granted and explore both in my daily life as well. Oh, you know this one! (The poor girl is always forgotten. Leah started popping out kids left and right, four boys to be exact. This may be because Zilpah and Bilhah never speak within the narrative, nor are they spoken to directly. rev2023.5.1.43405. Anyway, Rachel said that Jacob would go to Leah if Rachel could have the mandrakes that Reuben brought back. Half sister of Matriarch Rachel / ; Matriarch Leah / ; Chorash . The second son Zilpah bore Leah named Asher and said, "Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed." Probably the greatest sacrifice that any mother could ever make. From the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This was done as part of an ongoing rivalry between Leah and her sister Rachel, Jacobs second and favorite wife. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. 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. Rachel, who was Jacob's favorite wife, had not been blessed with children. (Bereishit 31:43) gives [another two equaling] four.'. The apocryphal Testament of Naftali says that Bilhah and Zilpah's father was named Rotheus. Often times bricks were placed under her to give her more support and the midwife knelt in front of her. Zilpah also figures in the competition between Jacob's wives to bear him sons. It is common practice in my sphere to seek or pray, Center for Hebraic Thought at The King's College | 56 Broadway | New York, NY 10004. In midrashic texts, Rabbis have long given Zilpah and Bilhah matriarchal status, alongside Leah and Rachel. 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. 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------. Their children were considered Leah's and Rachel's. However, Hagar is termed mother at the end of her story when she becomes free (Gen 21:21).7Schneider, Mothers of Promise, 164166. Not that it means that much, but I find it very interesting that most Christians believe all were white. The Middle Kingdom of Egypt reestablished prosperity and stability. They are Zilpah and Bilhah. Bilhah bears another son to Jacob under this arrangement, with Rachel again naming the child. How Long Was Joseph In Potiphars House? Some pictures, and directions, are here. At the same time, two other named figures stand out for their undeserved absence among the honored Matriarchs. 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. Not exactly. This suggests that at this time, Jacob only had Labans two daughters as his legal, covenantal wives. So, for those keeping count: Leah 6 (+1 daughter), Bilhah 2, Zilpah 2, Rachel 2. 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. Maybe she was buried in Egypt. Still without a child! The Key Biblical Principle for Police Reform? 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. Rachel in turn gives Bilhah to Jacob as a wife when Rachel is found to be barren. Leah named the first son Gad and declared. [2] Bilhah gave birth to two sons, whom Rachel claimed as her own and named Dan and Naphtali. Bilhah and Zilpah are considered lower-status individuals. 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? and Asher . [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. For example, II Chron. 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. Book of Mormon, Study Guides Thus, we shall proclaim the following revised celebratory benediction: Praised are You, Lord our God, and the God of our ancestors. Love for their sons, knowing that they were giving them the best position, name, and quality of life possible in their situation. Humane Imagination, What Does the Bible Say about Anxiety? For Rashi's commentary on this, with English translation, see Rashi's notes on 30:10: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Zilpah&oldid=1112462359, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 26 September 2022, at 12:45. Laban pursues them and overtakes them ten days later (Gen 31:23). They are called nashim without any qualifier functionan identification never given to Hagar. If Rachel had not been barren, she would have most likely had the most children. 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). Zilpah is first introduced in the Bible in Genesis 29:24. What is the meaning of AD, BC, BCE and CE? While Leah, Rachel's older sister, had given birth to four sons. Though Jacob could never take any other wives apart from Leah and Rachel according to the pact with Laban, Zilpah and Bilhahs status seems to be elevated after Rachels death. Genesis chapters 29-30 and 35 detail the births of Jacob's many children. 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. New Living Translation These were the sons of Bilhah, the servant given to Rachel by her father, Laban. When do you use in the accusative case. Bilhah fulfills the procreative, wifely role for barren Rachel and acts as her proxy seed bearer. The only other brothers who are not singled out with specific actions in the narrative are Leahs two sons Issachar and Zebulun.10. 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. Where does the version of Hamapil that is different from the Gemara come from? Turns out that he was also shtupping Bilhah at best, his stepmother, at worst, his stepmother AND aunt. They were however mothers of 4 other tribes of Israel. It must have been hard, really hard. When do you use in the accusative case? This is beautifuland thoughtful writing, Josie. Interestingly, the mother is not directly named in any of the sons blessings. What should I follow, if two altimeters show different altitudes? Episode 91: Israel at 75: Voices of Protest. These two handmaidens, Bilhah and Zilpah, made great sacrifices. It makes me wonder what sort of relationship Rachel and Leah had with them. Only the tribe of Judah are Jews. Thankfully, Rachel had a solution. Why are players required to record the moves in World Championship Classical games? New York: 2000. After Bilhah bore Rachel two sons Leah found that even though she already had four sons she was no longer able to have children. Probably all three maid-slaves desired to have children, as women were primarily valued for their reproductive capacities in the culture. and Alib . 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. The point is that these women acted prudently in each given situation with the best interests of their children in mind. Most havent. I am looking to do research on the women Bilhah and Zilpah. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? 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. I recently taught this to my seminary students. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Identify blue/translucent jelly-like animal on beach. Jacob favored Rachel, his other wife, and even loved her maidservant Bilhah more than Zilpah. This effort is what has been missing from the feminist movement. Jewish Women's Archive. While the forefathers were very cautious in choosing their spouses from Avraham's family, the Torah says nothing about Bilhah and Zilpah's ancestry. The manufacture of artifacts from iron was noted. Who was Zilpah in the Bible? Zilpah and Bilhahs relationship to their mistress changes when first Rachel and then Leah experience barrenness. 