Bible Dictionary · B
Bilhah
Faltering; bashful, Rachel’s handmaid, whom she gave to Jacob (Gen 29:29). She was the mother of Dan and Naphtali (Gen 30:3–8). Reuben was cursed by his father for committing adultry with her (Gen 35:22; Gen 49:4). He was deprived of the birth-right, which was given to the sons of Joseph.
Named in the Bible
11 verses
- Genesis 29:29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.
- Genesis 30:3 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.
- Genesis 30:4 And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her.
- Genesis 30:5 And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son.
- Genesis 30:7 And Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son.
- Genesis 35:22 And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:
- Genesis 35:25 And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali:
- Genesis 37:2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.
- Genesis 46:25 These are the sons of Bilhah, which Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and she bare these unto Jacob: all the souls were seven.
- 1 Chronicles 4:29 And at Bilhah, and at Ezem, and at Tolad,
- 1 Chronicles 7:13 The sons of Naphtali; Jahziel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shallum, the sons of Bilhah.
From Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897), by Matthew George Easton.
