Lexical Definition
זִלְפָּה Zilpâh (zil-paw) Zilpah N:N-F-P
from an unused root apparently meaning to trickle, as myrrh; fragrant dropping
Zilpah.
- § Zilpah = "a trickling"
- Zilpah, Leah's maid
1) the Syrian given by Laban to Leah as a handmaid, a concubine of Jacob, mother of Asher and Gad
| Form | Translated As | In Verse(s) |
|---|---|---|
| זִלְפָּה֙ | Zilpah | Gen.30.12 |
| זִלְפָּ֣ה | Zilpah | Gen.30.9 |
| זִלְפָּ֛ה | Zilpah | Gen.30.10 • Gen.35.26 |
| זִלְפָּ֖ה | Zilpah | Gen.29.24 • Gen.37.2 |
| זִלְפָּ֔ה | Zilpah | Gen.46.18 |
| Ζελφάσ | of Zilpah | LXX.Gen.35.26 • LXX.Gen.37.2 • LXX.Gen.46.18 |
| Ζελφάν | Zilpah | LXX.Gen.29.24 • LXX.Gen.30.9 |
| Ζελφά | Zilpah | LXX.Gen.30.10 • LXX.Gen.30.12 |
Extended Information
- A woman living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.24 married to Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵל)
- mother of: Gad (גָּד) and Asher (אָשֵׁר)
Brown-Driver-Briggs
זלף (√ of following; Thes compare Aramaic זְלַף Pa`el drop, drip; compare 
; also Late Hebrew זִלּוּף sprinkling, 
dropping, pouring, 
a full bowl, etc.)
Profile
Female • Leah's maidservant; mother of Gad and Asher
Woman living at the time of the Patriarchs
Zilpah, Leah's maidservant, bore Jacob two sons, Gad and Asher (Gen.29.24; 30.9,10,12; 35.26; 37.2; 46.18).
- A woman living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.24;
- only referred to as Zilpah זִלְפָּה;
- wife of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵל;
- mother of Gad גָּד and Asher אָשֵׁר.
Zilpah was the maidservant of Leah, Jacob's first wife. 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.
All entries for Zilpah: זִלְפָּה