Genesis 30 5

Genesis 30:5 kjv

And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son.

Genesis 30:5 nkjv

And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son.

Genesis 30:5 niv

and she became pregnant and bore him a son.

Genesis 30:5 esv

And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son.

Genesis 30:5 nlt

Bilhah became pregnant and presented him with a son.

Genesis 30 verses

Genesis 30 5 meaning

Genesis 30:5 states that Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. This marks the initial success of Rachel's arrangement, where she gave her handmaid Bilhah to Jacob in an effort to have children, reflecting her despair over her own barrenness and the intense desire for offspring within the patriarch's household.

Genesis 30 5 Context

Genesis 30:5 occurs in the midst of intense domestic rivalry within Jacob's household, specifically the fertility competition between his two wives, Leah and Rachel. Driven by Rachel's deep anguish over her barrenness ("Give me children, or else I die!" Gen 30:1), she proposes a culturally accepted custom: giving her handmaid, Bilhah, to Jacob as a surrogate. The children born through this union would legally be considered Rachel's. This verse describes the immediate positive outcome of this arrangement—Bilhah's conception and the birth of a son, fulfilling Rachel's initial desperation for an heir. This event, along with Leah's continued childbearing and later, her giving her handmaid Zilpah to Jacob, contributes to the rapid expansion of Jacob's family and the foundation of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Genesis 30 5 Word analysis

• And: The Hebrew conjunction וַ ( wa), indicating a sequential or consequent action, linking this verse directly to Rachel's preceding instruction to Jacob (Gen 30:3).
• Bilhah: (Hebrew: בִּלְהָה, Bilhah), Rachel's handmaid, given by Laban (Gen 29:29). Her name's meaning is debated, possibly "fainting" or "confused." In Ancient Near Eastern culture, a handmaid could bear children on behalf of a barren wife, with the children legally belonging to the wife. Bilhah, though a servant, becomes a vital conduit in the Abrahamic lineage, demonstrating God's sovereign hand working through human means.
• conceived: (Hebrew: וַתַּהַר, wattaḥar), a waw consecutive perfect form of the verb הָרָה (harah), "to be pregnant" or "to conceive." This precise term highlights the miraculous beginning of new life, a theme often associated with divine action in the Bible, though here it implies a natural conception following Rachel's command.
• and bare: (Hebrew: וַתֵּלֶד, wattēleḏ), a waw consecutive perfect form of the verb יָלַד (yalad), "to bear," "to bring forth," or "to beget." This is the common Hebrew word for childbirth, emphasizing the natural progression from conception to delivery. The repeated use of "and" (waw) connects these two key actions of procreation seamlessly.
• Jacob: (Hebrew: יַעֲקֹב, Ya‘ăqōḇ), the patriarch to whom the son is born. Legally, the child is Jacob's son, and by proxy, Rachel's, ensuring the continuation of his family line according to the divine promises given to Abraham and Isaac. The child, therefore, carries the patriarchal lineage forward.
• a son: (Hebrew: בֵּן, ben), meaning "son" or "male child." The specific mention of a "son" is highly significant in patriarchal societies, as sons carried the family name, inherited property, and continued the lineage, fulfilling the promise of numerous descendants for the covenant people.

Words-group by words-group analysis data:

• "And Bilhah conceived": This phrase directly states the successful conception, signaling the immediate consequence of Rachel's arrangement. It reflects the hope (or perhaps the desperate effort) that this new child would count as Rachel's, given her barrenness.
• "and bare Jacob a son": This part completes the action, declaring the birth of a male heir for Jacob. The emphasis on "a son" underscores the cultural and covenantal importance of male offspring for establishing and continuing the family and ultimately, the promised nation of Israel. This birth initiates a new branch within Jacob's growing family, soon to form one of the tribes.

Genesis 30 5 Bonus section

The practice of a barren wife giving her handmaid to her husband to bear children was a recognized custom in the Ancient Near East, evidenced in documents like the Code of Hammurabi (approx. 1754 BC) where it provided a legal framework for maintaining lineage. However, as seen in the narratives of Sarah/Hagar and Rachel/Bilhah/Zilpah, while providing heirs, such arrangements often introduced significant social and emotional friction within the family. This verse sets the stage for the birth of Dan, Rachel's "son of judgment" (Gen 30:6), and later Naphtali, and contributes significantly to the full roster of the twelve patriarchs from whom the tribes of Israel would descend. Even in human imperfection and attempts to control circumstances, God's promise to Jacob concerning his numerous descendants (Gen 28:14) steadily progressed.

Genesis 30 5 Commentary

Genesis 30:5 provides a concise report of Bilhah's successful conception and birth of a son for Jacob. This verse, though brief, encapsulates several crucial aspects of the patriarchal narrative. It underscores the immense societal pressure on women, particularly wives in polygamist households, to bear children, especially male heirs, to ensure the husband's legacy. Rachel's despair in verse 1 led to this culturally accepted but domestically complex solution. Through this act of surrogacy, where children born to a handmaid through the husband were legally considered the wife's, the lineage of Jacob continued to expand, contributing directly to the foundational tribes of Israel. This highlights God's sovereignty working through human customs, weaknesses, and complicated domestic scenarios to fulfill His overarching covenant promise to multiply Abraham's descendants and form a great nation, irrespective of the flawed human methods employed. This divine plan unfolds, step by step, demonstrating that even the intricate and sometimes strained family dynamics serve a larger purpose.