Genesis 35:25
New International Version
The sons of Rachel’s servant Bilhah: Dan and Naphtali.

New Living Translation
The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant, were Dan and Naphtali.

English Standard Version
The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant: Dan and Naphtali.

Berean Standard Bible
The sons of Rachel’s maidservant Bilhah were Dan and Naphtali.

King James Bible
And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali:

New King James Version
the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maidservant, were Dan and Naphtali;

New American Standard Bible
and the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s female slave, were Dan and Naphtali;

NASB 1995
and the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maid: Dan and Naphtali;

NASB 1977
and the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maid: Dan and Naphtali;

Legacy Standard Bible
and the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant-woman: Dan and Naphtali;

Amplified Bible
and the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maid: Dan and Naphtali;

Christian Standard Bible
The sons of Rachel’s slave Bilhah were Dan and Naphtali.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The sons of Rachel’s slave Bilhah were Dan and Naphtali.

American Standard Version
and the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid: Dan and Naphtali;

English Revised Version
and the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan and Naphtali:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The sons of Rachel's slave [Bilhah]were Dan and Naphtali.

Good News Translation
The sons of Rachel's slave Bilhah were Dan and Naphtali.

International Standard Version
Rachel's servant Bilhah's sons were Dan and Naphtali.

Majority Standard Bible
The sons of Rachel?s maidservant Bilhah were Dan and Naphtali.

NET Bible
The sons of Bilhah, Rachel's servant, were Dan and Naphtali.

New Heart English Bible
And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel?s servant: Dan and Naphtali.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali:

World English Bible
The sons of Bilhah (Rachel’s servant): Dan and Naphtali.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maidservant: Dan and Naphtali.

Young's Literal Translation
And sons of Bilhah, Rachel's maid-servant: Dan and Naphtali.

Smith's Literal Translation
The sons of Bilhah, Rachel's maid: Dan and Naphtali;
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The sons of Bala, Rachel's handmaid: Dan and Naphthali.

Catholic Public Domain Version
The sons of Bilhah, handmaid of Rachel: Dan and Naphtali.

New American Bible
the sons of Rachel’s maidservant Bilhah: Dan and Naphtali;

New Revised Standard Version
The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maid: Dan and Naphtali.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's maid: Dan, and Naphtali.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the sons of Balha, the Handmaid of Rakhyl: Dan and Naphtali
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
and the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid: Dan and Naphtali;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the sons of Balla, the hand-maid of Rachel; Dan and Nephthalim.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Sons of Jacob
24The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. 25The sons of Rachel’s maidservant Bilhah were Dan and Naphtali. 26And the sons of Leah’s maidservant Zilpah were Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan-aram.…

Cross References
Genesis 30:9-13
When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she gave her servant Zilpah to Jacob as a wife. / And Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. / Then Leah said, “How fortunate!” So she named him Gad. ...

Genesis 46:17
The children of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah. The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel.

Numbers 26:44-47
These were the descendants of Asher by their clans: The Imnite clan from Imnah, the Ishvite clan from Ishvi, and the Beriite clan from Beriah. / And these were the descendants of Beriah: the Heberite clan from Heber and the Malchielite clan from Malchiel. / And the name of Asher’s daughter was Serah. ...

1 Chronicles 7:30-31
The children of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah. / The sons of Beriah: Heber, as well as Malchiel, who was the father of Birzaith.

1 Chronicles 7:13
The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shallum—the descendants of Bilhah.

Deuteronomy 33:24
And concerning Asher he said: “May Asher be the most blessed of sons; may he be the most favored among his brothers and dip his foot in oil.

Joshua 19:24-31
The fifth lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Asher: / Their territory included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph, / Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal. On the west the border touched Carmel and Shihor-libnath, ...

Judges 5:17
Gilead remained beyond the Jordan. Dan, why did you linger by the ships? Asher stayed at the coast and remained in his harbors.

1 Kings 4:11
Ben-abinadab in Naphath-dor (Taphath, a daughter of Solomon, was his wife);

Ezekiel 48:2-3
Asher will have one portion bordering the territory of Dan from east to west. / Naphtali will have one portion bordering the territory of Asher from east to west.

Revelation 7:6
from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,

Matthew 10:2-4
These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; / Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; / Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.

Luke 6:13-16
When daylight came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated as apostles: / Simon, whom He named Peter, and his brother Andrew; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; / Matthew and Thomas; James son of Alphaeus and Simon called the Zealot; ...

Acts 1:13
When they arrived, they went to the upper room where they were staying: Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.

