Genesis 29:24

24 Laban also gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid.

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 Laban gathered all the men of the place and made a feast.

23 Now in the evening he took his daughter Leah, and brought her to him; and Jacob went in to her.

24 Laban also gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid.

25 So it came about in the morning that, behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served with you? Why then have you deceived me?"

26 But Laban said, "It is not the practice in our place to marry off the younger before the firstborn.