Concubines

A woman, often a servant or slave, with whom a man had regular sexual relations, but to whom he was not married. A concubine did not have the rights of a wife and her children were not rightful heirs, though a wife might offer a servant to her husband as a concubine to have children on her behalf.

Concubines and wives

Concubines were distinguished from wives

1 Kings 11:3 Having concubines alongside wives was accepted in a polygamous society. See also Judges 8:30–31; 2 Samuel 5:13, 2 Samuel 19:5; 2 Chronicles 11:21; Daniel 5:2–3

He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines — and his wives turned his heart away.

Concubines were sometimes called wives

Genesis 16:3 Hagar was Abraham's “wife” only in a secondary sense. See also Genesis 25:1 Keturah was one of Abraham's concubines; Judges 19:1–4

So after he had lived in Canaan for ten years, his wife Sarai took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to Abram to be his wife.

Concubines did not have the rights of a wife

Genesis 21:8–14 They were more easily dismissed; Exodus 21:7–11 They did have some legal protection.

Maidservants were given as concubines

Genesis 30:3–6 Bilhah's sons would be regarded by Rachel as her own and would thus share the inheritance with Jacob's other sons. See also Genesis 30:9, Genesis 16:1–2; Galatians 4:22–23

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.” So Rachel gave Jacob her servant Bilhah as a wife, and he slept with her, and Bilhah conceived and bore him a son. Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me; He has heard my plea and given me a son.” So she named him Dan.

The tension between concubines and wives

Genesis 16:4–6 Though Abraham's concubine, Hagar's status was still that of servant. See also Genesis 21:9; Proverbs 30:23; Galatians 4:29

And he slept with Hagar, and she conceived. But when Hagar realized that she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. Then Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be upon you! I delivered my servant into your arms, and ever since she saw that she was pregnant, she has treated me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me.” “Here,” said Abram, “your servant is in your hands. Do whatever you want with her.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she fled from her.

Children born to concubines were not rightful heirs

Genesis 21:10–12 See also Genesis 25:5–6; Judges 9:18; Romans 9:7; Galatians 4:30; Hebrews 11:18

and she said to Abraham, “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac!” Now this matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son Ishmael. But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to everything that Sarah tells you, for through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.

Concubines were a symbol of possession

By taking Jacob's concubine, Reuben laid premature claim to his father's estate

Genesis 35:22 See also Genesis 49:3–4; 1 Chronicles 5:1

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:

Taking the concubine(s) of a king was tantamount to laying claim to the kingdom

2 Samuel 3:7 Abner is accused here of trying to usurp Ish-Bosheth's inheritance. See also 2 Samuel 12:8, 2 Samuel 16:21–22; 1 Kings 2:21–22

Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ish-bosheth questioned Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?”

Further examples of concubines

Genesis 22:23–24 Nahor's concubine, Reumah; Genesis 36:12 Eliphaz' concubine, Timna; Judges 19:1 a Levite's concubine; 2 Samuel 15:16 David's concubines; 1 Chronicles 1:32 Abraham's concubine, Keturah; 1 Chronicles 2:46–48 Caleb's concubines, Ephah and Maacah; 1 Chronicles 7:14 Manasseh's concubine; Esther 2:14 Xerxes' concubines; Daniel 5:23 Belshazzar's concubines