John 1:43-51
The next day Jesus decided to set out for Galilee. Finding Philip, He told him, “Follow Me.” / Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the same town as Andrew and Peter. / Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law, the One the prophets foretold—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” ...


Treasury of Scripture

And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali:

Genesis 30:4-8
And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her…

Genesis 37:2
These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.

Genesis 46:23-25
And the sons of Dan; Hushim…

Jump to Previous
Bilhah Dan Handmaid Maid Maidservant Maid-Servant Naphtali Naph'tali Rachel's Servant
Jump to Next
Bilhah Dan Handmaid Maid Maidservant Maid-Servant Naphtali Naph'tali Rachel's Servant
Genesis 35
1. God commands Jacob to go to Bethel.
2. He purges his house of idols.
6. He builds an altar at Bethel.
8. Deborah dies at Allon Bacuth.
9. God blesses Jacob at Bethel.
10. Jacob Named Israel.
16. Rachel travails of Benjamin, and dies in the way to Edar.
22. Reuben lies with Bilhah.
23. The sons of Jacob.
27. Jacob comes to Isaac at Hebron.
28. The age, death, and burial of Isaac.














The sons of Rachel’s maidservant Bilhah
Bilhah was given to Jacob by Rachel as a surrogate to bear children on her behalf, a practice common in ancient Near Eastern cultures when a wife was barren. This reflects the cultural norms of the time, as seen in similar accounts like Sarah giving Hagar to Abraham. Bilhah's role highlights the complex family dynamics and the importance of lineage and inheritance in the patriarchal society. Her position as a maidservant elevated to a concubine underscores the social hierarchies and the significance of producing heirs.

were Dan
Dan, the first son of Bilhah, is one of the twelve tribes of Israel. His name means "judge," reflecting Rachel's declaration that God has judged her favorably. The tribe of Dan later settled in a region that became known for idolatry, as seen in Judges 18. This tribe's history is marked by both military prowess and spiritual challenges, illustrating the mixed legacy of Jacob's sons.

and Naphtali
Naphtali, Bilhah's second son, means "my struggle," signifying Rachel's ongoing rivalry with her sister Leah. The tribe of Naphtali settled in the northern part of Israel, a region that played a significant role in biblical history. Isaiah 9:1-2 prophesies that this area, "Galilee of the nations," would see a great light, fulfilled in the New Testament with Jesus' ministry in Galilee. Naphtali's descendants were known for their swiftness and agility, as noted in Jacob's blessing in Genesis 49:21.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Bilhah
Bilhah was Rachel's maidservant given to Jacob as a concubine. She bore Jacob two sons, Dan and Naphtali. Her role in the family dynamics highlights the complexities of polygamous relationships in the patriarchal accounts.

2. Dan
Dan was the first son of Bilhah and Jacob. His name means "judge," reflecting Rachel's declaration that God had judged her favorably.

3. Naphtali
Naphtali was the second son of Bilhah and Jacob. His name means "my struggle," as Rachel felt she had wrestled with her sister Leah and prevailed.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty in Family Dynamics
Despite human imperfections and complex family situations, God's purposes prevail. We can trust that God is at work in our families, even when relationships are strained or complicated.

Identity and Legacy
The names and accounts of Dan and Naphtali remind us of the importance of identity and legacy. Our actions and decisions can have lasting impacts on future generations.

God's Faithfulness to His Promises
The inclusion of all of Jacob's sons, including those born to concubines, in the account of God's chosen people highlights His faithfulness to His promises, regardless of human failings.

The Role of Women in God's Plan
Bilhah's account, though often overlooked, is a reminder of how God uses all individuals, regardless of their status, in His divine plan. Women in the Bible often played crucial roles in the unfolding of God's purposes.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The sons
וּבְנֵ֤י (ū·ḇə·nê)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Rachel’s
רָחֵ֔ל (rā·ḥêl)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 7354: Rachel -- a wife of Jacob

maidservant
שִׁפְחַ֣ת (šip̄·ḥaṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 8198: Maid, maidservant

Bilhah [were]
בִלְהָה֙ (ḇil·hāh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1090: Bilhah -- a concubine of Jacob

Dan
דָּ֖ן (dān)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1835: Dan -- 'judge', a son of Jacob, also a place in Northern Israel

and Naphtali.
וְנַפְתָּלִֽי׃ (wə·nap̄·tā·lî)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5321: Naphtali -- a son of Jacob, also his descendants and the district settled by them


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OT Law: Genesis 35:25 The sons of Bilhah Rachel's handmaid: Dan (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 35:24
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