1090. Bilhah

Strong's Lexicon

Bilhah: Bilhah

Original Word: בִּלְהָה
Part of Speech: proper name, feminine; proper name, of a location
Transliteration: Bilhah
Pronunciation: BIL-hah
Phonetic Spelling: (bil-haw')
Definition: Bilhah
Meaning: Bilhah

Word Origin: Derived from an unused root meaning "to trouble" or "to be timid."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There is no direct Greek equivalent for Bilhah in the Strong's Greek Dictionary, as she is a specific historical figure from the Hebrew Bible.

Usage: Bilhah is a personal name in the Hebrew Bible. She is primarily known as the maidservant of Rachel, one of Jacob's wives, and later becomes a concubine to Jacob. Bilhah is the mother of two of Jacob's sons, Dan and Naphtali, who are considered patriarchs of two of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the ancient Near Eastern context, it was customary for a wife to give her maidservant to her husband as a concubine if she was unable to bear children. This practice was a way to ensure the continuation of a family line. Bilhah's role as a concubine reflects this cultural practice. Her account is set in the patriarchal period, a time when family lineage and tribal affiliations were of utmost importance.

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. בִּלְהָה proper name, feminine (etymology dubious) handmaid of Rachel, concubine of Jacob Genesis 29:29; Genesis 30:3,4,5,7; Genesis 35:22,25 (sons Dan & Naphtali) Genesis 37:2 (probably gloss, Ol) Genesis 46:25; 1 Chronicles 7:13.

II. בִּלהָה

proper name, of a location a city of Simeon 1 Chronicles 4:29, probably = בַּעֲלָה Joshua 15:29, בָּלָה Joshua 19:3 compare Di; site dubious

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Bilhah

From balahh; timid; Bilhah, the name of one of Jacob's concubines; also of a place in Palestine -- Bilhah.

see HEBREW balahh

Forms and Transliterations

בִּלְהָ֔ה בִּלְהָ֖ה בִּלְהָ֖ה֙ בִּלְהָ֥ה בִלְהָ֔ה בִלְהָ֖ה בִלְהָ֛ה בִלְהָֽה׃ בִלְהָה֙ בלהה בלהה׃ וּבְבִלְהָ֥ה ובבלהה bil·hāh ḇil·hāh bilHah bilhāh ḇilhāh ū·ḇə·ḇil·hāh ūḇəḇilhāh uvevilHah vilHah

Englishman's Concordance

Genesis 29:29
HEB: בִּתּ֔וֹ אֶת־ בִּלְהָ֖ה שִׁפְחָת֑וֹ לָ֖הּ
NAS: his maid Bilhah to his daughter
KJV: his daughter Bilhah his handmaid
INT: Rachel to his daughter Bilhah his maid her maid

Genesis 30:3
HEB: הִנֵּ֛ה אֲמָתִ֥י בִלְהָ֖ה בֹּ֣א אֵלֶ֑יהָ
NAS: is my maid Bilhah, go
KJV: Behold my maid Bilhah, go in
INT: Here is my maid Bilhah go to

Genesis 30:4
HEB: ל֛וֹ אֶת־ בִּלְהָ֥ה שִׁפְחָתָ֖הּ לְאִשָּׁ֑ה
NAS: him her maid Bilhah as a wife,
KJV: And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid
INT: gave Bilhah her maid A wife

Genesis 30:5
HEB: וַתַּ֣הַר בִּלְהָ֔ה וַתֵּ֥לֶד לְיַעֲקֹ֖ב
NAS: Bilhah conceived and bore
KJV: And Bilhah conceived, and bare
INT: conceived Bilhah and bore Jacob

Genesis 30:7
HEB: ע֔וֹד וַתֵּ֕לֶד בִּלְהָ֖ה שִׁפְחַ֣ת רָחֵ֑ל
NAS: Rachel's maid Bilhah conceived again
KJV: And Bilhah Rachel's maid
INT: again and bore Bilhah maid Rachel's

Genesis 35:22
HEB: וַיִּשְׁכַּ֕ב֙ אֶת־ בִּלְהָ֖ה֙ פִּילֶ֣גֶשׁ אָבִ֑֔יו
NAS: and lay with Bilhah his father's
KJV: and lay with Bilhah his father's
INT: Reuben and lay Bilhah concubine his father's

Genesis 35:25
HEB: וּבְנֵ֤י בִלְהָה֙ שִׁפְחַ֣ת רָחֵ֔ל
NAS: and the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's maid:
KJV: And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's
INT: and the sons of Bilhah maid Rachel's

Genesis 37:2
HEB: אֶת־ בְּנֵ֥י בִלְהָ֛ה וְאֶת־ בְּנֵ֥י
NAS: along with the sons of Bilhah and the sons
KJV: [was] with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons
INT: with the sons of Bilhah for and the sons

Genesis 46:25
HEB: אֵ֚לֶּה בְּנֵ֣י בִלְהָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־ נָתַ֥ן
NAS: are the sons of Bilhah, whom
KJV: These [are] the sons of Bilhah, which Laban
INT: These are the sons of Bilhah whom gave

1 Chronicles 4:29
HEB: וּבְבִלְהָ֥ה וּבְעֶ֖צֶם וּבְתוֹלָֽד׃
NAS: at Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad,
KJV: And at Bilhah, and at Ezem,
INT: Bilhah Ezem Tolad

1 Chronicles 7:13
HEB: וְשַׁלּ֖וּם בְּנֵ֥י בִלְהָֽה׃ פ
NAS: and Shallum, the sons of Bilhah.
KJV: and Shallum, the sons of Bilhah.
INT: and Shallum the sons of Bilhah

11 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 1090
11 Occurrences

bil·hāh — 5 Occ.
ū·ḇə·ḇil·hāh — 1 Occ.
ḇil·hāh — 5 Occ.