Concubinage*, Concubines — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Practice of a man cohabiting with a woman (concubine) who is regarded only as his sexual partner or as a secondary wife in his household, of lower station than his primary wife. Concubinage was practiced in many ancient cultures, especially in Mesopotamia, where the king maintained a harem and where a private citizen might have one or two concubines in addition to his primary wife. Both types of concubinage are referred to in the Bible. A concubine was often a slave or part of the booty of war (Jgs 5:30).

Show passage in OET: JDG 5:30

OET-RV JDG 5:30

30 ‘Won’t they be gathering and dividing the plunder?
⇔ A woman or two for each warrior to bear children.
⇔ Finding some colourful material for Sisera.
⇔ Taking some embroidered fabrics.
⇔ Dyed scarves as plunder.’

OET-LV JDG 5:30

30 Not are _they _finding are _they _dividing _up plunder a _womb two _wombs for_the_head _of a _man plunder _of coloured _cloth(s) for_Şīşərāʼ plunder _of coloured _cloth(s) multicoloured _material coloured _cloth _of multicoloured _material(s) for_the_necks _of plunder.

Jump to OET JDG 5:30 section.

A man might have a concubine simply as an economical form of marriage, since no dowry, or bride-price, was required. A concubine could add to a man’s prestige by giving him two wives and thus an increased capacity for children. Such offspring were normally delivered onto the knees of the legal wife, thus establishing their legitimacy as family members. The concubine was also another servant to add to the man’s work force.

In the patriarchal period, concubinage was customary (Gn 22:24; 35:22; 36:12), especially when the primary wife was childless (Gn 16:1-3; 25:5-6; 1 Chr 1:32). A concubine could exercise certain rights and secure recognition and inheritance for her offspring (note Gn 49:1-28, where the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah were included along with the sons of Leah and Rachel; cf. Gn 35:22-26). The custom was not suppressed by the Mosaic law, which must have included concubines in its treatment of multiple wives (Dt 17:17; 21:15-17).

Show passage in OET: GEN 22:24

OET-RV GEN 22:24

24 In addition, Nahor’s slave-wife Re’umah also gave birth to four sons: Tevah, Gaham, Tahash, and Ma’akah.

OET-LV GEN 22:24

24 And_concubine _of_his and_name _of_her was_Reumah and_ also she _she/it _gave _birth DOM Tebah and_DOM Gaham and_DOM Tahash and_DOM Maˊₐkāh.

Show passage in OET: GEN 35:22

OET-RV GEN 35:22

22 While they were living in that area, Yisrael’s (Israel’s) son Re’uven slept with his father’s slave-wife Bilhah, and Yisrael found out about it.
¶ Yisrael now had twelve sons.

OET-LV GEN 35:22

22 And_he/it _was when_ Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) _dwelt on _the_earth the_that and_ Rəʼūⱱēn _he/it _went and_he _lay with Bilhāh the _concubine _of his/its_father and_ Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) _he/it _listened and_ the _sons _of Yaˊₐqoⱱ _they _were two _plus ten.

Show passage in OET: GEN 36:12

OET-RV GEN 36:12

12 Elifaz and his slave-wife Timna had a son they named Amalek. (Elifaz’s sons were all grandsons of Esav and his wife Adah.)

OET-LV GEN 36:12

12 And_Timnāˊ she _was a _concubine of_ʼElīfaz the _son _of ˊĒsāv and_she/it _gave _birth to_ʼElīfaz DOM ˊAmālēq these were_the _sons _of ˊĀdāh the _wife _of ˊĒsāv.

Show passage in OET: GEN 16:1–3

OET-RV GEN 16:1

16 Now Avram’s wife Saray (Sarai) hadn’t been able to give him any children, but she had an Mitsri (Egyptian) slave named Hagar,

OET-RV GEN 16:2

2 so Saray said to Avram, “Listen, Yahweh has prevented me from having children so please sleep with my slave. Perhaps I can have a family through her.” Avram agreed to what Saray had suggested.

OET-RV GEN 16:3

3 So Saray, the wife of Avram, took Hagar, her Mitsri slave, after Avram had lived ten years in the land of Kena’an (Canaan), and gave her to Avram her husband as a wife for him.

OET-LV GEN 16:1

16 And_Sarai the _wife _of ʼAⱱrām not she _had _borne _children to_him/it and_belonged_to_her a _maidservant from _Miʦrayim/(Miʦrayim) and_name _of_her was_Hāgār.

