Genesis 35:25
“The sons of Bilhah (Rachel’s servant): Dan and Naphtali.”
What does Genesis 35:25 mean?
This verse is part of a genealogy listing all twelve sons of Jacob, organized by their mothers. Bilhah was Rachel's servant, and when Rachel struggled to have children, she offered Bilhah to Jacob so that Rachel could have a family through her. Dan and Naphtali were the two sons born from that arrangement, and they became the names of two of Israel's twelve tribes. Understanding this context helps us see that the Bible's genealogies aren't just abstract name lists, they're rooted in real family dynamics—sometimes complicated ones—that shaped the people of Israel. These names mattered deeply to the ancient community that treasured them.