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

In later texts, Bilhah is remembered as one of the ancestresses of the Israelites. Learn facts that you cant learn just from reading the Bible 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. Can you direct me to anything about their lineage? How did Zilpah and Bilhahs attitude and possible wifely status affect their childrens status? The wonders of ancient polygamy! Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. Help us elevate the voices of Jewish women. Their names are Bilhah and Zilpah, the servants - probably slaves - of the two sisters Rachel and Leah, the wives of Jacob. Leah named the first son Gad and declared. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. How many children did Laban have? Jacob wanted the super-hot Rachel to have a kid. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Bible Charts and Maps, PO Box 171053, Austin, TX 78717 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. Who were there parents.? 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. It's not them. It only takes a minute to sign up. ( , ): , , ( , ): , ., "And Lavan spoke up and said to Ya'akov, 'The girls are my daughters, and the boys my sons.'" With that I think we can say Zilpah and Bilah are matriarchs. The morning after the wedding, Laban explained to Jacob, "This is not done in our place, to give the younger before the older" (Genesis 29:26). I have no idea of the provenance of this tradition. 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. This being the case, it is likely the sons of Jacob from Bilhah and Zilpah were darker than the rest of their brothers. 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? Bilhah and Zilpah were the handmaidens (servants) of the patriarch Jacobs wives, Leah and Rachel. Jacob must have been super happy! Bilhah and Zilpah are considered lower-status individuals. The only reason Leah had more children was because she was fertile, while Rachel was barren. Most havent. I had always thought of Jewish spaces as empowering ones; most of the people who bolstered my Jewish education were women, including my rabbi. And for whatever reason, she just could not conceive. 8 Zilpah means "to flow" ( lezalef ). Their children did not become jews. Thank you for sharing it with us. 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. It only takes a minute to sign up. How is the difference to be accounted for? Is there an obligation to be buried in Jewish Cemetary? why not correct the list to include the two maid-slave mothers? According to Rashi, an 11th-century commentator, Zilpah was younger than Bilhah, and Laban's decision to give her to Leah was part of the deception he used to trick Jacob into marrying Leah, who was older than Rachel. Bilhahs own status in the household is somewhat ambiguous. Zilpah bore two sons to Jacob, which would have been Gad and Asher. They are never presented as subjects with a voice, agency, or power. Jacob favored Rachel, his other wife, and even loved her maidservant Bilhah more than Zilpah. What about Rachel, the hapless, unfortunate, super-hot Rachel?! Some pictures, and directions, are here. 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). We can read the little that we know about them in Genesis 30. Her academic work focuses on the ancient Near Eastern environment, Hebrew Bible, and the philosophy of religion. What was her birthright, to marry first,receive her dowery and be fruitful and multiply. 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). For this reason, some modern Jewish feminists have reclaimed Bilhah and Zilpah as matriarchs. . Bilhah means "to become alarmed" ( lehibahel ). What is significant about the names Rachel and Leah give their sons? They were named Dan and Naphtali and raised by Rachel. This piece was written as part of JWAs Rising Voices Fellowship. Genesis 29:31 When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. Could a subterranean river or aquifer generate enough continuous momentum to power a waterwheel for the purpose of producing electricity? "[11], Some rabbinical commentators interpreted the story differently, saying that Reuben's disruption of Bilhah's and Jacob's beds was not through sex with Bilhah. They are simply Zilpah and Bilhah. Instead, Bilhah is gaining a new, elevated role, much as Hagar did with barren Sarah (Gen 16:3). The number of Jacob's descendants through Bilhah was seven. Coming to this realization was inspiring, but it also reminded me of the upsetting reality of the patriarchal nature of Judaism. Reflecting on this, I now recognize that it was Jewish feminists who have made Judaism more equal for me. Lines and paragraphs break automatically. New York: 2000. Some of these are easier to swallow than others. 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). Probably the greatest sacrifice that any mother could ever make. I am looking to do research on the women Bilhah and Zilpah. [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. Enjoying this article? You can read about Jacob, also known as Israel, blessing Gad and Asher as tribes of Israel in Genesis 49:19-20. Who is Bilhah? So following the example of her sister Leah gave her maid, Zilpah, to Jacob as a wife so that she could have more children. The Israelites were divided into 12 tribes named after Jacob's sons and two sons of Joseph Manasseh and Ephraim. I don't think we know. We could defy the patriarchal constraints of the Torah, and highlight significant women regardless of their status. Jacob hears about what Reuben did and does nothing at the time. 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). Connect to the World Family Tree to find out, Oil on canvas by Jan Victors (1619 1679) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Victors_Esau_and_the_mess_of_pottage.jpg. She gives Jacob two more, and then a girl to boot! The first son Rachel named Dan saying, "God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son." Each takes ownership of the maid-slave, much like Sarah owned Hagar (Gen 16:1) and Rebekah owned her nurse Deborah (Gen 24:61). I have no idea of the provenance of this tradition. It makes me wonder what sort of relationship Rachel and Leah had with them. 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. [3] Web page addresses and email addresses turn into links automatically. sign up now For me, this was a revelation. 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. Simple deform modifier is deforming my object. Also, the scriptural text seems to indicate that the sons Bilhah bore were considered to be Rachel's and that she would have raised them as her own. Jacob had worked for seven years as part of an agreement to earn Rachels hand in marriage from her father, Laban. To me, they are emblematic of all the women who have been left out of and left behind by history. When Bilhah conceives two sons, Leah takes up the same idea and presents Zilpah to Jacob so she can have children through her. 