Genesis 29:24

24 Lavan also gave his slave-girl Zilpah to his daughter Le'ah as her slave-girl.

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.

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 Pirke Eliezer, c. 36.

Genesis 29:24 In-Context

22 Lavan gathered all the men of the place and gave a banquet.

23 In the evening he took Le'ah his daughter and brought her to Ya'akov, and he went in and slept with her.

24 Lavan also gave his slave-girl Zilpah to his daughter Le'ah as her slave-girl.

25 In the morning Ya'akov saw that he was with Le'ah, and he said to Lavan, "What kind of thing is this that you've done to me? Didn't I work for you for Rachel? Why have you deceived me?"

26 Lavan answered, "In our place that isn't how it's done, to give the younger daughter before the firstborn.