Atomic Bible

Leah's maidservant; mother of Gad and Asher

Zilpah

Named in 7 verses of Genesis, first in Genesis 29:24.

זִלְפָּהZilpah

The name means “distillation from the mouth.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869

Married to
Israel
Children
Gad, Asher

About Zilpah Written by AI

Zilpah was the maidservant of Leah, Jacob's first concubine. She played a significant role in the complex family dynamics of Jacob's household. When Leah realized that she had stopped bearing children, she gave Zilpah to Israel (or 'Jacob') as a concubine, following the custom of the time. Zilpah bore two sons, Gad and Asher, who were counted among the twelve tribes of Israel. The Bible records the births of Gad and Asher in Genesis 30, noting that Leah named them and claimed them as her own sons. Zilpah's sons are later mentioned in the lists of Jacob's descendants, highlighting their status as full members of the Israelite family. The story of Zilpah and her sons is part of the larger narrative of Jacob's family, which is marked by rivalry and conflict between his wives, Leah and Rachel. Despite her status as a maidservant, Zilpah's role in bearing two of Jacob's sons was significant in the growth and development of the Israelite nation.

Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.

Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897

Drooping, Leah’s handmaid, and the mother of Gad and Asher (Gen. 30:9-13).

M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.

GenesisMatthewRevelation

Where the Bible names her

  1. Genesis 29:24

    And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant.

  2. Genesis 30:9

    When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she gave her servant Zilpah to Jacob as a wife.

  3. Genesis 30:10

    And Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son.

  4. Genesis 30:12

    When Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son,

  5. Genesis 35:26

    And the sons of Leah’s maidservant Zilpah were Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan-aram.

  6. Genesis 37:2

    This is the account of Jacob. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he was tending the flock with his brothers, the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah, and he brought their father a bad report about them.

  7. Genesis 46:18

    These are the sons of Jacob born to Zilpah—whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah—sixteen in all.

From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.