Genesis 35:25
“And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali:”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The sons born to Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid, were Dan and Naphtali.
Context
Bilhah's two sons are listed.
What Does Genesis 35:25 Mean?
Bilhah was Rachel's servant, given to Jacob as a concubine to bear children on Rachel's behalf (a practice of the time). Though her sons came through a secondary union, Dan and Naphtali were fully counted among Jacob's twelve tribes, with Dan being the eponymous founder of a significant tribal territory.
Dan would eventually settle in the north and become known for its religious and political independence. Naphtali's tribe occupied the northern region around the Sea of Galilee. Both tribes, though descended from a secondary mother, were integral to Israel's tribal identity and territorial inheritance.