OET-LV GEN 16:2

2 And_ Sarai _she/it _said to ʼAⱱrām HERE please he_has _restrained _me YHWH from_bearing _children go please into maidservant _of_my perhaps I _will _be _built _up from_her/it and_ ʼAⱱrām _he/it _listened to_sound/voice of _Sarai.

OET-LV GEN 16:3

3 And_ Sarai the _wife _of ʼAⱱrām _she/it _took DOM Hāgār the_from _Miʦrayim/(Miʦrayim) maidservant _of_her from _the_end/extremity ten years of_ of _ʼAⱱrām _the _dwelling in_land of _Kənaˊan/(Canaan) and_she/it _gave DOM_her/it to_ʼAⱱrām her/its_husband/man to_him/it to/for_(a)_woman.

Show passage in OET: GEN 25:5–6

Combined passage: English GEN 25:5–7 (native GEN 25:5–7; verse text cannot be split).

OET-RV GEN 25:5-7

5-7 ⇔Avraham went on to live to be 175 years old. He gave valuable gifts to all the sons of his slave-wives, then he forced them to move to the east to ensure that they would be removed from his son Yitshak (Isaac). Then he left everything else he owned to Yitshak.

OET-LV GEN 25:5

5 And_ ʼAⱱrāhām _he/it _gave DOM all _of that to_him/it to_Yiʦḩāq/(Isaac).

OET-LV GEN 25:6

6 And_to_the _sons _of the _concubines who belonged_to_ʼAⱱrāhām ʼAⱱrāhām he _gave gifts and_he_sent _them _away from_under Yiʦḩāq his/its_son in_still_he was_alive eastward_to to the_land _of the_east.

Show passage in OET: CH1 1:32

OET-RV CH1 1:32

32 The sons of Avraham’s slave-wife Keturah were Zimran, Yakeshan, Medan, Midyan, Yishbak, and Shuah. Yakeshan’s sons were Sheva and Dedan.

OET-LV CH1 1:32

32 And_the _sons of _Qəţūrāh the _concubine _of ʼAⱱrāhām she _bore DOM Zimrān and_Yoqshān/(Jokshan) and_Mədān and_Midyān and_Yishbāq/(Ishbak) and_Shuah and_the _sons of _Yoqshān were_Shəⱱāʼ and_Dədān.

Show passage in OET: GEN 35:22–26

OET-RV GEN 35:22

22 While they were living in that area, Yisrael’s (Israel’s) son Re’uven slept with his father’s slave-wife Bilhah, and Yisrael found out about it.
¶ Yisrael now had twelve sons.

OET-RV GEN 35:23

23 Le’ah’s sons were his eldest son Re’uven, and then to Shim’on (Simeon), Levi, Yehudah (Judah), Yisakar (Issachar), and Zevulun.

OET-RV GEN 35:24

24 Rahel’s (Rachel’s) sons were Yosef (Joseph) and Benyamin.

OET-RV GEN 35:25

25 The sons of Rahel’s slave woman Bilhah were Dan and Naftali (Naphtali).

OET-RV GEN 35:26

26 The sons of Le’ah’s slave women Zilpah were Gad and Asher. Those were Yisrael’s sons who were nearly all born in Padan -Aram.

OET-LV GEN 35:22

OET-LV GEN 35:23

23 The _sons _of Lēʼāh the _firstborn _of Yaˊₐqoⱱ Rəʼūⱱēn and_Shimˊōn and_Lēvī and_Yəhūdāh/(Yihudah) and_Yissāskār/(Issachar) and_Zəⱱūlūn.

OET-LV GEN 35:24

24 The _sons _of Rāḩēl Yōşēf/(Joseph) and_Binyāmīn.

OET-LV GEN 35:25

25 And_the _sons of _Bilhāh the _maidservant _of Rāḩēl Dān and_Naftali.

OET-LV GEN 35:26

26 And_the _sons of _Zilpah the _maidservant _of Lēʼāh Gād and_ʼĀshēr these were_the _sons _of Yaˊₐqoⱱ who it _was _born to_him/it in_Paddan- aram.

Show passage in OET: DEU 17:17

OET-RV DEU 17:17

17 He mustn’t take a lot of wives for himself or else he might stop worshipping Yahweh. Nor should he accumulate too much gold and silver.

OET-LV DEU 17:17

17 And_not he _will _increase for_him/it wives and_not heart _of_his it _will _turn _aside and_silver and_gold not he _will _increase for_him/it exceedingly.

