Genesis 30:10

⁹When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she gave her servant Zilpah to Jacob as a wife.¹⁰And Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. ¹¹Then Leah said, “How fortunate!” So she named him Gad.

Sermons

(Through the Bible) Exodus 1-5

Chuck Smith

1.8K

Summary

In this verse, Rachel, who was barren, gives her maid Bilhah to Jacob as a wife so that she can have children through her. This action reflects the cultural practice of using a surrogate to bear children when a woman was unable to conceive. It also reveals the competitive nature of Rachel and Leah's relationship as they vie for Jacob's affection and strive to bear him children. This situation ultimately leads to the birth of two sons, Dan and Naphtali, through Bilhah, highlighting the complexities and challenges within this family dynamic.

Commentary

John Gill
Tyndale

John Gill Bible Commentary

And Zilpah, Leah's maid, bare Jacob a second son. As well as Bilhah, and no more. And Zilpah, Leah's maid, bare Jacob a second son. As well as Bilhah, and no more. Genesis 30:13 gen 30:13 gen 30:13 gen 30:13And Leah said,.... Upon the birth of the second son by her maid: happy am I; or, "in my happiness"; or, "for my happiness" (c); that is, this child is an addition to my happiness, and will serve to increase it: for the daughters will call me blessed; the women of the place where she lived would speak of her as a happy person, that had so many children of her own, and others by her maid; see Psa 127:5, and she called his name Asher, which signifies "happy" or "blessed". These two sons of Zilpah, according to the Jewish writers (d), were born, Gad on the tenth day of Marchesvan or October, and lived one hundred and twenty five years; and Asher on the twenty second day of Shebet or January, and lived one hundred and twenty three years. (c) "in felicitate mea", Montanus; "ob beatitatem meam", Drusius; "hoc pro beatitudine men", V. L. "pro beatitudine mihi est", Schmidt. (d) Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 4. 1.