Genesis 30 · Verse 4

Genesis 30:4

And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her.
Genesis 30:4, King James Version

Genesis 30:4 in other translations

BSBSo Rachel gave Jacob her servant Bilhah as a wife, and he slept with her,
WEBShe gave him Bilhah her servant as wife, and Jacob went in to her.
ASVAnd she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her.
YLTand she giveth to him Bilhah her maid-servant for a wife, and Jacob goeth in unto her;
DARBYAnd she gave him Bilhah her maidservant as wife, and Jacob went in to her.
BBESo she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her.
WebsterAnd she gave him Bilhah, her handmaid, for a wife: and Jacob went in to her.

What does Genesis 30:4 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…

Read the full comment on Genesis 30:3-9 →

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 30:4 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.

וַתִּתֶּן\־va.ti.ten-and she gaveH5414
ל֛וֹloto <the> him
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
בִּלְהָ֥הbil.HahBilhahH1090
שִׁפְחָתָ֖הּshif.cha.Tahmaidservant herH8198
לְאִשָּׁ֑הle.'i.Shahto a wifeH802
וַיָּבֹ֥אvai.ya.Vo'and he wentH935
אֵלֶ֖יהָ'e.Lei.hainto herH413
יַעֲקֹֽב\׃ya.'a.KoJacobH3290

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

Cross references for Genesis 30:4

  • Genesis 35:22

    And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:

  • Genesis 21:10

    Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.

  • Genesis 22:24

    And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah.

  • Genesis 33:2

    And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.

  • 2 Samuel 12:11

    Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.

  • Genesis 25:1

    Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.

  • Genesis 16:3-4

    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. And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

  • Genesis 25:6

    But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
to wife.
16:3; 21:10; 22:24; 25:1,6; 33:2; 35:22; 2Sa 12:11

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Genesis 30:5

    And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son.

Read all of Genesis 30

Genesis 30:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Así le dió á Bilha su sierva por mujer; y Jacob entró á ella.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et elle lui donna Bilha, sa servante, pour femme; et Jacob vint vers elle.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und sie gab ihm ihre Magd Bilha zum Weibe; und Jakob ging zu ihr ein.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Deditque illi Balam in conjugium: quæ,