When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.
When Leah saw that she had left bearing,…. For a little while, for she afterwards bore again, and observing also what her sister had done;
she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife: in this she was less excusable than Rachel, since she had four children of her own, and therefore might have been content without desiring others by her maid; nor had she long left off bearing, and therefore had no reason to give up hope of having any more.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Zilpah’s Sons. – But Leah also was not content with the divine blessing bestowed upon her by Jehovah. The means employed by Rachel to retain the favour of her husband made her jealous; and jealousy drove her to the employment of the same means. Jacob begat two sons by Zilpah her maid. The one Leah named Gad, i.e., “good fortune,” saying, , “with good fortune,” according to the Chethib, for which the Masoretic reading is , “good fortune has come,” – not, however, from any ancient tradition, for the Sept. reads , but simply from a subjective and really unnecessary conjecture, since = “to my good fortune,” sc., a son is born, gives a very suitable meaning. The second she named Asher, i.e., the happy one, or bringer of happiness; for she said, , “to my happiness, for daughters call me happy,” i.e., as a mother with children. The perfect relates to “what she had now certainly reached” ( Del.). Leah did not think of God in connection with these two births. They were nothing more than the successful and welcome result of the means she had employed.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
9. When Leah saw that she had left bearing. Moses returns to Leah, who, not content with four sons, devised a method whereby she might always retain her superior rank: and therefore she also, in turn, substitutes her maid in her place. And truly Rachel deserved such a reward of her perverse design; since she, desiring to snatch the palm from her sister, does not consider that the same contrivance to which she had resorted, might speedily be employed against herself. Yet Leah sins still more grievously, by using wicked and unjust arts in the contest. Within a short period, she had experienced the wonderful blessing of God; and now, because she ceased from bearing, for a little while, she despairs concerning the future, as if she had never participated in the Divine favor. What, if her desire was strong; why did she not resort to the fountain of blessing? In obtruding, therefore, her maid, she gave proof not only of impatience, but also of distrust; because with the remembrance of Divine mercy, faith also is extinguished in her heart. And we know that all who rely upon the Lord are so tranquil and sedate in their mind, that they patiently wait for what he is about to give. And it is the just punishment of unbelief when any one stumbles through excessive haste. So much the more ought we to beware of the assaults of the flesh, if we desire to maintain a right course.
As to the name Gad, this passage is variously expounded by commentators. In this point they agree, that בגד ( bagad) means the same as if Leah had said “the time of bearing is come.” (76) But some suppose גד ( Gad,) to be the prosperous star of Jupiter; others, Mercury; others, good fortune. They adduce Isa 65:11, where it is written, “they offer a libation to Gad.” (77) But the context of the Prophet shows that this ought rather to be understood of the host of heaven, or of the number of false gods; because it immediately follows that they offer sacrifices to the stars, and furnish tables for a multitude of gods: the punishment is then added, that as they had fabricated an immense number of deities, so God will “number” them “to the sword.” As it respects the present passage, nothing is less probable than that Leah should extol the planet Jupiter instead of God, seeing that she, at least, maintained the principle that the propagation of the human race flows from God alone. I wonder also that interpreters understand this of prosperous fortune, when Moses afterwards, Gen 49:19, leads us to an opposite meaning. For the allusion he there makes would be inappropriate, “Gad, a troop shall overcome him,” etc., unless it had been the design of Leah to congratulate herself on the troop of her children. For since she had so far surpassed her sister, (78) she declares that she has children in great abundance. When she proclaims herself happy (79) in her sixth son, it again appears in what great esteem fecundity was then held. And certainly it is a great honor, when God confers on mortals the sacred title of parents, and through them propagates the human race formed after his own image.
(76) Venit felicitas In the French translation, “ Mon heur est venu.” My hour is come. The word בגד is explained in the margin of the Hebrew Bible by בא גד Venit turma, ceu exercitus — a troop or army cometh. See Schindler. — Ed
(77) “Ye are they that forsake the Lord, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop (margin, Meni). — English Translation. Calvin has quoted from memory, and not accurately, having put libation instead of table. — Ed.
(78) Nam quum sesquialtera parte superior esset, praedicat se habere in magna copia liberos.
