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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0;"/><title>Topical Bible: Servant-wife</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/topical/s/servant-wife.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/newtopical.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="/topical/vmenus/judges/8-31.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="//biblehu.com/bmcde/s/servant-wife.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="/">Bible</a> > <a href="/topical/">Topical</a> > Servant-wife</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/servants--when_patient_under_injury_are_acceptable_to_god.htm" title="Servants: when Patient Under Injury are Acceptable to God">◄</a> Servant-wife <a href="/topical/s/servant-wives.htm" title="Servant-wives">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse">Jump to: <a href="#cnc" title="Multiversion Concordance">Concordance</a> • <a href="#thes" title="Bible Thesaurus">Thesaurus</a> • <a href="#lib" title="Library">Library</a> • <a href="#sub" title="Subtopics">Subtopics</a> • <a href="#rel" title="Related Terms">Terms</a></div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><a name="te" id="te"></a><div class="vheading2">Topical Encyclopedia</div>The term "servant-wife" refers to a woman who, in biblical times, was given to a husband by his wife to bear children on her behalf. This practice is most notably illustrated in the narratives of the patriarchs in the Old Testament. The concept of a servant-wife is intertwined with the cultural and legal customs of the ancient Near East, where childbearing was a significant aspect of family and social life.<br><br><b>Hagar and Sarah</b><br><br>The most prominent example of a servant-wife in the Bible is Hagar, the Egyptian maidservant of Sarah, Abraham's wife. In <a href="/bsb/genesis/16.htm">Genesis 16</a>, Sarah, who was barren, gave Hagar to Abraham as a wife to produce an heir. <a href="/genesis/16-2.htm">Genesis 16:2</a> states, "So Sarai said to Abram, 'Look now, the LORD has prevented me from having children. Please go to my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family by her.'" Hagar conceived and bore Ishmael, but the arrangement led to tension and conflict between Sarah and Hagar.<br><br><b>Bilhah and Zilpah</b><br><br>Another example is found in the account of Jacob, who had children with two servant-wives, Bilhah and Zilpah. Rachel, Jacob's beloved wife, was initially barren and gave her maidservant Bilhah to Jacob as a wife. <a href="/genesis/30-3.htm">Genesis 30:3</a> records Rachel's words: "Here is my maidservant Bilhah. Go and sleep with her, that she may bear children for me and that through her I too can build a family." Bilhah bore Dan and Naphtali. Similarly, Leah, Jacob's first wife, gave her maidservant Zilpah to Jacob, resulting in the birth of Gad and Asher (<a href="/genesis/30-9.htm">Genesis 30:9-13</a>).<br><br><b>Cultural Context</b><br><br>The practice of taking a servant-wife was not unique to the Hebrew people but was a common custom in the ancient Near East. It was a socially accepted solution for childlessness, which was often seen as a misfortune or divine disfavor. The children born to servant-wives were considered legitimate heirs, although their status could be complex, as seen in the tensions between Sarah and Hagar.<br><br><b>Legal and Social Implications</b><br><br>The role of a servant-wife was legally recognized, and her children could inherit alongside those of the primary wife. However, the dynamics within the household could be fraught with rivalry and jealousy, as the narratives of Hagar and Sarah, as well as Rachel and Leah, demonstrate. The servant-wife's position was subordinate, and her status depended largely on the favor of the primary wife and the husband.<br><br><b>Theological Reflections</b><br><br>From a theological perspective, the accounts of servant-wives highlight themes of faith, divine promise, and human agency. The narratives underscore the importance of God's covenant promises, as seen in the eventual birth of Isaac to Sarah, fulfilling God's promise to Abraham. The use of servant-wives also reflects human attempts to fulfill divine promises through culturally accepted means, sometimes leading to unforeseen consequences and moral complexities.<br><br><b>New Testament Perspective</b><br><br>In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul references the account of Hagar and Sarah in <a href="/galatians/4-22.htm">Galatians 4:22-31</a> to illustrate the difference between the old covenant of the law and the new covenant of grace. Paul uses Hagar, the servant-wife, as a symbol of the old covenant, while Sarah represents the new covenant, emphasizing the freedom and promise found in Christ.<br><br>The concept of a servant-wife, while rooted in ancient customs, provides rich material for understanding the social, legal, and theological dimensions of biblical narratives.<a name="lib" id="lib"></a><div class="vheading2">Library</div><p><a href="/library/rolle/the_fire_of_love/chapter_i_first_of_conversion.htm"><span class="l">First of Conversion</span></a> <br><b>...