Zilpah is a significant yet often understated figure in the biblical narrative, primarily known as one of the handmaidens of Leah, the first wife of Jacob. Her account is interwoven with the complex family dynamics of the patriarch Jacob, whose life and lineage are central to the narrative of the Israelites.

Background and Role:

Zilpah is introduced in the Book of Genesis as a maidservant given to Leah by her father, Laban, when Leah was married to Jacob. In the cultural context of the time, it was customary for a bride to be accompanied by a maidservant, who could also serve as a surrogate in matters of childbearing. This practice is evident in the lives of the patriarchs, where the continuation of lineage was of paramount importance.

Children and Legacy:

Zilpah's role becomes more prominent during the intense rivalry between Leah and her sister Rachel, Jacob's second wife, over the affection of their husband and the bearing of children. When Leah ceased bearing children for a time, she gave Zilpah to Jacob as a concubine to bear children on her behalf. This act was in accordance with the customs of the time, where a maidservant could bear children that would be considered the offspring of the wife.

Zilpah bore Jacob two sons:

1. Gad: The name "Gad" is associated with fortune or good luck. Leah named him, saying, "How fortunate!" (Genesis 30:11). Gad would become the progenitor of the tribe of Gad, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The tribe of Gad settled on the eastern side of the Jordan River and played a significant role in the history of Israel.

2. Asher: The name "Asher" means "happy" or "blessed." Leah declared, "How happy I am! For the women will call me happy" (Genesis 30:13). The tribe of Asher, descending from Zilpah's second son, was known for its rich land and abundance, as reflected in the blessings given by Jacob and Moses (Genesis 49:20; Deuteronomy 33:24).

Significance in the Biblical Narrative:

Zilpah's contribution to the family of Jacob is significant in that her sons became heads of two of the twelve tribes of Israel. Her account highlights the themes of divine providence and the fulfillment of God's promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob regarding their descendants. Despite her status as a maidservant, Zilpah's legacy is preserved through the tribes of Gad and Asher, which played vital roles in the history and development of the nation of Israel.

Cultural and Theological Insights:

Zilpah's life and her role in the biblical narrative offer insights into the social and familial structures of the ancient Near East. Her account reflects the complexities of polygamous family life and the importance placed on childbearing and lineage. Theologically, Zilpah's inclusion in the narrative underscores the sovereignty of God in using all individuals, regardless of their social status, to fulfill His divine purposes and promises.

In summary, Zilpah, though a secondary figure in the patriarchal narratives, is an integral part of the unfolding account of God's chosen people. Her life and the lives of her descendants contribute to the rich tapestry of Israel's history as recorded in the Scriptures.Zilpah

distillation from the mouth

Zilpah

(a trickling), a Syrian given by Laban to his daughter Leah as an attendant, (Genesis 29:24) and by Leah to Jacob as a concubine. She was the mother of Gad and Asher. (Genesis 30:9-13; 35:26; 37:2; 46:18) (B.C. 1753.)

Zilpah

The maid of Leah, who became the secondary wife of Jacob, and the mother of Gad and Asher, Genesis 29:24; 30:9-13.

Drooping, Leah's handmaid, and the mother of Gad and Asher (Genesis 30:9-13). ZILPAH

zil'-pa (zilpah, meaning uncertain; Zelpha): The ancestress of Gad and Asher (Genesis 30:10, 12; Genesis 35:26; Genesis 46:18), a slave girl of Leah's, given her by Laban (Genesis 29:24; Genesis 30:9). In Ezekiel 48 the Zilpah tribes have the 5th division toward the South of Palestine and the 6th to the North, a slightly more favorable position than that of the Bilhah tribes.