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. At the end of the narrative (Gen 49), the children of Zilpah and Bilhah received blessings from their father Jacob at his death, along with Jacobs other sons by Leah and Rachel. 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. 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. This may have been what Rachel meant when she said that Bilhah "shall bear upon my knees.". 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. The first son Rachel named Dan saying, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a 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. 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 agree too that these women had an understanding in the bigger picture and what was important, Your email address will not be published. sign up now For me, this was a revelation. Not to worry! Zilpah and Bilhah were always cooperative with their mistresses, unlike Hagar. 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. Could it be that Zilpah and Bilhah not only gained the status of full wife, but also of full mother? Artist unknown. Boolean algebra of the lattice of subspaces of a vector space? 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. Read more from The Biblical Mind. ', referring to the nuclear power plant in Ignalina, mean? The wife of Moses came from the Sudan area of Africa, yet still dont know here color. So then it was Zilpah's turn to shtup Jacob, and pop out two more boys (we are now at eight, still none from Rachel). Now, I try to keep Bilhah and Zilpah in mind in my daily life. After Leah has birthed four sons to Jacob, her competitive sister Rachel decides to give Bilhah, her shiphchah, to Jacob as an ishah, meaning complicatedly woman or wife (Gen 30:4). And freakier. They were named Dan and Naphtali and raised by Rachel. According to some sources, Bilhah and Zilpah were half-sisters of Leah and Rachel. Bilhah was first introduced in the Bible in Genesis 29:29. Zilpah and Bilhahs status was at many times unclear and was one of transition as the narrative unfolded, adding to the complexities. Genesis 35:22 expressly calls Bilhah Jacob's concubine, a pilegesh. rev2023.5.1.43405. The second son Bilhah bore she named Naphtali and said, "With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed.". Bronze to Iron Age During this period making items of bronze seemed to be migrating into the Iron Age. Forefathers and consumerism - why they had more that they can eat? When faced with what he thinks might be a tense confrontation with his brother, Esau, Jacob places the two maids and their children at the front of his household, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph bringing up the (protected) rear (Gen 33:13; compare 32:2223). Rachel Giving Bilhah to Jacob from The Story of Jacob series, 1550-75, Netherlandish, Brussels. Its my job, as a woman and as a feminist, to continue to integrate feminism into Judaism. Take the Challenge It was not until after Rachels and probably Leahs deaths that they were likely able to transition from their functional maid-slave roles as proxy-wives and surrogate-mothers into a new status as the full wives of Jacob and full mothers of their children. 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? Jacob had worked for seven years as part of an agreement to earn Rachels hand in marriage from her father, Laban. 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. 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. Reflecting on this, I now recognize that it was Jewish feminists who have made Judaism more equal for me. Walking with the Women Books What positional accuracy (ie, arc seconds) is necessary to view Saturn, Uranus, beyond? The plan succeeds, so that when Bilhahs son is born, Rachel names him, an act expressing her maternal authority. 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). In their historical and cultural context, the mistress had full procreative rights over the maid-slave, including control of access and consent regarding her sexual behavior.3Jacobs, Gender, Power and Persuasion, 159160, 168. They are simply Zilpah and Bilhah. For thousands of years, these three well-known names have been referenced in histories, liturgies, prayer books, and scholarly articles alike. Neither response is more praiseworthy. Say, the one of Jacob and his wives. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. 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. Phone Toll Free: 877-966-7300 or 816-584-3077, [This article continues after a message from the authors], These Articles are Written by the Publishers of, Amazing Bible Timeline with World History 2023. This was a normal thing for concubines. Bilah is cited a few verses later in verse 25 of the same genealogy. Old Testament Bilhah is given by Laban to Rachel as a gift when she marries Jacob. Zilpah bore Leah two sons. Learn facts that you cant learn just from reading the Bible 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. The only other brothers who are not singled out with specific actions in the narrative are Leahs two sons Issachar and Zebulun. 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. (Source) This adoption ceremony was often conducted by placing the son or daughter on the knees of the mistress and declaring it her child. King James Version of the Bible. I had never heard of them either only Hagar. 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. In light of their wifely and motherly contributions to creating the Israelite family of Jacob, regardless of their actual status in the narratives, their status as Matriarchs should be upheld and celebrated. Rachel and Leah named Bilhah's and Zilpah's boys. 1. Probably the greatest sacrifice that any mother could ever make. Probably the greatest sacrifice that any mother could ever make. When Rachel failed to have children, Rachel gave Bilhah to Jacob like a wife to bear him children. Alternatively she may have just been referring to the way in which ancient women commonly gave birth. For 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. 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. Why are Mordechai and Esther buried in Hamedan, considering it is distant from Shushan? Passing negative parameters to a wolframscript, Two MacBook Pro with same model number (A1286) but different year. Love for their sons, knowing that they were giving them the best position, name, and quality of life possible in their situation. [3] Genesis 35:22 expressly calls Bilhah Jacob's concubine, a pilegesh. What does 'They're at four. As time has passed, Ive learned about other people whove successfully integrated feminism into their Judaism, the way I want to. And Jacobs anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in Gods stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? Gender was never an issue. Particularly moving to hear from a young woman. He was taken into captivity but redeemed by Laban, Rachel . "Claiming Bilhah and Zilpah." What Are The Names of the Thieves Crucified With Christ? With Bilhah and Zilpah, it wasn't a forced issue, it was more of a 'that's what they did in those days' issue.
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