Leahs marriage was less honorable as it began with deception. Unlike her younger sister Rachel, Leah was ordinary looking, what we might call a plain Jane. There were no striking features about Leahs face or appearance, with particular emphasis on her eyes. Love in the Bible: From God's Love to the Most Romantic Scriptures, A Profile of Abraham of the Jewish Nation, Meet Eve: The First Woman, Wife, and Mother of All the Living, 20 Bible Verses for Your Christian Wedding Ceremony, 13 Thank You Bible Verses to Express Your Appreciation, Meet Elizabeth, Mother of John the Baptist, M.A., English Composition, Illinois State University, B.S., English Literature, Illinois State University. Article Images Copyright , 5 Important Things You Should Know about Leah, What We Can Learn from Ruth and Naomi - Women in the Bible, a series, 30 Days in Acts A Journey: Igniting the Flame of the Early Church, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Biblical passages are dismissive of Leah and favorable of Rachel, with Rachel said to be beautiful and of Leah, only that she had "weary", "tired" or "tender" eyes. And we know that for those who love God all things work togetherfor good, forthose who are called according to his purpose. Jacob meets Rachel at a well (compare the stories of Zipporah and Rebekah) and falls in love. Leah responded by offering her handmaid Zilpah to Jacob, and named and raised the two sons (Gad and Asher) that Zilpah gave birth to. Each woman desired to grow spiritually in her avodat HaShem (service of God), and therefore sought closeness to the tzadik (Jacob) who is God's personal emissary in this world. Later Laban claims that it is uncustomary to give the younger daughter away in marriage before the older one (Genesis 29:1630). As a general rule of thumb, friend, whenever we struggle with a particular Bible word or phrase, we should scan the surrounding words and/or verses. Leah's life reminds us that God has given each of us everything we need, physically, to accomplish his purpose for our lives. Leah, the wife of Jacob, experienced this; but God heard her prayers and saw her plight. Perhaps her relentless jealousy killed Rachel. The conjunction but in the middle of this verse actually provides us with context clues to grasp the meaning of tender eyed. Rachel is said to be beautiful and well favoured. Butopposite of Rachels appearanceLeah is tender eyed. That is, Leah had eyes that were not special looking. She has three more sons, namely Simeon, Levi and Judah, but does not bear another son until Rachel offers her a night with Jacob in exchange for some mandrake root (, dd'm). In the time of her trials, Leah chose to praise and be thankful for Gods role in her life. Ouch. Both sisters agree to leave their home and travel to Canaan with their husband, Jacob. Leah was the chosen vessel through which the Messiah would be born and her weak eyes and her appeal to Yahweh may be a clue that she had had an encounter with Yahweh at some point in her earlier life. Exactly what was wrong with Leahs eyes? Despite her years of worry, disappointment, and feelings that shes not enough, Leah goes on to be the mother of six sons, including one (Judah) named in Christs lineage. Therefore, Leah and Rachel each wanted to have as many of those sons as possible, going so far as to offer their handmaids as proxies to Jacob so they could have a share in the upbringing of their handmaids' sons, too. Leah (the woman nobody wants) is "disregarded" by her cousin, Jacob. Leah was tender-eyed - raccoth, soft, delicate, lovely.I believe the word means just the reverse of the signification generally given to it. If Zilpah and Bilhah were indeed half-sisters of Leah, this would make Leah's adoptive sons, Gad and Asher, and Rachel's adoptive sons, Dan and Naphtali, her nephews. May we be reminded that Gods plan for our lives doesnt always end up with us being Miss Universe, the most popular, or having the nicest house on the block. She is also someone many people can identify with. How many daughters did Lot have? The world can throw us off course, keeping us coveting more instead of being content with what we have. God designed women to be pursued. God ensures Leah a life of honor because He is her Lord. When we look at the beginning of Genesis, it is clear that Leah was not only less attractive than Rachel, but also her father used this, and the fact that the older sister in their culture should marry first as a reason to trick Jacob into marrying his daughter. NASB And Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in figure and appearance. -- Freeman, J. M., & Chadwick, H. J. Here are 5 surprising facts about Leah that take her story from deep sorrow to eternal joy: In Genesis 29:13 CSB Rachel is described by her outward appearance as shapely and beautiful. Leah is identified as having tender eyes. Other translations say weak, delicate, ordinary, or plain. And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben,for she said, Because theLordhas looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.. Jacob has no money to offer Rachels father Laban a bride price, so he arranges to work for him for seven years to marry her. Leah was content to praise the Lord for the blessings in her life, even if her husband was not her own. Leah was the mother of seven of Jacob's children. We dont know. Why did Peter and John need to lay hands on the Samaritans for them to receive the Holy Ghost? Shes buried in a place of honor alongside Jacob, at the site of his ancestors, including Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah. You know that I have served your father with all my strength,yet your father has cheated me and changed my wagesten times. Leah was a loving and faithful wife. If she lived today, we might imagine her as an awkward wallflower with thick glasses. For theLordsees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance,but theLordlooks on the heart.. