After a period of barrenness, the birth of a son to Leah's maidservant, Zilpah, brings a sudden wave of renewed hope and divine favor. The naming of the newborn captures Leah's profound excitement over this surprising turn of events. The primary approach among commentators is that the name expresses good fortune and success. Leah feels that her personal luck, which had seemingly stalled when she stopped having children, has now returned to her [אבן עזרא, רשב״ם, רד״ק, רש״י, בכור שור, אלשיך]. This concept of fortune is even associated by some with celestial influence, pointing to a specific star of abundance or a constellation that brings blessings [רד״ק, ביאור יש״ר, אם למקרא]. Through this experience, Leah realizes that fertility is deeply intertwined with divine providence and fortune; otherwise, her sister Rachel, who possessed great merit, would not have remained childless [אלשיך].
Other perspectives offer different layers of meaning to the child's identity. One view suggests the name denotes a troop or gathering, reflecting Leah's gratitude for now having a large group of sons [אבן עזרא, רד״ק, חזקוני]. However, some scholars reject this interpretation, noting that the linguistic root does not support the concept of a troop [רשב״ם, הדר זקנים]. Another tradition connects the name to the idea of cutting, indicating that the child was born already circumcised [רש״י, ברטנורא, שפתי חכמים]. This concept of cutting also foreshadows the future destiny of this tribe as brave pioneers and warriors who would eventually strike down the inhabitants of Canaan [אלשיך]. On a more spiritual level, the name implies a drawing down of divine energy, as Leah, through the power of her prayers, successfully drew back the reproductive ability that had previously left her [רבנו בחיי].
A fascinating element of this event lies in the traditional written record of the name, which blends into a single word that can also imply betrayal. While some view this blended spelling simply as a dropped letter in everyday speech [מחוקקי יהודה], many find profound meaning in it. Some commentators explain that Leah actually harbored feelings of betrayal when Jacob agreed to marry her maidservant. Unlike Sarah and Rachel, who brought their maidservants into their homes out of desperation because they were barren, Leah had already given birth to multiple sons. Bringing another rival into her home therefore felt like an act of betrayal [הטור הארוך, רש״י, חזקוני]. Alternatively, this hidden spelling points to the elusive nature of the pregnancy itself. It was a sudden, hidden pregnancy, concealed from the public eye until a late stage, or one that had seemingly dried up only to unexpectedly rush back like an intermittent stream [ספורנו, הכתב והקבלה]. Finally, other interpretations suggest the spelling hints at the joyful news and announcement of the pregnancy [הדר זקנים, מחוקקי יהודה], or even represents a physical garment, symbolizing the spreading of a cloak to finalize the new marriage covenant with Zilpah [העמק דבר].