Genesis 29:24 kjv

And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.

Genesis 29:24 nkjv

And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid.

Genesis 29:24 niv

And Laban gave his servant Zilpah to his daughter as her attendant.

Genesis 29:24 esv

(Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.)

Genesis 29:24 nlt

(Laban had given Leah a servant, Zilpah, to be her maid.)

Genesis 29 verses

Genesis 29 24 Meaning

Genesis 29:24 details Laban's provision for his daughter Leah on her wedding night, gifting her Zilpah, his female servant, to be her personal maidservant. This was a common custom in the ancient Near East, where a bride of high standing might receive a handmaid as part of her dowry. Zilpah's role was not merely personal attendance but, by custom and later example (as with Bilhah to Rachel), could extend to bearing children on her mistress's behalf if the mistress faced barrenness. This act immediately expands Jacob's nascent family and foreshadows the complex relational dynamics within the emerging patriarchal lineage of Israel.

Genesis 29 24 Context

Genesis 29 begins Jacob's eventful arrival in Haran and his encounters with Laban, his uncle. Jacob immediately falls in love with Rachel and agrees to serve Laban for seven years to marry her. At the end of these seven years, Laban deceives Jacob, substituting Leah, his older daughter, for Rachel during the wedding night, capitalizing on the veil and the darkness. Genesis 29:24 fits within this immediate context of deception, showing Laban outwardly fulfilling the social custom of providing a handmaid for his daughter as part of the marriage arrangement or dowry. Historically and culturally, a wealthy or important household would have numerous servants, and a prominent bride receiving a handmaid from her father was a common practice. This ensured the bride's comfort and provided her with assistance, subtly adding to her status. This practice also had implications for lineage, as handmaids often bore children on behalf of barren mistresses, ensuring the continuation of the family line, a vital concern in this society. There is no direct polemic, but it shows how God worked within the established societal norms and imperfect human actions (like Laban's deception and the practice of polygamy/concubinage) to achieve His divine plan of establishing the nation of Israel.

Genesis 29 24 Word analysis

• And Laban: Laban (לָבָן, Lāḇān) meaning "white" (perhaps ironically, given his devious nature), is the primary actor. His giving of Zilpah reflects his patriarchal authority and also the cultural expectation of dowry and gifts accompanying a marriage, especially for his daughters, even though he had just deceived Jacob.
• gave: (וַיִּתֵּן, vayyittēn), from the root נָתַן (nāthan), a very common Hebrew verb meaning "to give," "to place," "to put," "to assign." Here, it signifies a formal act of assignment or transfer of ownership/stewardship of the servant. It underscores Laban's perceived generosity and authority.
• to his daughter: (לְלֵאָה בִתּוֹ, ləlēʾāh vittōw), literally "to Leah, his daughter." This highlights the relationship and that the gift is specifically for Leah, emphasizing her role as a bride.
• Leah: (לֵאָה, Lēʾāh). Leah is one of Jacob's primary wives and a foundational matriarch of Israel. The provision of Zilpah highlights her status, even if obtained through deception.
• Zilpah: (זִלְפָּה, Zilpāh). A proper noun, its etymology is uncertain, possibly related to "droplet" or "sprinkling." She is presented as property from Laban's household to Leah, underscoring the legal and social reality of servants in that era. Her name becomes significant later as she gives birth to two of Jacob's sons, Gad and Asher.
• his female servant: (שִׁפְחָתוֹ, šip̄ḥātô), from שִׁפְחָה (šip̄ḥāh), meaning "handmaid," "maidservant," or "female slave." This term often denotes a higher status than a typical 'amah' (אָמָה, also "female slave"), sometimes indicating a personal attendant or one with concubine potential. This handmaid status, inherited by Zilpah from Laban's household, dictates her initial and later elevated role within Jacob's family.
• for a servant: (לְשִׁפְחָה, ləšip̄ḥāh). The repetition of šip̄ḥāh ("female servant") here, essentially "as a handmaid," re-emphasizes Zilpah's designated role and status within Leah's household. It is not merely a gift but a specific assignment for service and, implicitly, for supporting the lineage. This echoes ancient Near Eastern practices of dower gifts including female servants, common in places like Nuzi, for various household duties including surrogacy.

Genesis 29 24 Bonus section

• The naming of the maidservants in Genesis (Hagar, Zilpah, Bilhah) points to their distinct status compared to unnamed general slaves; they held specific and important roles within the family structure, particularly for their potential in childbearing and the establishment of lineage.
• In ancient Near Eastern marriage contracts (like those found at Nuzi), it was common for a barren wife to be obliged to provide a slave girl to her husband for procreation. While this verse only states Zilpah was given to Leah as a servant, it sets the stage for Leah, facing perceived barrenness or competitive pressures, to utilize Zilpah later for this very purpose (Gen 30:9).
• The inclusion of Zilpah, along with Bilhah, meant that four women ultimately contributed to the formation of the twelve tribes of Israel (Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, Zilpah), reflecting the complex and often challenging realities through which God brought about His promised nation.
• The fact that these handmaids eventually give rise to four of the twelve tribes (Gad, Asher, Dan, Naphtali) elevates their historical and theological significance far beyond mere household attendants, demonstrating God's sovereign work even through societal norms that differ significantly from His ultimate ideal of marriage.

Genesis 29 24 Commentary

Genesis 29:24, though seemingly a simple statement of Laban's providing a servant, is highly significant. It showcases a prevalent social custom in the patriarchal period, where a prominent father would equip his marrying daughter with a handmaid, adding to her household status and assistance. This handmaid was effectively part of her dowry, meant to attend to her needs and perhaps even, in cases of infertility, to bear children on her mistress's behalf. Laban's actions, even while entangled with his deceptive tactics regarding Leah, adhere to the traditional protocol for a father giving his daughter in marriage. The formal gift of Zilpah parallels the later giving of Bilhah to Rachel (Gen 29:29), cementing the system that would eventually lead to Jacob having children by four women, each of whom would become a "mother of Israel." Thus, this seemingly minor detail lays foundational groundwork for the complex and providential origins of the twelve tribes of Israel, highlighting God's ability to work His purposes through the customs, and even flaws, of human society. This act also reveals the material provision Laban was capable of and chose to extend, fitting into his broader characterization as a shrewd and calculating man.