Bilhah and Zilpah

“Have you ever wondered how God’s promises unfold through unexpected people and circumstances? The lives of Bilhah and Zilpah reveal truths about faith and the divine purpose that echo today”.

The story of Bilhah and Zilpah, Rachel and Leah’s handmaidens, are more than footnotes in the Bible. The two women are God’s testimonies of sovereignty and the unexpected ways He fulfills His promises. In this article, let's explore how their lives contributed to God’s plan.

Bilhah of Hebrew origin means to act rashly out of confusion. Zilpah of Hebrew origin means frailty.

According to Wikipedia, “According to the early rabbinical Commentary of Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer, Zilpah and Bilhah, the handmaids of Leah and Rachel, respectively, were younger daughters of Laban. However modern scholars believe that Zilpah and Bilhah were most likely foreign, like Tamar and Asenath. According to Rashi, an 11th-century commentator, Zilpah was younger than Bilhah” (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zilpah). If Zilpah and Bilhah were daughters of Laban, then they would be half-sisters to Rachel and Leah. It is believed by some that Zilpah and Bilhah are buried in the Tomb of the Matriarchs in Tiberias.

Zilpah and Bilhah were maids of Laban. When Jacob married Laban's daughters, Rachel and Leah, Laban gave Zilpah to Leah and Bilhah to Rachel. According to Genesis 29:24, "And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid," and Genesis 29:29 states, "And Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as a maid."

The two handmaids are mentioned around 10 times in the Bible as Jacob’s wives and mothers to some of his children.

Bilhah’s Story

Bilhah was Rachel’s maid given to her by her father. When Rachel bore no children to Jacob, she grew envious of her sister, Leah. Genesis 30:3, “so she said, “Here is my maid Bilhah; go in to her, and she will bear a child on my knee, that I also may have children by her”. Jacob went into Bilhah and bore a son. Rachel named the child Dan because “God has judged my case; He has also heard my voice and given me a son” (Genesis 30:6). Bilhah bore another son. Rachel named the child Naphtali because she wrestled with her sister and prevailed. The names Dan and Naphtali reflect Rachel’s struggles and triumphs.

Zilpah’s Story

When Leah had stopped bearing children for Jacob, Leah gave Zilpah to Jacob as a wife. Zilpah bore Jacob two sons, Gad and Asher. Gad because “A troop comes” and Asher because “I am happy, for the daughters will call me blessed” (Genesis 30:11,12).

Even though they were handmaids, Bilhah and Zilpah played an important role in forming the twelve tribes of Israel. Leah and Rachel were struggling with gaining Jacob’s favor, giving their handmaids to Jacob so they could build their family through them. Bilhah and Zilpah were part of God’s covenant with Jacob, their sons were included with the tribes of Israel.

Do you wonder how Bilhah and Zilpah felt when they were given to Jacob to bear children and when they did, they couldn’t name them? In some cultures, this was often the case.

“Bilhah and Zilpah’s unwavering faith and trust in their circumstances remind us of the importance of relying on God’s plan even when our path is unclear. Their lives show how faithfulness in small things can significantly impact God’s grand design” (with the help of ChatGPT). Their unwavering faith inspires us to remain faithful to God in our own lives.