</b> of whom they said that he chastised his body with marvellous sharpness for fifteen<br> years, and afterwards he lapsed into sin with his <b>servant's wife</b>, nor might <b>...</b> <br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/.../christianbookshelf.org/rolle/the fire of love/chapter i first of conversion.htm</font><a name="thes" id="thes"></a><div class="vheading2">Thesaurus</div><a href="/topical/s/servant-wife.htm"><span class="l"><b>Servant</b>-<b>wife</b> (12 Occurrences)</span></a><br><b>Servant</b>-<b>wife</b>. Servant's, <b>Servant</b>-<b>wife</b>. Servant-wives . Multi-Version<br> Concordance <b>Servant</b>-<b>wife</b> (12 Occurrences). Judges <b>...</b><br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/s/servant-wife.htm - 10k</font><p><a href="/topical/t/townsmen.htm"><span class="l">Townsmen (18 Occurrences)</span></a><br><b>...</b> my father's family this day, and have put to death his sons, even seventy men on<br> one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his <b>servant</b>-<b>wife</b>, king over the <b>...</b><br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/t/townsmen.htm - 12k</font><p><a href="/topical/s/servant's.htm"><span class="l">Servant's (29 Occurrences)</span></a><br><br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/s/servant's.htm - 15k</font><p><a href="/topical/i/inmost.htm"><span class="l">Inmost (49 Occurrences)</span></a><br><b>...</b> there was no king in Israel, a certain Levite was living in the inmost parts of<br> the hill-country of Ephraim, and he got for himself a <b>servant</b>-<b>wife</b> from Beth <b>...</b><br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/i/inmost.htm - 20k</font><p><a href="/topical/a/aramaean.htm"><span class="l">Aramaean (13 Occurrences)</span></a><br><b>...</b> (BBE YLT). 1 Chronicles 7:14 The sons of Manasseh by his <b>servant</b>-<b>wife</b>, the Aramaean<br> woman: she gave birth to Machir, the father of Gilead; (BBE YLT). <b>...</b><br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/a/aramaean.htm - 10k</font><p><a href="/topical/s/step.htm"><span class="l">Step (41 Occurrences)</span></a><br><b>...</b> Judges 19:27 In the morning her master got up, and opening the door of the house<br> went out to go on his way; and he saw his <b>servant</b>-<b>wife</b> stretched on the earth <b>...</b><br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/s/step.htm - 19k</font><p><a href="/topical/s/stopping.htm"><span class="l">Stopping (22 Occurrences)</span></a><br><b>...</b> Judges 20:4 Then the Levite, the husband of the dead woman, said in answer, I came<br> to Gibeah in the land of Benjamin, I and my <b>servant</b>-<b>wife</b>, for the purpose of <b>...</b><br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/s/stopping.htm - 13k</font><p><a href="/topical/s/servant-wives.htm"><span class="l">Servant-wives (4 Occurrences)</span></a><br>Servant-wives. <b>Servant</b>-<b>wife</b>, Servant-wives. Servant-woman . Multi-Version<br> Concordance <b>...</b> (BBE). <b>Servant</b>-<b>wife</b>, Servant-wives. Servant-woman . Reference Bible <br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/s/servant-wives.htm - 7k</font><p><a href="/topical/s/stepped.htm"><span class="l">Stepped (16 Occurrences)</span></a><br><b>...</b> Judges 19:27 In the morning her master got up, and opening the door of the house<br> went out to go on his way; and he saw his <b>servant</b>-<b>wife</b> stretched on the earth <b>...</b><br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/s/stepped.htm - 11k</font><p><a href="/topical/v/violently.htm"><span class="l">Violently (92 Occurrences)</span></a><br><b>...</b> of Gibeah came together against me, going round the house on all sides by night;<br> it was their purpose to put me to death, and my <b>servant</b>-<b>wife</b> was violently <b>...</b><br><font color="#ff6600" size="-1">/v/violently.htm - 35k</font><p><a name="res" id="res"></a><div class="vheading2">Resources</div><a href="https://www.gotquestions.org/Potiphars-wife.html">What can we learn from the account of Potiphar's wife? | GotQuestions.org</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.gotquestions.org/Servant-Songs.html">What are the four Servant Songs in Isaiah? | GotQuestions.org</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.gotquestions.org/wife-looking.html">What should I be looking for in a wife? What does the Bible say about finding a wife? | GotQuestions.org</a><br /><br /><a href="/concordance/">Bible Concordance</a> • <a href="/dictionary/">Bible Dictionary</a> • <a href="/encyclopedia/">Bible Encyclopedia</a> • <a href="/topical/">Topical Bible</a> • <a href="/thesaurus/">Bible Thesuarus</a></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="cnc" id="cnc"></a><div class="vheading2">Concordance</div><span class="encheading">Servant-wife (12 Occurrences)</span><p><span class="rtext"><a href="/judges/8-31.htm">Judges 8:31</a></span><br />And the <span class="boldtext">servant-wife</span> he had in Shechem had a son by him, to whom he gave the name Abimelech.