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Zilpah
In the Book of Genesis, Zilpah ( ''Zīlpā'', meaning uncertain) was Leah's handmaidIn Context whom Leah gave to Jacob like a wife to bear him children (). Zilpah gave birth to two sons, whom Leah claimed as her own and named Gad and Asher (). Zilpah was given to Leah as a handmaid by Leah's father, Laban, upon Leah's marriage to Jacob (see , ). According to the early rabbinical commentary Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer, Zilpah and Bilhah, the handmaids of Leah and Rachel, respectively, were actually daughters of Laban and one or more of his concubines. But modern scholars believe that Zilpah and Bilhah were most likely foreign, like Tamar and Asenath. Zilpah also figured in the competition between Jacob's wives to bear him sons. Leah stopped conceiving after the birth of her fourth son, at which point Rachel, who had not yet borne any children, offered her handmaid, Bilhah, to Jacob like a wife in order to have children through her. After Bilhah bore two sons, Leah took up the sa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jacob
Jacob, later known as Israel, is a Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions. He first appears in the Torah, where he is described in the Book of Genesis as a son of Isaac and Rebecca. Accordingly, alongside his older fraternal twin brother Esau, Jacob's paternal grandparents are Abraham and Sarah and his maternal grandfather is Bethuel, whose wife is not mentioned. He is said to have bought Esau's birthright and, with his mother's help, deceived his aging father to bless him instead of Esau. Then, following a severe drought in his homeland Canaan, Jacob and his descendants migrated to neighbouring Egypt through the efforts of his son Joseph, who had become a confidant of the pharaoh. After dying in Egypt at the age of 147, he is supposed to have been buried in the Cave of Machpelah in Hebron. Per the Hebrew Bible, Jacob's progeny were beget by four women: his wives (and maternal cousins) Leah and Rachel; and his concubines Bilhah and Zilpah. His sons were, in orde ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leah
Leah () appears in the Hebrew Bible as one of the two wives of the Biblical patriarch Jacob. Leah was Jacob's first wife, and the older sister of his second (and favored) wife Rachel. She is the mother of Jacob's first son Reuben. She has three more sons, namely Simeon, Levi and Judah, but does not bear another son until Rachel offers her a night with Jacob in exchange for some mandrake root (, ''dûdâ'îm''). Leah gives birth to two more sons after this, Issachar and Zebulun, and to Jacob's only daughter, Dinah. Name Leah means "wild cow”, a common title with ancient goddesses like Inana, Urash, and Nanshe. Rachel means "ewe lamb." Noegel says there's an irony involving Laban's flocks within this detail, one is on generative acts, - ''Give me my wife for my days are fulfilled, that I may go into her'' (אליה) (29:21). Herein also lies a subtle pun on Leah's name, which occurs again in 29:23. however, note that references to bovines and their fertility would not ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Asher
Asher ( ''’Āšēr''), in the Book of Genesis, was the younger of the two sons of Jacob and Zilpah, and Jacob's eighth son overall. He was the founder of the Israelite Tribe of Asher. Name The text of the Torah states that the name אָשֵׁר ''Asher'' means "happy" or "blessing", implying a derivation from the Hebrew term ''osher'' in two variations: ''beoshri'' (meaning ''in my good fortune''), and ''ishsheruni''. The Bible states that at his birth, Leah exclaimed, "Happy am I! for the daughters will call me happy: so she called his name Asher", meaning "happy" (Genesis 30:13). Indeed, the name אָשֵׁר ''Asher'' is a typical Semitic name, deriving from the Hebrew root ''ʔ-š-r'' "to be happy" and the stative nominal stem. Biblical narrative Asher and his four sons and daughter settled in Canaan. On his deathbed, Jacob blessed Asher by saying that "his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties" (Gen. 49:20). Moses said of Asher: "May Asher be bles ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bilhah
