Genesis 30 · Verse 3

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 30:3, King James Version

Genesis 30:3 in other translations

BSBThen she said, “Here is my maidservant Bilhah. Sleep with her, that she may bear children for me, so that through her I too can build a family.”
WEBShe said, “Behold, my maid Bilhah. Go in to her, that she may bear on my knees, and I also may obtain children by her.”
ASVAnd she said, Behold, my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; that she may bear upon my knees, and I also may obtain children by her.
YLTAnd she saith, ‘Lo, my handmaid Bilhah, go in unto her, and she doth bear on my knees, and I am built up, even I, from her;'
DARBYAnd she said, Behold, there is my maid, Bilhah: go in to her, in order that she may bear on my knees, and I may also be built up by her.
BBEThen she said, Here is my servant Bilhah, go in to her, so that she may have a child on my knees, and I may have a family by her.
WebsterAnd she said, Behold, my maid Bilhah, go in to her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.

What does Genesis 30:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 30:3-9
3-9. 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 a day with each in regular succession, that did not allay their mutual jealousies. The evil lies in the system, which being a violation of God's original ordinance, cannot yield happiness.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 She shall bear upon my knees - The handmaid was the sole property of the mistress, as has already been remarked in the case of Hagar; and therefore not only all her labor, but even the children borne by her, were the property of the mistress. These female slaves, therefore, bore children vicariously for their mistresses; and this appears to be the import of the term, she shall bear upon my knees. That I may also have children by her - ואבנה ממנה veibbaneh mimmennah, and I shall be built up by her. Hence בן ben, a son or child, from בנה banah, to build; because, as a house is formed of the stones, etc., that enter into its composition, so is a family by children.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 30:1-13

Rachel envied her sister: envy is grieving at the good of another, than which no sin is more hateful to God, or more hurtful to our neighbours and ourselves. She considered not that God made the difference, and that in other things she had the advantage. Let us carefully watch against all the risings and workings of this passion in our minds. Let not our eye be evil towards any of our fellow-servants, because our…

Read the full comment on Genesis 30:1-13 →

Genesis 30:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַתֹּ֕אמֶרva.To.merand she saidH559
הִנֵּ֛הhi.Nehhere!H2009
אֲמָתִ֥י'a.ma.Timaidservant myH519
בִלְהָ֖הvil.HahBilhahH1090
בֹּ֣אbo'goH935
אֵלֶ֑יהָ'e.Lei.hainto herH413
וְתֵלֵד֙ve.te.Ledso she may bear childrenH3205
עַל\־'al-onH5921
בִּרְכַּ֔יbir.Kaiknees myH1290
וְאִבָּנֶ֥הve.'i.ba.Nehso I may be built upH1129
גַם\־gam-alsoH1571
אָנֹכִ֖י'a.no.KhiIH595
מִמֶּֽנָּה\׃mi.Me.nahfrom herH4480

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 30:3

  • Genesis 50:23

    And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph’s knees.

  • Job 3:12

    Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck?

  • Genesis 16:2-3

    And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

  • Genesis 30:9

    When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.

  • Ruth 4:11

    And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Beth–lehem:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Behold.
9; 16:2,3
she shall.
50:23; Job 3:12
have children by her. Heb. be built up by her.
16:2; *marg:
Ru 4:11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 30:2

    And Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God’s stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?

  • 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.

Read all of Genesis 30

Genesis 30:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y ella dijo: He aquí mi sierva Bilha; entra á ella, y parirá sobre mis rodillas, y yo también tendré hijos de ella.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et elle dit: Voici ma servante Bilha: va vers elle; et elle enfantera sur mes genoux, et moi aussi j’aurai des enfants par elle.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und sie sprach: Siehe, da ist meine Magd Bilha; gehe zu ihr ein, daß sie auf meine Knie gebäre und auch ich aus ihr erbaut werde.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		At illa: Habeo, inquit, famulam Balam: ingredere ad illam, ut pariat super genua mea, et habeam ex illa filios.