<br /><span class="source">(BBE)</span><p><span class="rtext"><a href="/judges/9-18.htm">Judges 9:18</a></span><br />And you have gone against my father's family this day, and have put to death his sons, even seventy men on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his <span class="boldtext">servant-wife</span>, king over the townsmen of Shechem because he is your brother;)<br /><span class="source">(BBE)</span><p><span class="rtext"><a href="/judges/19-1.htm">Judges 19:1</a></span><br />Now in those days, when there was no king in Israel, a certain Levite was living in the inmost parts of the hill-country of Ephraim, and he got for himself a <span class="boldtext">servant-wife</span> from Beth-lehem-judah.<br /><span class="source">(BBE)</span><p><span class="rtext"><a href="/judges/19-2.htm">Judges 19:2</a></span><br />And his <span class="boldtext">servant-wife</span> was angry with him, and went away from him to her father's house at Beth-lehem-judah, and was there for four months.<br /><span class="source">(BBE)</span><p><span class="rtext"><a href="/judges/19-24.htm">Judges 19:24</a></span><br />See, here is my daughter, a virgin, and his <span class="boldtext">servant-wife</span>: I will send them out for you to take them and do with them whatever you will. But do no such thing of shame to this man.<br /><span class="source">(BBE)</span><p><span class="rtext"><a href="/judges/19-27.htm">Judges 19:27</a></span><br />In the morning her master got up, and opening the door of the house went out to go on his way; and he saw his <span class="boldtext">servant-wife</span> stretched on the earth at the door of the house with her hands on the step.<br /><span class="source">(BBE)</span><p><span class="rtext"><a href="/judges/20-4.htm">Judges 20:4</a></span><br />Then the Levite, the husband of the dead woman, said in answer, I came to Gibeah in the land of Benjamin, I and my <span class="boldtext">servant-wife</span>, for the purpose of stopping there for the night.<br /><span class="source">(BBE)</span><p><span class="rtext"><a href="/judges/20-5.htm">Judges 20:5</a></span><br />And the townsmen of Gibeah came together against me, going round the house on all sides by night; it was their purpose to put me to death, and my <span class="boldtext">servant-wife</span> was violently used by them and is dead.<br /><span class="source">(BBE)</span><p><span class="rtext"><a href="/1_chronicles/1-32.htm">1 Chronicles 1:32</a></span><br />And the sons of Keturah, Abraham's <span class="boldtext">servant-wife</span>: she was the mother of Zimran and Jokshan and Medan and Midian and Ishbak and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan: Sheba and Dedan.<br /><span class="source">(BBE)</span><p><span class="rtext"><a href="/1_chronicles/2-46.htm">1 Chronicles 2:46</a></span><br />And Ephah, Caleb's <span class="boldtext">servant-wife</span>, had Haran and Moza and Gazez; and Haran was the father of Gazez.<br /><span class="source">(BBE)</span><p><span class="rtext"><a href="/1_chronicles/2-48.htm">1 Chronicles 2:48</a></span><br />Maacah, Caleb's <span class="boldtext">servant-wife</span>, was the mother of Sheber and Tirhanah,<br /><span class="source">(BBE)</span><p><span class="rtext"><a href="/1_chronicles/7-14.htm">1 Chronicles 7:14</a></span><br />The sons of Manasseh by his <span class="boldtext">servant-wife</span>, the Aramaean woman: she gave birth to Machir, the father of Gilead;<br /><span class="source">(BBE)</span><a name="sub" id="sub"></a><div class="vheading2">Subtopics</div><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/s/servant-wife.htm">Servant-wife</a></p><a name="rel" id="rel"></a><div class="vheading2">Related Terms</div><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/f/fathered.htm">Fathered (4 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/d/dearer.htm">Dearer (4 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/s/servant-woman.htm">Servant-woman (7 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/s/servant-wife.htm">Servant-wife (12 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/f/flawless.htm">Flawless (7 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/d/dearest.htm">Dearest (2 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/d/darling.htm">Darling (13 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/g/girls.htm">Girls (27 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/m/maidens.htm">Maidens (40 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/p/praises.htm">Praises (66 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/a/addition.htm">Addition (112 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/b/beautiful.htm">Beautiful (152 Occurrences)</a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/topical/ttt/s/servants--when_patient_under_injury_are_acceptable_to_god.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Servants: when Patient Under Injury are Acceptable to God"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Servants: when Patient Under Injury are Acceptable to God" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/topical/s/servant-wives.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Servant-wives"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Servant-wives" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div> <div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"><script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></div></td></tr></table></div></div></div> <br /><br /> <div align="center"> <div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>