Bilhah was a servant girl who became one of the wives of the patriarch Jacob in the Old Testament. Though not mentioned often, Bilhah played an important role in the establishment of the nation of Israel through her sons with Jacob. Here is an overview of Bilhah’s story and significance in the Bible.
Bilhah’s background
The Bible first introduces Bilhah in Genesis 29, where she is described as Rachel’s maidservant. Rachel was one of the daughters of Laban and became one of Jacob’s wives (Genesis 29:16-30). As Rachel’s servant, Bilhah likely helped her with daily household tasks and labor.
In the Ancient Near East culture, it was common for a wife who could not bear children to give her servant to her husband as a surrogate mother. This allowed the wife to gain status and acceptance through the children born by her maidservant. Though controversial today, this custom provided social security for women in patriarchal societies of that time.
Bilhah becomes Jacob’s wife
After marrying both Leah and Rachel but still not having any children, Rachel became jealous that Leah was able to bear children for Jacob (Genesis 30:1-2). Following the custom of the day, Rachel offers Jacob her servant Bilhah as another wife so that Rachel could have children through her.
Jacob slept with Bilhah, who bore him two sons – Dan and Naphtali (Genesis 30:3-8). These two sons were considered Rachel’s children, which finally allowed her to gain status as a childbearing woman. This resolved the rivalry between Rachel and Leah.
The names of Bilhah’s sons
The names of the sons born to Bilhah as Jacob’s surrogate wife are significant. Rachel named the first son Dan, saying “God has vindicated me” (Genesis 30:6). The second son Rachel named Naphtali, saying “I have struggled mightily with my sister, and I have indeed won” (Genesis 30:8).
These names illustrate Rachel’s competitive attitude with her sister Leah. The sons borne through Bilhah allowed Rachel to finally feel vindicated and victorius in her rivalry with Leah. This reveals the value placed on childbearing and status in this ancient culture.
Later events involving Bilhah
Beyond the births of Dan and Naphtali, the Bible contains only a few other brief references to Bilhah. When Jacob fled from Laban back to Canaan, Bilhah traveled with him as part of his household (Genesis 31:4, 33:1-7).
Before his death, Jacob blessed Bilhah’s sons Dan and Naphtali alongside his other sons (Genesis 49:1-28). This indicates Bilhah’s status as the mother of two of the twelve tribes of Israel.
The final mention of Bilhah is just after Jacob’s death in Egypt. Joseph received permission to bury his father in Canaan, and the account lists Bilhah as part of the funeral procession (Genesis 50:5-13). After this, the Bible contains no further information about Bilhah’s life.
The significance of Bilhah
Though largely in the background, Bilhah was the mother of two of the twelve patriarchs who founded the tribes of Israel. Her role as a surrogate mother allowed Rachel to finally bear children vicariously through her.
Bilhah’s story illustrates the desperate lengths women would go to gain status and acceptance in a patriarchal culture. The custom of surrogate wifehood achieved social stability but at the expense of the servant women.
While controversial by today’s standards, Bilhah’s situation was normal in her historical context. Her role reminds us of the vulnerability of women throughout history. Overall, Bilhah played a small but vital part in God’s covenant plan to build the nation of Israel.
Bilhah in the tribes of Israel
As mentioned above, the two sons Bilhah bore for Jacob became leaders of their own tribes in Israel. Let’s take a brief look at the history of Bilhah’s tribal offspring:
The tribe of Dan
Dan was Bilhah’s first son, born after Rachel said “God has vindicated me” (Genesis 30:6). The tribe of Dan originated from Dan’s descendants.
The Danites were unable to conquer their original tribal territory near the Philistines, so they migrated north and conquered the city of Laish, renaming it Dan (Judges 18). This city became the northernmost part of Israel.
Interestingly, when the kingdom divided, Dan was one of the few northern tribes not to be condemned by the prophets. However, Dan also became a center for idolatry in Israel (1 Kings 12:28-30).