Show passage in OET: DEU 21:15–17

OET-RV DEU 21:15

15 If a man has two wives and loves one more than the other, but they’ve both given birth to sons for him but the oldest son is from the wife he dislikes,

OET-RV DEU 21:16

16 then when he assigns his inheritance to his sons, he mustn’t favour the son of the favourite wife over that eldest son.

OET-RV DEU 21:17

17 Instead, he must acknowledge the son of the wife he dislikes, and given him double of everything, because that son is the beginning of his strength, and the largest share belongs to him.

OET-LV DEU 21:15

15 If/because they _will _belong to_a _man two _of wives the_one(f) is_loved and_the_one is_hated and_they _gave _birth to_him/it sons the _loved_wife and_the _hated_wife and_ the_son the_firstborn _it _was to_wife.

OET-LV DEU 21:16

16 And_it _was in/on_day he_causes _to _inherit DOM sons _of_his DOM that_which it _will _belong to_him/it not he _will _be _able to_treat _as _firstborn DOM the _son _of the _loved_wife on the _face _of the _son _of the _hated_wife the_firstborn.

OET-LV DEU 21:17

17 If/because DOM the_firstborn the _son _of the _hated_wife he _will _acknowledge by_giving to_him/it a _mouth _of two in_all that it _will _be _found to_him/it if/because he is_the _beginning _of his _generative _power _of_his to_him/it the _claim _of the _birthright.

Jump to OET GEN 22:24 section.

Jump to OET GEN 35:22 section.

Jump to OET GEN 36:12 section.

Jump to OET GEN 16:1–3 section.

Jump to OET GEN 25:5–6 section.

Jump to OET CH1 1:32 section.

Jump to OET GEN 35:22–26 section.

Jump to OET DEU 17:17 section.

Jump to OET DEU 21:15–17 section.

Concubinage continued through the period of the judges. Gideon had a concubine (Jgs 8:31), as did an unnamed man of Levi’s tribe (Jgs 19). Abuse of that man’s concubine by men from Benjamin’s tribe caused a bloody civil war (Jgs 20–21 OET JDG 20:1–48 · OET JDG 21:1–25). During the period of Israel’s monarchy, the luxury of concubines could be afforded only by kings such as Saul (2 Sm 3:7), David (5:13; 15:16), Solomon (1 Kgs 11:3), and Rehoboam (2 Chr 11:21). Royal harems existed in many other cultures of that time, including Egypt, Persia (Est 2:14), and Babylon (Dn 5:2-3, 23 OET DAN 5:2–3 · OET DAN 5:23).

Show passage in OET: JDG 8:31

OET-RV JDG 8:31

31 He also had a mistress in Shekem—she also bore him a son that he named Avimelek.

OET-LV JDG 8:31

31 And_concubine _of_his who was_in_Shəkem she _bore for_him/it also she a _son and_he/it _assigned DOM his/its_name ʼAⱱīmelek.

Show passage in OET: SA2 3:7

OET-RV SA2 3:7

7 Now Sha’ul had had a slave-wife named Ritspah (daughter of Ayah) and Avner slept with her. So Ish-Boshet demanded, “Why have you slept with my father’s slave-wife?”

OET-LV SA2 3:7

7 And_belonged_to_Shāʼūl a _concubine and_name _of_her was_Riʦpāh the _daughter _of ʼAy^yāh and_he/it _said to ʼAⱱnēr why have _you _gone into the _concubine _of my _father _of_my.

Show passage in OET: SA2 5:13

OET-RV SA2 5:13

13 After David moved from Hevron to Yerushalem (Jerusalem), he married more wives and took more slave-wives, all of whom produced more sons and daughters for him.

OET-LV SA2 5:13

13 And_ Dāvid _he/it _took again concubines and_wives from_Yərūshālaim/(Jerusalem) after came_he from_Ḩeⱱrōn and_they _were _born again to_Dāvid sons and_daughters.

Show passage in OET: SA2 15:16

OET-RV SA2 15:16

16 So the king left ten of his slave-wives to look after the palace, but he left with all his family.

OET-LV SA2 15:16

16 And_ the_king _he/it _went _out and_all household _of_his was_at_feet _of_his and_ the_king _he _left DOM ten women concubines to_guard/protect the_house.

Show passage in OET: KI1 11:3

OET-RV KI1 11:3

3 He had seven hundred wives who were kings’ daughters, as well as three hundred slave-wives, and his wives were instrumental in his turning away from Yahweh.

