Bible Strands
Genesis 46:25
These are the sons of Jacob born to Bilhah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel—seven in all.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator records a genealogical list of Jacob’s descendants preparing to relocate to Egypt. This entry concludes the accounting of Bilhah’s offspring within a broader census of Jacob’s family.
The words — אֵלֶּה (ʾēlleh) functions as a demonstrative pronoun meaning "these," directly pointing to the preceding enumeration. בִלְהָה (bilhāh) identifies the concubine whose lineage is being formally counted.
The thread — Laban’s initial transfer of Bilhah to Rachel is documented in Genesis 29:29, and Rachel’s subsequent arrangement for Jacob to sleep with her appears in Genesis 30:3. The concubine’s household is later referenced in Genesis 35:22 regarding Reuben’s violation.
Why it lands — The text establishes a fixed, documented lineage rather than an abstract tribal tradition. It requires the reader to track the precise family structure that will later form the basis of the Exodus and covenant promises.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
These are the sons of Bilhah, which Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and she bare these unto Jacob: all the souls were seven.
Cross-references
- Genesis 29:29 Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant.
- Genesis 30:3 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.”
- Genesis 35:22 While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had twelve sons:
- Genesis 35:25 The sons of Rachel’s maidservant Bilhah were Dan and Naphtali.
- Exodus 1:2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;