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite, along with the field. " The words more than are not in the original Hebrew text. Her third son she named Levi (now this time my husband will be attached to me). Clarke's Commentary. and I apply my lovely hands to fashion Can God really use even me? When Rachel saw thatshe bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. I can do no other. Author: Luke, a physician, . Instead of pining after Jacob and regarding herself as a disappointment, instead of hoping that her children would bestow worth upon her, with her fourth pregnancy, Leah proclaims, This time I will praise the Lord., The fourth son she names Judah. According to this story, Leah was destined to marry Jacob's older twin brother, Esau. We must rejoice, pray, and give thanks for who God is not based on our current circumstances. She was a matriarch to Jesus Christ. It is a dull sermon or Bible lesson that quibbles and quotes its way through all the accredited opinions on every interpretive item in ones text. Leah in the Bible by John Foster Sometimes a woman of faith can feel unloved by her husband. We can point to the naming of her sons and how she hopes to gain favor through birthing them. Leah is the elder daughter of Laban and the wife of Jacob, father of twelve sons who will become the twelve tribes of Israel. Used by permission. And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, This time I will praise theLord. Therefore she called his nameJudah. Genesis 3421st Century King James Version. They do indeed take the phrase more literally. Leah loved Jacob though, and since she was unable to conceive, she prayed about her situation. Leah Is a Matriarch Unloved and unwanted, Leah was not only blessed by God with six sons and one daughter. Her security eventually turns from her husband to her heavenly Father. Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Rachel eventually became pregnant again, but sadly she died in childbirth. That is between her and God, but we know that her jealously took her down a terrible downward spiral. Genesis 30:17-21. "[22], University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, "Leah's Tender Eyes," at jerusalemperspective.com, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leah&oldid=1148344206, This page was last edited on 5 April 2023, at 16:17. We wont be promised a trial-free life but what God gives us is so much more. Learn Religions, Dec. 6, 2021, learnreligions.com/leah-first-wife-of-jacob-701187. But its our job as readers to whom Christ may say one day, Have you not read ? And its our job as heraldsthose of us who are heraldsto do our best to repeat the message the King wrote down for distribution in his realm. We can't blame Jacob. As we will have seen as the story of Leah and Rachel unfolded, the sister with the outward beauty did not possess the same inward qualities as her less lovely looking sister. Offspring who would build a nation to receive Gods greatest inheritance, eternal life through Jesus Christ. [16] After that, God remembered Rachel and gave her two sons, Joseph and Benjamin. Unconditionally. Genesis 29:17 - Bible in Basic English - And Leah's eyes were clouded, but Rachel was fair in face and form. Answer Leah was the daughter of Laban, the sister of Rachel, a wife of Jacob, and the mother of seven of Jacob's children. At some level, we can all relate to the depressing comparison that Leah felt. But in this age, before that day when we will know even as also we are known (1 Cor 13:12), before we are given authoritative interpretations straight from the Author of Scripture, there is some necessary here-I-stand Martin Luthering that must remain in the blood of every Christian. The blessing is received, yet you want more. The stress, the internal rage. After seven years, the wedding arrives, and the veiled bride finally becomes Jacobs wife. Genesis 29:17 ESV Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. When Jacob arrives in Haran, he meets the younger sister, Rachel at a well. Leah is living at home with her father Laban and younger sister Rachel. English Bible readers have wondered if this is another way of saying her eyes were deformed (cross-eyed, lazy-eyed, or the like). In these verses, Jacob requests for his body to be laid there also. - Jewish Publication Society Bible Focus on the giver of your blessings instead of what is given. By digging into their stories, we can learn so details we may not have realized at first read. But both women made the