Bilhah and Zilpah: Their Roles in Biblical History

“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…