Zilpah
Pronounced ZIL-puh
- Meaning
- "Dripping; Fragrant drop; Myrrh"
- Origin
- Hebrew
Zilpah means "dripping" or "fragrant drop" in Hebrew, possibly referring to myrrh — a precious resin that drips from trees. She was Leah's handmaid whom Leah gave to Jacob as a wife when she temporarily stopped bearing children. Zilpah bore Jacob two sons: Gad ("good fortune") and Asher ("happy" or "blessed"). These two sons became heads of Israelite tribes, and their descendants played important roles in Israel's history. Asher's territory was particularly blessed — Moses prophesied that Asher would "dip his foot in oil" and that "as thy days, so shall thy strength be." Zilpah's story reflects the complex family dynamics of Jacob's household. Like Hagar and Bilhah, she was a woman whose agency was limited by her social position, yet God honored her as a mother of Israel. Two of the twelve tribes trace their lineage to her. The inclusion of Zilpah's sons among the twelve tribes demonstrates that God's covenant extends beyond social hierarchies — He builds His people from every station of life.
Spiritual meaning
Zilpah — a 'fragrant drop' — reminds us that God builds His kingdom from the humble and overlooked. Two tribes of Israel came from a handmaid, proving that divine purpose transcends human hierarchies.
Related verses (KJV)
"When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife. And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son."
Genesis 30:9-10 (KJV) →"And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son. And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher."
Genesis 30:12-13 (KJV) →