Zilpah is one of four arch-mothers of Israel. She is Leah's maid who became Jacob's concubine and mother of Gad and Asher, Jacob's sons numbers seven and eight.
The name Zilpah comes from the verb (zalaph). This verb does not occur in the Bible but evidence exists that this verb did belong to the ancient Hebrew language. Many of the other old Semitic languages include verbs that are written similar, as does Late Hebrew. Its meaning is to drip, drop, sprinkle, pour.