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). And that is the mindset at the core of any matriarch. This effort is what has been missing from the feminist movement. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. This suggests that at this time, Jacob only had Labans two daughters as his legal, covenantal wives. There is no mention of their status as wives or maid-slaves at all. 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. RGG, I'll agree that this is a super interesting story. 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. 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. Canadian of Polish descent travel to Poland with Canadian passport. The wife of Moses came from the Sudan area of Africa, yet still dont know here color. Yet they did it out of lovelove for Rachel and Leah, knowing that they could given them something they could not get themselves. While Leah, Rachel's older sister, had given birth to four sons. And it gets weirder. 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. See Schneiders Mothers of Promise: Women in the Book of Genesis (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008), 103105.3. (Viewed on May 1, 2023) . While Zilpah is a considered a minor Bible character, she was a vessel used to usher in two of the tribes of Israel. 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. Leah gives birth to four sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. Either way it is almost certain that Rachel would have been with Bilhah during the births of her two sons. Not exactly. And then, for good measure, she finishes out the brood with Benjamin (those must have been some powerful mandrakes). Military and political security, agricultural and mineral wealth, and religion all flourished during this period. Zilpah also figures in the competition between Jacob's wives to bear him sons. Your email address will not be published. Called Balah in Joshua 19:3, the town was allotted to the tribe of Simeon. 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. When Rachel was barren for many years and became overwhelmed with jealousy of her sister Leah, Jacobs first wife that had already bore four sons, she gave her servant Bilhah to Jacob to become her surrogate mother. They were considered concubines, or secondary wives of Jacob. s stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? 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. Episode 91: Israel at 75: Voices of Protest. What did it take for Bilhah and Zilpah to share their children with two other women? 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. Any children born of the union were considered to be legally the children of the mistress wife. 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. Asked By : David Miller. 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. 24:16 says that Yehoyada Kohen Gadol was buried in Jerusalem, but there's a grave in Tzfas shown as his (and I believe it was identified as such by the Arizal). When Rachel failed to have children, Rachel gave Bilhah to Jacob like a wife to bear him children. The blessings of Dan and Naphtali as tribes of Israel can be found in Genesis 49:16-17, and 21. Either way it is almost certain that Rachel would have been with Bilhah during the births of her two sons. What nation/family there were from and why the Torah does not see the importance of telling us about that? Tammi J. Schneider notes that a, This is my own translation of the Hebrew text found in the. These two handmaidens, Bilhah and Zilpah, made great sacrifices. I have to say that when I hear of the positive results of agreements between women, for one to bear anothers child and then give that child to her,with love,I can see the love of our Heavenly Father. Zilpah bore Leah two sons. This lack of any qualifier title leaves the question of their status open ended. The apocryphal Testament of Naftali says that Bilhah and Zilpah's father was named Rotheus. What did it take for them to share their husband with two other women? Zilpah gave birth to two sons, whom Leah claimed as her own and named Gad and Asher (Genesis 30:1013). I found this article concerning surrocacy with a mother and daughter: "A mother's love takes many forms. Yet they did it and through them came the 12 tribes of Israel the covenant family of the whole earth. 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? 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. Just you wait. While this parallel relationship gives insight into the newly-gained procreative roles of Zilpah and Bilhah, it also highlights Zilpah and Bilhahs worth. 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). "[10] As a result of this adultery, he lost the respect of his father, who said: "Unstable as water, you shall excel no longer; For when you mounted your fathers bed, You brought disgracemy couch he mounted! Boolean algebra of the lattice of subspaces of a vector space? And this is why the children are mentioned sans mothers, because the difference in status was no more for any involved, mothers or children. I guess I always felt bad for Bilhah and Zilpah because it didn't really seem like they had any say in the matter. Jewish Women's Archive. The Middle Kingdom of Egypt reestablished prosperity and stability. ), So, eight boys in, it's Leah's turn again! Of the sixty-six descendants of Jacob who journeyed to Egypt, twenty-three are accorded to Zilpah and Bilhah (Gen 46)that is more than one-third of the total. 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. With Bilhah and Zilpah, it wasn't a forced issue, it was more of a 'that's what they did in those days' issue. 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. I really do like the way you've likened it to modern day adoption . Zilpah and Bilhahs deaths are never mentioned. Meyers, Carol, General Editor. 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. Is there such a thing as "right to be heard" by the authorities? 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. Avigayil is certainly possible as King David could have had her buried in Tiberias (though why I don't know). Probably the greatest sacrifice that any mother could ever make. Why are Mordechai and Esther buried in Hamedan, considering it is distant from Shushan? She carried full term and gave birth via Cesarean section to Finnean, her first grandchild, .". Zilpah is first introduced in the Bible in Genesis 29:24. 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. The manufacture of artifacts from iron was noted.