The tribe of Naphtali
Naphtali was the second son Bilhah bore for Jacob. The tribe of Naphtali emerged from Naphtali’s family line.
Unlike Dan in the far north, the tribe of Naphtali’s allotted land was in the central Galilee region. They did not play a prominent role in Israel’s history as recorded in Scripture.
During Jesus’ ministry centuries later, much of his preaching and miracles took place in the region once occupied by Naphtali (Matthew 4:13-16). Christianity found many early adherents in this area.
Lessons from Bilhah’s life
Though not mentioned often, Bilhah’s life as a surrogate mother provides some important lessons and reflections:
- God cares for overlooked and lowly people like Bilhah.
- God is sovereign, even working through broken systems like surrogate marriage to accomplish his purposes.
- All believers have a role to play in God’s unfolding plan, no matter how small it seems.
- Women in ancient societies were vulnerable and faced limited options for security.
- The custom of surrogate wifehood objectified women as means to an end.
- Rachel’s competitive attitude shows that status meant everything for women of that culture.
- Jesus’ later ministry in Naphtali’s region shows God keeps his promises over time.
Though she had no power or status, Bilhah surrendered to her situation and bore the sons God intended her to bear. Her plight as a lowly servant reminds us that every human life carries inherent dignity and value to God.
Bilhah in biblical prophecy
Beyond her mention in Genesis, Bilhah is referenced symbolically in a few Old Testament prophecies. These allusions shed a little more light on her role and reputation in Israelite society.
Micah 1:7
The prophet Micah, warning Jerusalem of impending judgment, declares:
All her carved images shall be beaten to pieces, all her wages shall be burned with fire, and all her idols I will lay waste, for from the fee of a prostitute she gathered them, and to the fee of a prostitute they shall return. (Micah 1:7)
Here as an apparent insult, the earnings of prostitution are associated with the idols and wealth of Samaria and Jerusalem. Some scholars believe this analogy references Bilhah’s status as a surrogate wife, seen as synonymous with a prostitute by Micah’s day.
Ezekiel 23:4
In his allegory of Israel and Judah as two wayward sisters, Ezekiel declares:
Oholah was the name of the elder and Oholibah the name of her sister. They became mine, and they bore sons and daughters. As for their names, Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem. (Ezekiel 23:4)
In this prophecy, Oholah (Samaria) represents the northern kingdom of Israel while Oholibah (Jerusalem) symbolizes the southern kingdom of Judah. Some scholars propose Oholah and Oholibah are wordplays on Bilhah’s name, comparing Israel and Judah’s apostasy to the questionable ethics of surrogate wifehood.
Implications
Though conjectural, these symbolic references potentially signal that Bilhah’s name had become synonymous with prostitution or sexual impropriety in Israel. For a prophet seeking a strong polemic, associating Bilhah with these condemned practices would powerfully communicate moral depravity.
These prophecies provide insight into how surrogate wifehood was likely viewed several centuries after the custom first originated with Bilhah and Rachel. The cultural perception of this practice had apparently shifted over time.
Bilhah’s legacy
In summary, Bilhah occupies only a small supporting role in the biblical narrative. Yet her place as a surrogate wife to Jacob bore great significance:
- Bilhah’s sons Dan and Naphtali became leaders of two of the twelve tribes of Israel.
- Her story provides a window into the plight of women in ancient Near East cultures.
- Later biblical prophecy possibly uses her as a symbol for sexual immorality.
- Her example reminds us that God cares for outcasts and overlooked people.
For a woman afforded no power or status in society, Bilhah surrendered to her circumstances and found purpose in allowing God to work through her. She highlights that God can use any willing person or situation to advance his sovereign plans. Despite her low station in life, Bilhah left an indelible mark on the history of God’s people.
Bilhah’s life reminds us that every person has inherent dignity before God, no matter their status or reputation. Though largely forgotten, Bilhah played a small but vital role in God’s divine plan to shape the nation of Israel and ultimately send the Messiah into the world.