…and Their Four Moms In Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, a reoccurring theme is Jacob’s twelve sons. What is not apparent in Dreamcoat is that many of the sons were half brothers; Jacob was indeed the father of all, but there were four different moms. Here is how this convoluted family tree happened: Jacob fell […]
Leah, having four sons of her own and a fifth through her maidservant, Zilpah, isn’t satisfied by claiming five sons to her sister’s two (both through Rachel’s maidservant, Bilhah). Leah again gives Zilpah to Jacob to sleep with. Zilpah conceives and gives birth to her second son. Leah says his birth makes her happy. This […]
After Naphtali is born, Rachel proclaims that his birth gives her victory over her sister, Leah. Leah, however, doesn’t accept this without a fight. She stoops to her sister’s tactics and has Jacob sleep with her handmaid, Zilpah. As a result of this ill-advised union, Gad enters the world. He is Jacob’s seventh son and […]
As we covered in the previous chapter, Bilhah and Zilpah are wedding gifts to Laban’s daughters Rachel and Leah. When childless Rachel, frustrated over Leah’s fruitfulness, gives her servant Bilhah to Jacob to produce children, Leah responds by doing the same thing, offering her servant, Zilpah, to sleep with Jacob. Just like Bilhah, Zilpah gets […]
Bilhah and Zilpah aren’t familiar names in the Bible, yet their contribution to the nation of Israel is significant. When Laban’s two daughters marry Jacob, their father gives them each a wedding gift: a servant. To his daughter Leah, he gives his servant Zilpah, while to his daughter Rachel, he gives Bilhah. These two servants […]
Zilpah and Bilhah aren’t familiar women in the Bible, yet their contribution to the nation of Israel is significant. When Laban’s two daughters marry Jacob, Dad gives them each a wedding gift: a servant. To his daughter Leah, he gives his servant Zilpah, while to his daughter Rachel, he gives Bilhah. These servants should be […]
So, we know that Jacob’s twelve sons had four mothers: Leah was the spurned wife; Rachel was the favorite wife; Bilhah was Rachel’s maid and Zilpah was Leah’s maid. Here is their birth order and how it all breaks down: 1. Reuben, his mom was Leah2. Simeon, his mom was Leah3. Levi, his mom was Leah4. Judah, […]