Genesis 30:4

30:4 So Rachel gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob had marital relations with her.

Genesis 30:9

30:9 When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she gave her servant Zilpah to Jacob as a wife.

Genesis 35:22

35:22 While Israel was living in that land, Reuben had sexual relations with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard about it.

Jacob had twelve sons:

Genesis 35:25-26

35:25 The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant, were Dan and Naphtali.

35:26 The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s servant, were Gad and Asher.

These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan Aram.


tn Heb “and she”; the referent (Rachel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

tn Heb “went in to.” The expression “went in to” in this context refers to sexual intercourse.

tn Heb “she took her servant Zilpah and gave her.” The verbs “took” and “gave” are treated as a hendiadys in the translation: “she gave.”

tn Heb “and Reuben went and lay with.” The expression “lay with” is a euphemism for having sexual intercourse.