(20) Zebulun.--Leah is more than usually obscure in the reasons she gives for this name; for she plays upon two words, which probably both belonged to the Mesopotamian pato is: and as this was a Syriac dialect, we must look to that language for their explanation. The first is zebed; and here there is no difficulty. It means such presents as a father gives his daughter on her marriage, over and above those enumerated in the marriage contract. Of the second, zabal, there is no trace. Nor do the Syro-Arabic lexicons acknowledge in the word "Zebulun" such a sense as that of dwelling, given it in our margin. Bar-Ali explains it as meaning "salvation of the night, or a good dowry," and Bar- Bahlul, "a dowry of the night," both deriving it from zebed, a dowry, and lun, to pass the night. The derivation is wrong as far as concerns lun; for the word Zebulun is formed simply from zebed, the final d of which is changed into I for mere reasons of euphony. The Versions take the word zabal as mean ing, "to be with," Vulg.; "to choose," LXX.; "to cleave to," Syriac. It occurs nowhere else, but the substantive zebul is not uncommon, and means dwelling, station.
As a woman's value in the East rises with each son, Leah now hoped for more love from her husband. Nor does she seem to have been disappointed.
30:14-24 The desire, good in itself, but often too great and irregular, of being the mother of the promised Seed, with the honour of having many children, and the reproach of being barren, were causes of this unbecoming contest between the sisters. The truth appears to be, that they were influenced by the promises of God to Abraham; whose posterity were promised the richest blessings, and from whom the Messiah was to descend.
And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry,.... Having so many children; for though her husband could give her nothing at marriage, and her father gave her no more than one handmaid, yet God had abundantly made it up to her, in giving her so many sons: these are the heritage of the Lord, Psalm 127:3,
now will my husband dwell with me; constantly; and not come to her tent now and then only, as he had used to do:
because I have borne him six sons; this she thought would fix his affections to her, and cause him to cleave to her, and continue with her:
and she called his name Zebulun; which signifies "dwelling". These two sons of Leah, according to the Jewish writers (g), were born, Issachar on the tenth day of Ab or July, and lived one hundred and twenty two years, and Zebulun on the seventh of Tisri or September, and lived one hundred and twenty four years.
As a woman's value in the East rises with each son, Leah now hoped for more love from her husband. Nor does she seem to have been disappointed.
now will my husband dwell with me; constantly; and not come to her tent now and then only, as he had used to do:
because I have borne him six sons; this she thought would fix his affections to her, and cause him to cleave to her, and continue with her:
and she called his name Zebulun; which signifies "dwelling". These two sons of Leah, according to the Jewish writers (g), were born, Issachar on the tenth day of Ab or July, and lived one hundred and twenty two years, and Zebulun on the seventh of Tisri or September, and lived one hundred and twenty four years.
(g) Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 4. 1.