Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  5000 Humanity  »  5650 Human relationships  »  5672 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; Samuel 19:5; 2 Chronicles 11:21; Daniel 5:2-3

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

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

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

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

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

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; Samuel 16:21-22; 1 Kings 2:21-22

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

See also

5703  inheritance
5708  marriage
5717  monogamy
5732  polygamy
5744  wife
7446  slavery