OET-LV KI1 11:3

3 And_he/it _was to_him/it wives noble _ladies seven hundred(s) and_concubines three hundred(s) and_ wives _of_his _they _turned _aside DOM his/its_heart.

Show passage in OET: CH2 11:21

OET-RV CH2 11:21

21 Rehav’am loved Ma’akah the most out of his eighteen wives and sixty slave-wives. He fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters,

OET-LV CH2 11:21

21 And_ Rəḩaⱱˊām _he _loved DOM Maˊₐkāh the _daughter _of ʼAⱱīshālōm from_all wives _of_his and_concubines _of_his if/because wives eight- teen he _had _taken and_concubines sixty and_he/it _fathered twenty and_eight sons and_sixty daughters.

Show passage in OET: EST 2:14

OET-RV EST 2:14

14 She’d be taken across in the evening, and in the morning she’d be led out to the other harem which was for the concubines. (That harem was overseen by Sha’ashgaz, another castrated royal guardian.) The women taken there wouldn’t go again to the king’s house unless he had especially liked them and summoned her back by name.

OET-LV EST 2:14

14 In_evening she was_going and_in_morning she was_returning to the _house _of the _women second into the _hand _of Shaashgaz the _eunuch _of the_king the _one _who_kept _of the_concubines not she _went again into the_king if/because (if) he _delighted in_her the_king and_she _was _summoned by_name.

Show passage in OET: DAN 5:2–3; DAN 5:23

OET-RV DAN 5:2

2 As Belshatsar was drinking the wine, he remembered the gold and silver cups that his father Nevukadnetsar (Nebuchadnezzar) had taken from the temple in Yerushalem (Jerusalem), and ordered that they be brought in so that the king and his leading citizens, and his wives and his concubines, could drink from them.

OET-RV DAN 5:3

3 So they brought in the gold cups that had been taken out of God’s residence in Yerushalem, then the king and his leading citizens, his wives and his concubines, drank from them.

OET-RV DAN 5:23

23 On the contrary, you’ve proudly promoted yourself as being greater than the master of the heavens. You brought the temple cups in here and you and your leading citizens, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. You praised the gods made from silver and gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which can’t see, or hear, or know anything, yet you haven’t honoured the god who decides your future and every breath that you take.

OET-LV DAN 5:2

2 Bēləshaʼʦʦar he _said in_the _taste _of the _wine to_bring DOM_the_vessels _of (the)_gold and_(the)_silver which Nəⱱūkadneʦʦar father _of_his he _had _brought _out from the_temple which was_in_Yərūshelēm/(Jerusalem) so_that _they _may _drink with_them Oh/the_king and_nobles _of_his wives _of_his and_concubines _of_his.

OET-LV DAN 5:3

3 In_then they _brought the _vessels _of (the)_gold which they _had _brought _out from the_temple which was_the _house _of the_god which was_in_Yərūshelēm/(Jerusalem) and_they _drank with_them Oh/the_king and_nobles _of_his wives _of_his and_concubines _of_his.

OET-LV DAN 5:23

23 And_against the _master _of the_heavens you _have _lifted _yourself _up and_DOM_the_vessels of house _of_his they _have _brought mmm and and wives _of_your and_concubines _of (the)_wine are_drinking with_them and_DOM_the_gods _of (the)_silver and_(the)_gold (the)_bronze (the)_iron (the)_wood and_(the)_stone who not are_seeing and_not are_hearing and_not are_knowing you _have _praised and_DOM_the_god who breath _of_your is_in_hand _of_his and_all ways _of_your to_him/it not you _have _glorified.

Jump to OET JDG 8:31 section.

Jump to OET SA2 3:7 section.

Jump to OET SA2 5:13 section.

Jump to OET SA2 15:16 section.

Jump to OET KI1 11:3 section.

Jump to OET CH2 11:21 section.

Jump to OET EST 2:14 section.

Jump to OET DAN 5:2–3 section. · OET DAN 5:23 section.

Concubines were thus a legitimate part of many ancient cultures, even when a society acknowledged the superiority of monogamous marriage. Concubinage was fostered by a desire for prestige and a large family, but could at times degenerate into a license for sexual freedom (cf. Eccl 2:8). Concubinage was part of the contemporary Greek and Roman cultures, but it was not in keeping with the teachings of Jesus (Mt 19:1-9).