(79) “And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters shall call me blessed; and she called his name Asher.” — English Translation. It may be observed that the names given to these children of the hand-maidens were far less indicative of a pious state of mind, than those which Leah had previously given to her own sons. A fact which confirms the remarks of Calvin on the impiety of the course pursued by the rival wives. Rachel seems to make no reference to God in the names of the children of her handmaid; Leah, in imitating the example of her sister, seems to lose her own previous devotional feeling; and both sink in our esteem, as they proceed in their unseemly contentions. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(9-13) Leah . . . took Zilpah . . . By ceasing to bear, Leah had lost her one hold upon her husbands affection, and to regain it she follows Rachels example. The struggle of these two women for the husband gives us a strange picture of manners and morals, but must not be judged by our standard. Leah herself regards the bestowal of her handmaid upon Jacob as a deserving act of self-sacrifice (Gen. 30:18). The names, moreover, which she gives to Zilpahs children show that the happier frame of mind to which she had attained when she called her fourth son Judah, praise, remained unbroken. On the birth of the first, she says, With good luck! and calls his name Gad, that is, luck. The Jews read, in their synagogue, Luck cometh, whence the rendering of the Authorised Version, A troop cometh; but there is no justification for the change. With regard to the meaning of the word Gad, all the Versions render it prosperity, good fortune. Nor is the Samaritan, as has been alleged, an exception; for though the worthless Latin translation of it has a troop cometh, the Samaritan itself has with good luck. In Isa. 65:11 we find Gad used as the name of an idol. Zilpahs other son is called Asher, that is, happy, in Latin Felix, and Leah says, With my happiness, using just the same turn of speech as before. The first child came bringing her good luck; the second brought her happiness.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
9. Leah took Zilpah The passion and rivalry of Rachel provoke Leah to adopt the same expedient, and thus silence any boasting in that line .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing she took Zilpah her handmaid and gave her to Jacob for a wife. And Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid, bore Jacob a second son. And Leah said, “It is fortunate (gad).’ And she called his name Gad. And Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid, bore Jacob a second son, and Leah said, “Happy am I! For the daughters will call me happy (to call happy = asher).” And she called his name Asher.’
The names reflect Leah’s growing contentment. No longer torn at heart she now feels triumphant. She has done well by her husband. We note that the namings are by the two main wives. The slave wives take a secondary place.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Gen 30:9 When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.
Ver. 9. Left bearing, ] viz., Till she began again, Gen 30:17 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Gen 30:9-13
9When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing, she took her maid Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11Then Leah said, “How fortunate!” So she named him Gad. 12Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13Then Leah said, “Happy am I! For women will call me happy.” So she named him Asher.
Gen 30:9 There was real competition between these sisters/wives!
Gen 30:10-11 “Leah’s maid Zilpah bore her a son. . .Gad” The word Gad (BDB 151 III) comes from the Hebrew “fortunate” or “good fortune” (BDB 151 II).
The MT has “by good fortune,” but the Masoretic scholars’ marginal note has “good fortune has come”). It is possible that Gad (, BDB 151 III) comes from
1. a troop, , BDB 151 I, NKJV (NIV footnote)
2. fortune, , BDB 151 II, LXX, NASB, NRSV, TEV, JPSOA, NJB, REB, Peshitta
3. happy, LXX
Gen 30:12 “And Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. . .Asher” This name is related to the Hebrew word “happy” (BDB 81).
Gen 30:13 “Asher” This name (BDB 81) comes from the VERB “happy” (BDB 80, KB 97 II, Piel PERFECT), meaning “consider happy” or “blessed.”
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Zilpah . . . . wife. This was strictly in accordance with the Code of Khammurabi, 145. Compare Gen 16:1-3; Gen 30:3, Gen 30:4. See App-15.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
am 2256, bc 1748
left: Gen 30:17, Gen 29:35
gave her: Gen 30:4, Gen 16:3
Reciprocal: Gen 16:2 – the Lord Gen 25:6 – concubines Gen 29:24 – Zilpah Gen 30:3 – Behold Gen 35:26 – And the sons Gen 37:2 – wives Gen 46:18 – Zilpah
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 30:9. Rachel had absurdly and preposterously put her maid into her husbands bed; and now Leah, because she missed one year in bearing children, doth the same, to be even with her. See the power of rivalship, and admire the wisdom of the divine appointment, which joins together one man and one woman only. Two sons Zilpah bare to Jacob, whom Leah looked upon herself as entitled to, in token of which, she called one Gad, promising herself a little troop of children. The other she called Asher, happy, thinking herself happy in him, and promising herself that her neighbours would think so too.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Zilpah, Leah’s maid, bore Jacob two sons: Gad and Asher.
"The terms wife and concubine are used more loosely in the patriarchal period. Three women in the patriarchal period are called both wife and concubine: Hagar (Gen 16:3; Gen 25:6 indirectly), Keturah (Gen 25:1; cf. Gen 25:6; 1Ch 1:32), and Bilhah (Gen 30:4; Gen 35:22). Each of these concubines is an auxiliary wife to the patriarch, not a slave, but subordinate to the wife who is her mistress. After the patriarchal period, the term wife is never used as a synonym for concubine. Zilpah, though never called a concubine (cf. Gen 30:9), has the same social position as Bilhah (cf. Gen 37:2)." [Note: Waltke, Genesis, p. 411.]