Bilhah ( "unworried", Standard Hebrew: ''Bilha'', Tiberian Hebrew: ''Bīlhā'') is a woman mentioned in the Book of Genesis. describes her as Laban's handmaiden (), who was given to Rachel to be her handmaid on Rachel's marriage to Jacob. When Rachel failed to have children, Rachel gave Bilhah to Jacob like a wife to bear him children. Bilhah gave birth to two sons, whom Rachel claimed as her own and named Dan and Naphtali. expressly calls Bilhah Jacob's concubine, a '' pilegesh''. When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob like a wife to bear him children as well. The apocryphal Testament of Naftali says that Bilhah and Zilpah's father was named Rotheus. He was taken into captivity but redeemed by Laban, Rachel and Leah's father. Laban gave Rotheus a wife named Euna, who was the girls' mother. On the other hand, the early rabbinical commentary '' Pirkei De-Rabbi Eliezer'' and other rabbinic sources ( Midrash Rabba ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gad (son Of Jacob)
Gad () was, according to the Book of Genesis, the first of the two sons of Jacob and Zilpah (and the seventh of Jacob's twelve sons overall) and the founder of the Israelite tribe of Gad. The text of Genesis implies that the name ''Gad'' means “luck”/“fortunate”, in Hebrew. Biblical narrative The Biblical account shows Zilpah's status as a handmaid change to that of an actual wife of Jacob (Genesis 30:9,11). Many scholars believe that Gad was a late addition to the Israelite confederation.''Jewish Encyclopedia'' ''Gad'' by this theory is assumed to have been a northwards-migrating nomadic tribe, at a time when the other tribes were quite settled in Canaan. Rabbinical sources According to classical rabbinical literature, Gad was born on 10 Marcheshvan, and lived 125 years. These sources go on to state that, unlike his other brothers, Joseph did not present Gad to the Pharaoh, since Joseph did not want Gad to become one of Pharaoh's guards, an appointment that woul ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rachel
Rachel () was a Bible, Biblical figure, the favorite of Jacob's two wives, and the mother of Joseph (Genesis), Joseph and Benjamin, two of the twelve progenitors of the tribes of Israel. Rachel's father was Laban (Bible), Laban. Her older sister was Leah, Jacob's first wife. Her aunt Rebecca was Jacob's mother. After Leah conceived again, Rachel finally had a son, Joseph (son of Jacob), Joseph, who would become Jacob's favorite child. Children Rachel's son Joseph (Genesis), Joseph was destined to be the leader of Israel's tribes between exile and nationhood. This role is exemplified in the Biblical story of Joseph, who prepared the way in Egypt for his family's exile there. After Joseph's birth, Jacob decided to return to the land of Canaan with his family. Fearing that Laban would deter him, he fled with his two wives, Leah and Rachel, and twelve children without informing his father-in-law. Laban pursued him and accused him of stealing his teraphim. Indeed, Rachel had taken ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Red Tent (Anita Diamant Novel)
''The Red Tent'' is a historical novel by Anita Diamant, published in 1997 by Wyatt Books for St. Martin's Press. It is a first-person narrative that tells the story of Dinah, daughter of Jacob and Leah, sister of Joseph. She is a minor character in the Hebrew Bible; Diamant broadened her story. The book's title refers to the tent in which women of Jacob’s tribe must, according to ancient Jewish law, take refuge while menstruating or upon birthing, a period known as ''niddah'', and in which they find mutual support and encouragement from their mothers, sisters, and aunts. Plot summary Dinah opens the story by recounting for readers the union of her mother Leah and father Jacob, as well as the expansion of the family to include Leah's sister Rachel, and the handmaids Zilpah and Bilhah. Leah is depicted as capable but testy, Rachel as something of a belle but kind and creative, Zilpah as eccentric and spiritual, and Bilhah as the gentle and quiet one of the quartet. Dinah reme ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Handmaid
