Genesis 35:26
“The sons of Zilpah (Leah’s servant): Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan Aram.”
What does Genesis 35:26 mean?
Jacob's twelve sons came from four different women, and this verse helps us keep track of that complex family story. Zilpah was Leah's servant, and when Leah couldn't have more children herself, she gave Zilpah to Jacob so he could have sons through her, which was a common practice in that ancient world. Gad and Asher were born from this arrangement, and they became two of Israel's twelve tribes. The verse reminds us that even tangled, complicated family situations were part of God's plan to build the nation of Israel.