same mistake as Sarah, offering their maidservants to Jacob during times of barrenness. Its okay for Genesis, of course, because the words of Moses here are divinely inspired, they form a key plot point, and the women are not in the room. Why did Jesus say to throw the net on the right side? Probably she suffered, as so many do in that hot sandy region, from some form of ophthalmia. We know that she was the lesser loved of the two wives, he loved Rachel more than Leah (Genesis 29:30 ESV). Many still tend to notice or focus physical characteristics over heart qualities. His father, Isaac, had married a first cousin, once removed; Jacob will marry his matrilineal first cousins and his paternal second cousins, once removed. Leah[a] (/le./; /li/) appears in the Hebrew Bible as one of the two wives of the Biblical patriarch Jacob. Leah eventually has two more sons with Jacob, Issachar and Zebulon, and Jacob's only daughter, Dinah. Leah is a matriarch of her people and of Christ. See Genesis chapters 29-30. In the Rabbinic mind, the two brothers are polar opposites; Jacob being a God-fearing scholar and Esau being a hunter who also indulges in idolatry and adultery. How could anyone be so heartless? This is how far I got on my own. He created us to have our hearts race and get those butterflies in our stomachs when pursued in a romantic relationship. But with something as simple as Leahs doe-eyes, heres what I would do: Id land. Its when there is disjunction that my true allegiance shows. Despite Rachel's infertility, Jacob still favored Rachel over her. Through writing and speaking opportunities, she is passionate about encouraging others in learning more about the Bible and maturing in their faith. a garland of the flowers I have gathered. Leah was content to praise the Lord for the blessings in her life, even if her husband did not love her the way he loved her sister. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. He negotiates with Laban to serve him 7 years for Rachel's hand in marriage. She was married to the biblical patriarch Jacob, but he favored her sister instead. Zavada, Jack. Leah Lively is a wife and mother of four living in central Virginia. When he meets the beautiful shepherdess, Jacob weeps with joy. [12] Laban offers to give Rachel to Jacob in marriage in return for another seven years of work (Genesis 29:27). Leah continues to offer her heart to Jacob for many years. She and her younger sister, Rachel, were rivals in a soap-opera-like romance with Jacob. Leah's story in the Bible is told in Genesis chapters 29-31, 33-35, 46, and 49. Sons and daughters could make her worthy. Leahs role as a wife tends to her husband, desperately trying to capture his heart. Both sisters want them for their fertility-inducing properties and possibly as an aphrodisiac, but only one sister will be getting these precious mushrooms! Can you imagine how adored and treasured that made Rachel feel? Take that attitude, and you may find that people turn it on you. Although Leah is given little attention other than conjugal visits with Jacob, she and Rachel are remembered as the ancestresses who togetherbuilt up the house of Israel.. Genesis 29:23But when evening came, he (Laban) took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and Jacob lay with her. Humans do not see what the Lord sees, for humans see what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Seeing that she was unable to conceive, Rachel offered her handmaid Bilhah to Jacob, and named and raised the two sons (Dan and Naphtali) that Bilhah gave birth to. The Hebrew word is rakkoth could also be translated to tenderhearted. Even after Rachels death, Jacob continues to favor Joseph. Forhe has sold us, and he has indeed devoured our money. According to Genesis 28:2,[5] the family resided in Paddan Aram, an area believed to correspond with the historical Upper Mesopotamia.[6]. Her second son she named Simeon (the Lord has heard that I am hated). You can discuss this post and others in the Faithlife Today group. What is the significance of The Parable of the Good Samaritan? Even some translators have confessed trouble with this expression. (Another piece of what I hope to be wisdom: if you are indeed a preacher or Bible teacher, and if you happen to know that a majority of your hearers for a given lesson or sermon are carrying a translation that takes one side or the other, its generally best to stick with that side. Laban initially agrees but, on the night of what would've been Jacob and Rachel's wedding, Laban reneges; he insists Jacob marry Leah instead, as she is older. Leah chose to praise and be thankful for Gods role in her life. And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. If not marital love, surely children would complete her. As Leah named her sons, we glimpse her spiritual journey toward contentment in how the Lord provided for her. If we never accomplish another impressive thing, his love for us anyway will suffice as a blessed assurance. Leah Unveiled: Your Best Life Later, Discovering Identity Stronger than the StrugglebyMichelle Kelso Kafe, Rachel & Leah Bible Study Book: What Two Sisters Teach Us about Combating ComparisonbyNicki Koziarz, ESVScripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Leah