זִלְפָּה
zil.pah
Zilpah
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Hebrew word זִלְפָּה (zil.pah) is a proper noun, specifically designating a person. It is used 7 times in the Bible, indicating its relevance to the narrative. As a proper noun, its meaning is tied to a specific individual rather than an abstract concept or general idea. The use of this proper noun across 7 instances suggests that Zilpah holds significant importance within the context of the biblical narrative. It is likely that understanding who Zilpah is and her role will provide insight into the story being told. The fact that she is mentioned by name rather than being anonymously referred to implies that her character and actions carry weight within the narrative. Further analysis of the biblical text will be necessary to determine the exact nature and significance of Zilpah's role, as this is information that cannot be gleaned from the lexicon alone. However, as a proper noun with a limited range of usage, Zilpah's appearance in the biblical narrative signals that she is a notable figure deserving of examination.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
7 total occurrences across the text
Laban gave Zilpah his servant to his daughter Leah for a servant.
Genesis 30:9When Leah saw that she had finished bearing, she took Zilpah, her servant, and gave her to Jacob as a wife.
Genesis 30:10Zilpah, Leah’s servant, bore Jacob a son.
Genesis 30:12Zilpah, Leah’s servant, bore Jacob a second son.
Genesis 35:26The sons of Zilpah (Leah’s servant): Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan Aram.
Genesis 37:2This is the history of the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. Joseph brought an evil report of them to their father.
Genesis 46:18These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah, his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob, even sixteen souls.