Zilpa

Zilpa is the Biblical Hebrew form of the name Zilpah, and it is also the form used in several other languages. In the Old Testament, Zilpah was the handmaid of Leah, the first wife of Jacob. Leah gave Zilpah to Jacob as a wife to bear him children, a common practice in ancient times when a wife was unable to conceive. Zilpah bore two sons, Gad and Asher, whom Leah claimed as her own and who became founders of two of the twelve tribes of Israel (according to the Book of Genesis, chapters 30 and 46).

Etymology

The name Zilpah is of Hebrew origin, from זִלְפָּה (Zīlpā), meaning “frailty” or “drooping.” The exact etymology is uncertain, but it likely connotes weakness or fragility, which may reflect Zilpah's subordinate status as a handmaid.

Notable Bearers

Zilpah is a minor but important figure in the Hebrew Bible. She is mentioned in the context of the patriarchal narratives as a servant who becomes a mother of tribes. According to early rabbinical commentary Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer, Zilpah and her fellow handmaid Bilhah were actually daughters of Laban (Leah and Rachel's father) from concubines, making Leah and Rachel their half-sisters. However, modern scholars consider this unlikely, and instead believe Zilpah and Bilhah were of foreign origin, like other biblical figures such as Tamar and Asenath.

Cultural Significance

Zilpah's story reflects the social customs of the ancient Near East, where handmaids could bear children on behalf of their mistresses. Her sons Gad and Asher are associated with tribes that played roles in the history of Israel. The name Zilpah (or Zilpa) is rarely used in modern times, but it appears in some Christian and Jewish communities as a historical name from the Bible.

• Meaning: Frailty, drooping
• Origin: Hebrew
• Type: First name (feminine)
• Usage regions: Hebrew Bible, later in various languages