Genesis 30:4

Genesis 30:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then she gave him Bilhah her maid as wife, and Jacob went in to her.
• New Living Translation (NLT)So Rachel gave her servant, Bilhah, to Jacob as a wife, and he slept with her.

Context of Genesis 30:4

2Jacob became angry with her and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?” 3Then she said, “Here is Bilhah, my servant. Sleep with her so that she can bear children for me and I too can build a family through her.” So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife. Jacob slept with her, 5and she became pregnant and bore him a son. 6Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me; he has listened to my plea and given me a son.” Because of this she named him Dan.

Genesis 30:4 word by word

וַתִּתֶּן־ל֛וֹ אֶת־בִּלְהָ֥ה שִׁפְחָתָ֖הּ לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַיָּבֹ֥א אֵלֶ֖יהָ יַעֲקֹֽב׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And she gaveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• him Bilhahבִּלְהָהbilhâh · BilhahH1090
• her handmaidשִׁפְחָהshiphchâh · maidservantH8198
• to wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
• and Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
• went inבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935

Cross-references for Genesis 30:4

• Genesis 16:3So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife.
• Genesis 21:10and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.”
• Genesis 22:24His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also had sons: Tebah, Gaham, Tahash and Maakah.
• Genesis 25:1Abraham had taken another wife, whose name was Keturah.
• Genesis 33:2He put the female servants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear.
• Genesis 35:22While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard of it. Jacob had twelve sons:
• 2 Samuel 12:11“This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight.

Commentaries on Genesis 30:4

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-43Verses 1-43 - Jacob‘s Family and Wealth 6. דן dān Dan, “judge, lord.” 8. נפתלי naptālı̂y Naphtali, “wrestling.” 11. גד gād Gad, “overcoming, victory.” בגד bāgād “in victory or” =גד בא bā' gād “victory cometh.” גוּד gûd “press down.” גדוּד gedûd “troop.” 13. אשׁר 'ǎashēr Asher, “prosperity, happiness.” 18. ישׂשכר yı̂śāskār Jissakar, “reward.” The second Hebrew letter (ש s ) seems to have been merely a full mode of writing the word, instead of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4Rachel decided to have children through her servant, and Jacob agreed. This is similar to Sarai using Hagar (16:1–4).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-93-9. Bilhah ... Zilpah--Following the example of Sarah with regard to Hagar, an example which is not seldom imitated still, she adopted the children of her maid. Leah took the same course. A bitter and intense rivalry existed between them, all the more from their close relationship as sisters; and although they occupied separate apartments, with their families, as is the uniform custom where a plurality of wives obtains, and the husband and father spends…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 30:4

• Bilhah
• Concubinage
• Emulation
• Family
• Jacob
• Polygamy
• Rachel

In the dictionaries

• Bilhah
• Jacob
• Jacob, Israel
• Add
• Agate
• Barren
• Coming
• Concubine
• Happy
• Reproach

Commentaries on Genesis 30

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings