Genesis 30:3
New International Version
Then she said, “Here is Bilhah, my servant. Sleep with her so that she can bear children for me and I too can build a family through her.”

New Living Translation
Then Rachel told him, “Take my maid, Bilhah, and sleep with her. She will bear children for me, and through her I can have a family, too.”

English Standard Version
Then she said, “Here is my servant Bilhah; go in to her, so that she may give birth on my behalf, that even I may have children through her.”

Berean Standard Bible
Then 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.”

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
So she said, “Here is my maid Bilhah; go in to her, and she will bear a child on my knees, that I also may have children by her.”

New American Standard Bible
Then she said, “Here is my female slave Bilhah: have relations with her that she may give birth on my knees, so that by her I too may obtain a child.”

NASB 1995
She said, “Here is my maid Bilhah, go in to her that she may bear on my knees, that through her I too may have children.”

NASB 1977
And she said, “Here is my maid Bilhah, go in to her, that she may bear on my knees, that through her I too may have children.”

Legacy Standard Bible
And she said, “Here is my maidservant Bilhah, go in to her that she may bear on my knees, that through her I too may obtain children.”

Amplified Bible
She said, “Here, take my maid Bilhah and go in to her; and [when the baby comes] she shall deliver it [while sitting] on my knees, so that by her I may also have children [to count as my own].”

Christian Standard Bible
Then she said, “Here is my maid Bilhah. Go sleep with her, and she’ll bear children for me so that through her I too can build a family.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then she said, “Here is my slave Bilhah. Go sleep with her, and she’ll bear children for me so that through her I too can build a family.”

American Standard Version
And 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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And she said to him, “Here is my maid Balha; go in upon her and she shall bear on my knees and I shall be comforted, even I, by her.”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Rachel said to Jacob, Behold my handmaid Balla, go in to her, and she shall bear upon my knees, and I also shall have children by her.

Contemporary English Version
"Here, take my servant Bilhah," Rachel told him. "Have children by her, and I'll let them be born on my knees to show that they are mine."

Douay-Rheims Bible
But she said: I have here my servant Bala: go in unto her, that she may bear upon my knees, and I may have children by her.

English Revised Version
And 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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
She said, "Here's my servant Bilhah. Sleep with her. She can have children for me, and I can build a family for myself through her."

Good News Translation
She said, "Here is my slave Bilhah; sleep with her, so that she can have a child for me. In this way I can become a mother through her."

International Standard Version
Rachel responded, "Here's my handmaid Bilhah. Go have sex with her. She can bear children on my knees so I can have children through her."

JPS Tanakh 1917
And she said: 'Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; that she may bear upon my knees, and I also may be builded up through her.'

Literal Standard Version
And she says, “Behold, my handmaid Bilhah, go in to her, and she bears on my knees, and I am built up, even I, from her”;

Majority Standard Bible
Then 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.”

New American Bible
She replied, “Here is my maidservant Bilhah. Have intercourse with her, and let her give birth on my knees, so that I too may have children through her.”

NET Bible
She replied, "Here is my servant Bilhah! Have sexual relations with her so that she can bear children for me and I can have a family through her."

New Revised Standard Version
Then she said, “Here is my maid Bilhah; go in to her, that she may bear upon my knees and that I too may have children through her.”

New Heart English Bible
She said, "Look, my servant Bilhah. Sleep with her, so that she will bear children for me, that I too may have children through her."

Webster's Bible Translation
And 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.

World English Bible
She said, “Behold, my maid Bilhah. Go in to her, that she may bear on my knees, and I also may obtain children by her.”

Young's Literal Translation
And 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;'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Dan and Naphtali
2Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?” 3Then 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.” 4So Rachel gave Jacob her servant Bilhah as a wife, and he slept with her,…

Cross References
Genesis 16:2
So Sarai said to Abram, "Look now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go to my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family by her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

Genesis 50:23
He saw Ephraim's sons to the third generation, and indeed the sons of Machir son of Manasseh were brought up on Joseph's knees.

