Bilhah: Difference between revisions
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The Testament of Naftali, part of the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], says that Bilhah and [[Zilpah]]'s father was named Ahiyot ( lit. "sisters" ). He was taken into captivity and freed by [[Laban (Bible)|Laban]], [[Rachel]] and [[Leah]]'s father, and he gave Ahiyot a wife named Hannah, who was their mother. Talmudic sources (Midrash Raba, Genesis 74{{Citation needed|date=October 2010}}:13 <!-- WHERE in Genesis part №74 ??? --> and elsewhere), on the other hand, state that Bilhah and [[Zilpah]] were also [[Laban (Bible)|Laban]]'s daughters, through his concubines, making them half-sisters to [[Rachel]] and [[Leah]]. |
The Testament of Naftali, part of the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], says that Bilhah and [[Zilpah]]'s father was named Ahiyot ( lit. "sisters" ). He was taken into captivity and freed by [[Laban (Bible)|Laban]], [[Rachel]] and [[Leah]]'s father, and he gave Ahiyot a wife named Hannah, who was their mother. Talmudic sources (Midrash Raba, Genesis 74{{Citation needed|date=October 2010}}:13 <!-- WHERE in Genesis part №74 ??? --> and elsewhere), on the other hand, state that Bilhah and [[Zilpah]] were also [[Laban (Bible)|Laban]]'s daughters, through his concubines, making them half-sisters to [[Rachel]] and [[Leah]]. |
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| ⚫ | Genesis 35:22 says "And it was during the stay of Israel in that land, and Reuben went and lay with Bilha, his father's concubine, and Israel heard..."<ref> Genesis 35:22, this is from [http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Bible_%28Free%29/Genesis Wikisource translation], but King James and all other translations are essentially identical.</ref> As a result of this adultery, he lost the respect of his father, as Genesis 49:4 says: "Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel,for you went up onto your father’s bed,onto my couch and defiled it." |
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However, [[Rashi]], an 11th century commentator, interprets the story differently. He suggests that, as long as Rachel was alive, Jacob kept his bed in her tent and visited the other wives in theirs. 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 (Bible)|Reuben]], eldest son of [[Leah]], 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. This invasion of Jacob's privacy was viewed so gravely that the Bible equates it with adultery, and lost [[Reuben (Bible)|Reuben]] his first-born right to a double inheritance.<ref>Gen. 35:22, 49:3,4; [[Deuteronomy]]. 21:17</ref> |
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Rashi's story serves to explain Reuben's fall from grace, and it should be read alongside Genesis 35:22 |
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| ⚫ | "And it was during the stay of Israel in that land, and Reuben went and lay with Bilha, his father's concubine, and Israel heard..."<ref> Genesis 35:22, this is from [http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Bible_%28Free%29/Genesis Wikisource translation], but King James and all other translations are essentially identical.</ref> |
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Bilhah is said to be buried in the [[Tomb of the Matriarchs]] in [[Tiberias]]. |
Bilhah is said to be buried in the [[Tomb of the Matriarchs]] in [[Tiberias]]. |
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Revision as of 17:28, 6 May 2011
In the Book of Genesis, Bilhah (בִּלְהָה "Faltering; bashful", Standard Hebrew Bilha, Tiberian Hebrew Bilhāh) is Rachel's handmaid who becomes a wife of Jacob and bears him two sons, Dan and Naphtali.[1]
The Testament of Naftali, part of the Dead Sea Scrolls, says that Bilhah and Zilpah's father was named Ahiyot ( lit. "sisters" ). He was taken into captivity and freed by Laban, Rachel and Leah's father, and he gave Ahiyot a wife named Hannah, who was their mother. Talmudic sources (Midrash Raba, Genesis 74[citation needed]:13 and elsewhere), on the other hand, state that Bilhah and Zilpah were also Laban's daughters, through his concubines, making them half-sisters to Rachel and Leah.
Genesis 35:22 says "And it was during the stay of Israel in that land, and Reuben went and lay with Bilha, his father's concubine, and Israel heard..."[2] As a result of this adultery, he lost the respect of his father, as Genesis 49:4 says: "Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel,for you went up onto your father’s bed,onto my couch and defiled it."
However, Rashi, an 11th century commentator, interprets the story differently. He suggests that, as long as Rachel was alive, Jacob kept his bed in her tent and visited the other wives in theirs. 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, eldest son of Leah, 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. 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.[3]
Bilhah is said to be buried in the Tomb of the Matriarchs in Tiberias.
Popular culture
The idea of handmaidens is expanded on in The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. 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.
References
- ^ Gen. 30:3-5, 35:25
- ^ Genesis 35:22, this is from Wikisource translation, but King James and all other translations are essentially identical.
- ^ Gen. 35:22, 49:3,4; Deuteronomy. 21:17