KJV ORIGINAL
When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
When Leah realized she had stopped having children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
Leah gave her servant to Jacob as another wife because she wanted to continue having children through her.
📚 Historical Context
In ancient Near Eastern culture, it was common practice for a barren wife to give her female servant to her husband so that children born to the servant would legally belong to the wife. This was happening during the intense rivalry between Leah and her sister Rachel, both married to Jacob, as they competed to bear him the most children.
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