Job 3:12
Why were there knees to receive me, and breasts that I should be nursed?


Treasury of Scripture

And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in to her; and she shall bear on my knees, that I may also have children by her.

Behold.

Genesis 30:9
When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.

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…

she shall.

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?

have children by her.

Genesis 16:2
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.

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 Bethlehem:

Jump to Previous
Bear Bilhah Build Builded Built Child Children Family Knees Maid Maidservant Obtain Order Servant Sleep
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Bear Bilhah Build Builded Built Child Children Family Knees Maid Maidservant Obtain Order Servant Sleep
Genesis 30
1. Rachel, in grief for her barrenness, gives Bilhah her maid unto Jacob.
5. Bilhah bears Dan and Naphtali.
9. Leah gives Zilpah her maid, who bears Gad and Asher.
14. Reuben finds mandrakes,
15. with which Leah buys her husband's company of Rachel.
17. Leah bears Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah.
22. Rachel bears Joseph.
25. Jacob desires to depart.
27. Laban detains him on a new agreement.
37. Jacob's policy, whereby he becomes rich.














(3) Behold my maid Bilhah.--Rachel had little excuse for this action; for there was no religious hope involved, as when Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham (Genesis 16:2), but solely vexation at her own barrenness, and envy of her sister. All that can be said in her defence is, that the custom existed, and, perhaps, because it was distasteful to the wife, was looked upon as meritorious (Genesis 30:18).

She shall bear upon my knees.--So in Genesis 1:23, it is said, in the Hebrew, that "the children of Machir were born upon Joseph's knees," not borne, as in our margin. It appears that there was a custom of placing the new-born child upon the knees, first of the father, who, by accepting it. acknowledged the infant as his own; and secondly, upon those of the mother. In this case, as Bilhah's children were regarded as legally born of Rachel, they would be placed upon Rachel's knees. Probably, too, the children of Machir, by being placed upon Joseph's knees, were in some way adopted by him.

That I may also have children by her.--Heb., be built by her. (See Note on Genesis 16:2.)

Verse 3. - And she said, - resorting to the sinful expedient of Sarah (Genesis 16:2), though without Sarah's excuse, since there was no question whatever about an heir for Jacob; which, even if there had been, would not have justified a practice which, in the case of her distinguished relative, had been so palpably condemned - Behold my maid Bilhah (vide Genesis 29:29), go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, - i.e. children that I may place upon my knees, as mothers do (Piscator, A Lapide, Calvin, Rosenmüller, Lange, Ainsworth); the literal sense of the words being too absurd to require refutation - that I may also have children - literally, be builded up (cf. Genesis 16:2) - by her.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then she said,
וַתֹּ֕אמֶר (wat·tō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Here
הִנֵּ֛ה (hin·nêh)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

is my maidservant
אֲמָתִ֥י (’ă·mā·ṯî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 519: A maidservant, female slave

Bilhah.
בִלְהָ֖ה (ḇil·hāh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1090: Bilhah -- a concubine of Jacob

Sleep with
בֹּ֣א (bō)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

her,
אֵלֶ֑יהָ (’ê·le·hā)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

and she will bear children
וְתֵלֵד֙ (wə·ṯê·lêḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3205: To bear young, to beget, medically, to act as midwife, to show lineage

[for me],
בִּרְכַּ֔י (bir·kay)
Noun - fdc | first person common singular
Strong's 1290: The knee

so that through her
מִמֶּֽנָּה׃ (mim·men·nāh)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

I
אָנֹכִ֖י (’ā·nō·ḵî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 595: I

too
גַם־ (ḡam-)
Conjunction
Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

can build a family.”
וְאִבָּנֶ֥ה (wə·’ib·bā·neh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular
Strong's 1129: To build


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OT Law: Genesis 30:3 She said Behold my maid Bilhah (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 30:2
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