Genesis 30:10

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son.

Complete Jewish Bible:

Zilpah Le'ah's slave-girl bore Ya'akov a son;

Berean Standard Bible:

And Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son.

American Standard Version:

And Zilpah Leah’s handmaid bare Jacob a son.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And Zilpah^{H2153} Leah's^{H3812} maid^{H8198} bare^{H3205} Jacob^{H3290} a son^{H1121}.

Cross-References (KJV):

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Commentary for Genesis 30:10

Genesis 30:10 is a part of the broader narrative of the patriarch Jacob and his complex family dynamics in the land of Canaan. The verse itself is succinct, stating, "And Zilpah, Leah's maid, bore Jacob a son." This event occurs within the context of the fierce rivalry between Jacob's two wives, Leah and Rachel, who are sisters. Leah, who had been less favored by Jacob initially, had borne several children already, while Rachel had struggled with infertility.

In the cultural context of the time, a woman's worth was often measured by her ability to bear children, particularly sons, who would carry on the family lineage. Leah, having been given her maid Zilpah as a concubine by her father Laban as part of her marriage arrangement with Jacob, now sees Zilpah bearing Jacob's child. This was a common practice in the ancient Near East, where a barren wife might offer her maidservant to her husband to produce offspring that she could claim as her own.

The themes present in this verse include fertility, family dynamics, and the cultural importance of male heirs. It also reflects the complex interpersonal relationships within Jacob's family, which are a central part of the narrative in Genesis. The birth of a son to Zilpah, Leah's maid, adds another layer to the family structure, with implications for inheritance and the emerging tribal system of ancient Israel.

Historically, this verse is part of the foundational stories of the Israelite people, explaining the origins of the tribes of Israel. The son born to Zilpah, named Asher, would later become the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel, emphasizing the significance of this birth in the larger narrative of the Hebrew Bible. The verse also highlights the ancient customs of marriage, servitude, and lineage that were prevalent in the society depicted in the Book of Genesis.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H2153
   There are 7 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: זִלְפָּה
   Transliteration: Zilpâh
   Pronunciation: zil-paw
   Description: ; from an unused root apparently meaning to trickle, as myrrh; fragrant dropping; Zilpah, Leah's maid; Zilpah.
   
2. Strong's Number: H3812
   There are 32 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: לֵאָה
   Transliteration: Lêʼâh
   Pronunciation: lay-aw'
   Description: from לָאָה; weary; Leah, a wife of Jacob; Leah.
   
3. Strong's Number: H8198
   There are 58 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שִׁפְחָה
   Transliteration: shiphchâh
   Pronunciation: shif-khaw'
   Description: feminine from an unused root meaning to spread out (as a family; see מִשְׁפָּחָה); a female slave (as a member of the household); (bond-, hand-) maid(-en, -servant), wench, bondwoman, womanservant.
   
4. Strong's Number: H3205
   There are 403 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָלַד
   Transliteration: yâlad
   Pronunciation: yaw-lad'
   Description: a primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage; bear, beget, birth(-day), born, (make to) bring forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch, labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman).
   
5. Strong's Number: H3290
   There are 319 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יַעֲקֹב
   Transliteration: Yaʻăqôb
   Pronunciation: yah-ak-obe'
   Description: from עָקַב; heel-catcher (i.e. supplanter); Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarch; Jacob.
   
6. Strong's Number: H1121
   There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בֵּן
   Transliteration: bên
   Pronunciation: bane
   Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.