A handmaiden (nowadays less commonly handmaid or maidservant) is a personal maid or female servant. The term is also used metaphorically for something whose primary role is to serve or assist. Depending on culture or historical period, a handmaiden may be of enslaved status or may be simply an employee. The terms ''handmaiden'' and ''handmaid'' are synonyms. Depictions in Abrahamic texts In the King James translation of the Hebrew Bible, the term handmaid is applied to a female servant who serves her mistress, as in the case of Hagar being described as Sarah's handmaid, Zilpah being Leah's handmaid and Bilhah as Rachel's handmaid. In each of these cases, the mistress "gave" their handmaid to their husbands "to wife", to bear his "seed" (children). The use in the Torah of the prefix "to", as in "gave ''to'' wife", may indicate that the wife is a concubine or inferior wife. The text repeats that these people remain handmaids of their mistress though they are also the concubine ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Laban (Bible)
Laban (Aramaic: ܠܵܒܵܢ; ), also known as Laban the Aramean, is a figure in the Book of Genesis of the Hebrew Bible. He was the brother of Rebekah, the woman who married Isaac and bore Jacob. Laban welcomed his nephew, and set him the stipulation of seven years' labour before he permitted him to marry his daughter Rachel. Laban tricked Jacob into marrying his elder daughter Leah instead. Jacob then took Rachel as his second wife, on condition of serving an additional seven years' labour. Laban and his family were described as dwelling in Paddan Aram, in Mesopotamia. Hebrew Bible Laban first appears in the Hebrew Bible in as the grown spokesman for his father Bethuel's house; he was impressed by the gold jewelry given to his sister on behalf of Isaac, and played a key part in arranging their marriage. Twenty years later, Laban's nephew Jacob was born to Isaac and Rebekah. When grown, Jacob comes to work for Laban. The biblical narrative provides a framework for dating the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tomb Of The Matriarchs
The Tomb of the Matriarchs (Hebrew: קבר האמהות, ''Kever ha'Imahot'') in Tiberias, Israel, is the traditional burial place of several biblical women: *Bilhah, handmaid of Rachel. * Zilpah, handmaid of Leah. *Jochebed, mother of Moses. *Zipporah, wife of Moses. *Elisheba, wife of Aaron. *Abigail, one of King David David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the third king of the United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament. The Tel Dan stele, an Aramaic-inscribed stone erected by a king of Aram-Dam ...'s wives. The marble structure beside a modern apartment building block is surrounded by a stone wall. See also * List of burial places of biblical figures References Buildings and structures in Tiberias M Jewish pilgrimage sites Women and death Judaism and women Women in the Hebrew Bible Tombs in Israel Zipporah {{Hebrew-Bible-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Book Of Genesis
The Book of Genesis (from Greek language, Greek ; ; ) is the first book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. Its Hebrew name is the same as its incipit, first word, (In the beginning (phrase), 'In the beginning'). Genesis purports to be an account of the Genesis creation narrative, creation of the world, the early history of humanity, and the Jews#Origins, origins of the Jewish people. In Judaism, the theological importance of Genesis centers on the covenants linking God in Judaism, God to his chosen people and the people to the Promised Land. Genesis is part of the Torah or Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible. Tradition credits Moses as the Torah's author. However, there is scholarly consensus that the Book of Genesis was composed several centuries later, after the Babylonian captivity, Babylonian Babylonian captivity, captivity, possibly in the fifth century BC. Based on the scientific interpretation of Archaeology, archaeological, Genetics, genetic, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jewish Concubines
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, religion, and community are highly interrelated, as Judaism is their ethnic religion, though it is not practiced by all ethnic Jews. Despite this, religious Jews regard Gerim, converts to Judaism as members of the Jewish nation, pursuant to the Conversion to Judaism, long-standing conversion process. The Israelites emerged from the pre-existing Canaanite peoples to establish Kingdom of Israel (Samaria), Israel and Kingdom of Judah, Judah in the Southern Levant during the Iron Age.John Day (Old Testament scholar), John Day (2005), ''In Search of Pre-Exilic Israel'', Bloomsbury Publishing, pp. 47.5 [48] 'In this sense, the emergence of ancient Israel is viewed not as the cause of the demise of Canaanite culture but as its upshot'. Originally, J ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
