Overview
Zilpah was a servant girl given by Laban to his daughter Leah (Genesis 29:24) as part of her marriage to Jacob. When Leah believed she could no longer conceive, she gave Zilpah to Jacob as a wife, following the cultural practice of the time. Through Zilpah, Jacob fathered Gad and Asher, who became two of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Key Scriptures
"And Laban gave his maidservant Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a servant" (Genesis 29:24, ESV). "When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife" (Genesis 30:9, ESV). "So Zilpah, Leah's servant, bore Jacob a son. Then Leah said, 'Good fortune has come!' So she called his name Gad" (Genesis 30:10-11, ESV).
Application
Zilpah's inclusion in Jacob's family and the genealogy of Israel reminds us that God accomplishes His purposes through all people, regardless of social status or circumstances.