Genesis 29:24

24 Laban had given his servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her servant.

Genesis 29:24 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 29:24

And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid, [for]
an handmaid.
] It was usual to have many given them at this time, as Rebekah seems to have had, ( Genesis 24:59 Genesis 24:61 ) ; but Leah had but one, and this was all the portion Jacob had with her. The Targum of Jonathan is,

``and Laban gave her Zilpah his daughter, whom his concubine bore unto him:''

hence the Jews say F17, that the daughters of a man by his concubines are called maids.


FOOTNOTES:

F17 Pirke Eliezer, c. 36.

Genesis 29:24 In-Context

22 So Laban invited all the people of that place and prepared a banquet.
23 However, in the evening, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he slept with her.
24 Laban had given his servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her servant.
25 In the morning, there she was—Leah! Jacob said to Laban, "What have you done to me? Didn't I work for you to have Rachel? Why did you betray me?"
26 Laban said, "Where we live, we don't give the younger woman before the oldest.
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