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.
• New International Version (NIV)So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife. Jacob slept with 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.

Context of Genesis 30:4

2But Jacob became furious with Rachel and said, “Am I, instead of God, the one who withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” 3So she said, “Here’s my maid-servant Bilhah. Go to her and let her give birth on my knees, so that from her I may also build a family.” Then she gave her maid-servant Bilhah to him for a wife, and Jacob went to her. 5Bilhah became pregnant and gave birth to a son for Jacob. 6So Rachel said, “God has judged my cause and also heard my voice—and given me a son.” Therefore 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 Sarai, Abram’s wife, took her slave-girl Hagar the Egyptian—after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan—and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife.
• Genesis 21:10So she said to Abraham, “Drive out this female slave and her son, for the son of this female slave will not be an heir with my son—with Isaac.”
• Genesis 22:24His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash and Maacah.
• Genesis 25:1Now Abraham took another wife—her name was Keturah.
• Genesis 33:2He put the female servants and their children first, then Leah and her children behind them, then Rachel and Joseph behind them.
• Genesis 35:22While Israel was living in that land, Reuben went and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it. Now Jacob had twelve sons.
• 2 Samuel 12:11“Thus says Adonai: Behold, I am going to raise up evil against you from your own household, and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.

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