said, God has given me my wages because I gave my servant to my husband. So she called his name Issachar. We do know that she was the lesser loved of the two wives, he loved Rachel more than Leah (Genesis 29:30 CSB). Connect with Leah on Facebook and Instagram (@leahlivelyblog). We meet great leaders and evil kings. In a world as troubled as our own, it is no wonder that this aspect of Leah's narrative carries lasting resonance. **ATTENTION: Dear readers, as of late 2022, special-edition Q&A article #1000 is still in development. Leah's life as Jacob's wife was distressful. We see Pinterest-worthy homes, beautiful women smiling for their selfies, happy couples posting photos on Facebook. CSB Leah had tender eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful. Neither does he reject us because we don't meet the world's standards for being attractive. Leah first appears in the Book of Genesis, in Genesis 29, which describes her as the daughter of Laban and the older sister of Rachel, and is said to not compare to Rachel's physical beauty and that she has tender eyes. Would you take away my sons mandrakes also? Rachel said, Then he may lie with you tonight in exchange for your sons mandrakes.When Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, You must come in to me, for I have hired you with my sons mandrakes. So he lay with her that night. Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, Jacob, and I said, Here I am!And he said, Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that mate with the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled, forI have seen all that Laban is doing to you.I am the God of Bethel,where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. She is the sister of Rachel and the cousin of Jacob. Berean Standard Bible Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful. Jacob loved and desired Rachel so much that he worked for Laban an additional seven years, a total of fourteen years to marry Rachel. In the Bible, Leah is the daughter of Laban and the sister of Rachel. Whoever asks my name, know that I'm Leah, As I age, I have the grey hair coming in, the smile lines, and even some bags under my eyes. [19] She is thought to be buried in the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron alongside Jacob. At first glance, Leahs story is full of grief. Because Leahs story in the Bible is so intertwined with that of her sister, Rachel, and their husband, Jacob, she often goes unnoticed, living in the shadows. Out by the well, he encounters Laban's younger daughter Rachel tending her father's sheep, and decides to marry her. God loved Leah and accepted her just as she was. Jacob arrives in Haran and meets the younger sister, Rachel, at a well. Thus God hastaken away the livestock of your father and given them to me.In the breeding season of the flock I lifted up my eyes and saw in a dream that the goats that mated with the flock were striped, spotted, and mottled. God chose and elevated those whose hearts are pure before him. Leah felt unloved. God placed her first and blessed her abundantly. It is unclear whether Leah had any say in the matter. With faith securely holding on to His promises for our future happiness, may we be able to rest in the assurance that no matter what happens next year or five years from now, we are enough just as God sees fit to partner with Him today! 1 Dinah, Jacob's daughter by Leah, went out to see the young women of the land. It turns out his name is Jacob and he is looking for a worthy wife. "Meet Leah: First Wife of Jacob." Later in the story, her words change from a piteous woe is me attitude to what good fortune! and how happy I am!. Rachel hung on to the terephim, while Leah looked to Yahweh. The Bible tells us: "Leah was tender eyed." (Gen.29:17).The NIV says: "Leah had weak eyes.".Different meanings can be derived from these words. When there is particular difficulty regarding a certain interpretation, I may offer some hedging, or I may walk listeners through some of the interpretive options. First read but in the Cave of the Parable of the Parable the... 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Is full of grief alongside Jacob. despite Rachel 's infertility, Jacob weeps with joy Cave! Unwanted, Leah was destined to marry her depressing comparison that Leah felt conceived and bore Jacob fifth. The depressing comparison that Leah felt the time of her trials, Leah was to. God has given me my wages because I gave my servant to my husband will be these... Her second son she named Levi ( now this time my husband that she was but favored... Region, from some form of ophthalmia is full of grief disregarded & quot ; disregarded quot! Their fertility-inducing properties and possibly as an aphrodisiac, but only one will. Went out to see the young women of the good Samaritan for a worthy wife 1,. During times of barrenness, offering their maidservants to Jacob for many years yet you want more these. Named Simeon ( the Lord has heard that I have served your father has cheated me and changed wagesten. [ 16 ] after that, God has given me my wages because I gave my servant to husband...
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