2153. Zilpah -- one of Jacob's wives
... 2152, 2153. Zilpah. 2154 . one of Jacob's wives. Transliteration: Zilpah
Phonetic Spelling: (zil-paw) Short Definition: Zilpah. ...
/hebrew/2153.htm - 6k

The Trials and visions of Devout Youth
... Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and
the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the trials and visions of.htm

Chapter xxxvii
... a shepherd's work among the flocks together with his brethren, and in fact he was
a servant together with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, the wives ...
/.../leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxxvii.htm

Chapter xxx
... 9-11. When Leah saw that she had ceased from bearing children, she took
Zilpah, her handmaid, and gave her to Jacob for wife. And ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxx.htm

The Testament of Naphtali Concerning Natural Goodness.
... noble; and he was taken captive, and was bought by Laban; and he gave him Aena his
handmaid to wife, and she bore a daughter, and called her Zilpah, after the ...
/.../viii the testament of naphtali concerning.htm

The Testament of Gad Concerning Hatred.
... And Joseph told our father that the sons of Zilpah and Bilhah were slaying the best
of the beasts, [159] and devouring them without the knowledge of Judah and ...
/.../the testaments of the twelve patriarchs/ix the testament of gad concerning.htm

Joseph and his Brethren
... Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and
he was a lad with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's ...
/.../select masterpieces of biblical literature/i joseph and his brethren.htm

Chapter xlix
... Then come the four sons of the handmaids, though the two sons of Zilpah, Asher and
Gad, are inserted between the two sons of Bilhah, Dan and Naphtali. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xlix.htm

Chapter xlvi
... Malchiel. These are children of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah, his daughter;
and these she bare unto Jacob, sixteen persons. Rearranged ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xlvi.htm

Chapter xxix
... her. Also Laban gave Zilpah his maid to Leah, his daughter, as her own
maid. ... more. "Zilpah" perhaps means "nearness," "intimacy.". ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxix.htm

Circumcision, Temple Service, and Naming of Jesus.
... daughter of Phanuel [the same as Peniel, meaning "Face of God""Genesis 32:30], of
the tribe of Asher [Asher was the second son of Jacob and Zilpah (Genesis 30 ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xii circumcision temple service and.htm

Zilpah (7 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ZILPAH. zil'-pa (zilpah, meaning ... of the Bilhah
tribes. Multi-Version Concordance Zilpah (7 Occurrences). ...
/z/zilpah.htm - 9k

Maid-servant (49 Occurrences)
... woman;' (YLT). Genesis 29:24 and Laban giveth to her Zilpah, his maid-servant,
to Leah his daughter, a maid-servant. (YLT). Genesis ...
/m/maid-servant.htm - 22k

Maidservant (73 Occurrences)
... Abraham. (See NIV). Genesis 29:24 And Laban gave to her Zilpah, his maidservant,
to be maidservant to Leah his daughter. (DBY NIV). ...
/m/maidservant.htm - 28k

Asher (43 Occurrences)
... Happy, Jacob's eigth son; his mother was Zilpah, Leah's handmaid (Genesis 30:13). ...
Genesis 35:26 The sons of Zilpah (Leah's handmaid): Gad and Asher. ...
/a/asher.htm - 26k

Leah's (5 Occurrences)
... (WEB JPS ASV BBE NAS RSV). Genesis 30:10 Zilpah, Leah's handmaid, bore Jacob a son. ...
Genesis 30:12 Zilpah, Leah's handmaid, bore Jacob a second son. ...
/l/leah's.htm - 7k

Maid (57 Occurrences)
... Genesis 29:24 Laban gave Zilpah his handmaid to his daughter Leah for a handmaid. ...
Genesis 30:10 Zilpah, Leah's handmaid, bore Jacob a son. ...
/m/maid.htm - 27k

Beareth (108 Occurrences)
... Jacob, (YLT). Genesis 30:10 and Zilpah, Leah's maid-servant, beareth to Jacob
a son, (YLT). Genesis 30:12 And Zilpah, Leah's maid-servant ...
/b/beareth.htm - 34k

Leah (30 Occurrences)
... He went in to her. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Genesis 29:24
Laban gave Zilpah his handmaid to his daughter Leah for a handmaid. ...
/l/leah.htm - 19k

Gad (78 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Fortune; luck. (1.) Jacob's seventh son, by Zilpah, Leah's
handmaid, and the brother of Asher (Genesis 30:11-13; 46:16, 18). ...
/g/gad.htm - 49k

Bare (250 Occurrences)
... (KJV ASV). Genesis 30:10 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son. (KJV ASV). Genesis
30:12 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son. (KJV ASV). ...
/b/bare.htm - 35k

Who was Gad in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What is the birth order of Jacob's thirteen children? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Asher in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

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