One day, Leah's firstborn son Reuben returned from the field with mandrakes for his mother. In Leahs story, we can be encouraged that a life redeemed can not occur with the perfect spouse or an abundance of children, but a with a heart that is tender and surrendered to God. When he met Rachel, he fell in love with her at first sight. This great honor Leah received in death illustrates Matthew 19:30: "But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first." When he meets the beautiful shepherdess, Jacob weeps with joy. [16] After that, God remembered Rachel and gave her two sons, Joseph and Benjamin. God, of course, saw this and allowed Leah to have four sons. Romans 8:28 CSB says, We know all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. God had a specific calling on Leahs life whether Jacob preferred her or not. Oh, Leah in the Bible! But today, his eyes are a flame of fire as he awaits the appointed time for his return to Planet Earth.. The world can throw us off course, keeping us coveting more instead of being content with what we have. Then theLordsaid to Jacob,Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock wasand said to them,I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. God had a special place in his heart for Leah. 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. What is the significance of The Parable of the Good Samaritan? For more detailed information, please visit ourAffiliate Disclaimerpage. He knows that this is the woman he is to marry. Leahs role as a wife tends to her husband, desperately trying to capture his heart. According to 1 Chronicles 5:1,[7] Jacob took the firstborn's birthright, which entitles a firstborn to a larger inheritance in Jewish law, from Reuben, his oldest son, to Joseph, who was his second-youngest son, and, in Genesis 33:2,[8] when he is confronted by Esau, puts Leah, along with Zilpah and Bilhah and all of their sons, in front of himself, Rachel, and Joseph, to be used as something of a buffer or a shield to protect himself in the event the confrontation turned violent. I love this verse as it reminds me that God sees the heart, the spirit inside us, as more valuable than any outward beauty. Leah had an amazing purposeshe was a great (and several more greats) grandmother to Jesus. NIV Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Shes buried in a place of honor alongside Jacob, at the site of his ancestors, including Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah. This is evident as she named her fourth son, Judah, meaning praise. [1] 3 He had a strong desire for Dinah, [2] the daughter of Jacob, and he was in love with the young woman and spoke . Ouch. Bridge-Logos Publishers. In a world as troubled as our own, it is no wonder that this aspect of Leah's narrative carries lasting resonance. Rachel became the mother of two other tribesJoseph and Benjamin. Leah (the woman nobody wants) is "disregarded" by her cousin, Jacob. 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. Furious, Jacob makes another agreement with Laban. Her marriage was not ideal, but God used it for His glory as she held an honored first position. For Leah, learning to simply praise God is the same thing as resignation. I own hundreds of commentaries, though, because they do answer some questions definitively for me. And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. There are hilarious moments and sorrowful events. Why did Peter and John need to lay hands on the Samaritans for them to receive the Holy Ghost? At that time, women had little control over their lives, and it seems her father was not a man to honor the love between Jacob and Rachel. Leah was Jacob's first wife, and the older sister of his second (and favored) wife Rachel. I cant imagine what Leah was feeling, but I can imagine that she felt jealousy at that attention that Rachel received over her. Why does the King James Bible say, pisseth against the wall?. Leahs eyes, in their views, were either weak in power or color (Kidner) or in sparkle or fire (Wenham). In the long run, Leah was recognized by the Jewish people as an important person in their history, as this verse from the book of Ruth shows: At the end of Jacob's life, he requested to be buried beside Leah (Genesis 49:29-31), suggesting that he'd come to recognize the virtue in Leah and had grown to love her as deeply as he loved Rachel. both young and fair; along a plain she gathered One of those sons was Judah who was listed in Matthew 1 in the genealogy of King David, King Solomon, and the King of Kings Jesus Christ. They send forth an uncertain sound. They likely revered and cherished their mother, bringing her untold joy and satisfaction. After seven years, the wedding finally arrives, and the veiled bride eventually becomes Jacobs wife. 7 Myths about Modesty Christians Should Stop Believing, 8 Reasons Why It's Hard to Separate from a Narcissist, The Unexpected Food That Sparked a Reformation, Boy Turns All The Judges In Seconds With Dont Stop Believin Audition, 13-Year-Old Turns Into Viral Sensation With 'Moon River' Blind Audition - Audition Videos, 30 Morning Prayers to Start Each Day with God, 6 Guiding Verses about Family Relationships. That Leah's eyes were compared to Rachel's beauty obviously meant there was no beauty in them and that Leah herself was probably plain in face and form compared to her sister. 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. Rachel (Heb., the ewe) was, on the contrary, "beautiful and well favoured" (Heb., beautiful in form and beautiful in look). Leahs tender heart made her the perfect candidate to fulfill Jacobs First Wife duties by bearing him many sons! 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. It turns out his name is Jacob and he is looking for a worthy wife. (Genesis 29:17, NIV), In the same verse is a description of Leah that scholars have been arguing about for centuries:"Leah had weak eyes." She becomes a mother of seven, tenderly caring for and raising her children to be leaders of the tribes of Israel. He negotiates with Laban to serve him 7 years for Rachel's hand in marriage. Leahs eyes were weak. What does that mean? In other words, just as pulling someone elses leg generally involves no pulling and no legs, weak eyes very possibly involved no weakness and no eyes. With the birth of each son, Leah acknowledged the role the Lord held in her life. 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. Connect with Leah on Facebook and Instagram (@leahlivelyblog). However, Leah's eyes were weak from crying, for she feared that she would have to be married to the wicked Esau. Genesis 29:17 ESV Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. Why does the Bible say Jesus was hanged on a tree?. That is between her and God, but we know that her jealously took her down a terrible downward spiral. But the God of my fatherhas been with me. [18], Leah died some time before Jacob (according to Genesis 49:31). Perhaps having poor eyesight was itself considered unattractive in Jacobs day? By the way, let me point out that, through elaborate scheming of Laban, these sisters father, Jacob ended up marrying both women (Leah and Rachel were also Jacobs first-cousins). On a homiletical level, the classic Chassidic texts explain the sisters' rivalry as more than marital jealousy. In the light of day and the absence of a veil, the following day, the truth is revealed. Plug in, Turn on and Be En light ened! Until further notice, this website will not be receiving further updates. This fits just fine with the traditional KJV rendering of tender, which could be positive or negative. 1 Read: Why Just Four Mothers? The Lord chooses and elevates those whose hearts are pure before him. God also has a calling on your life and will make all circumstances work together for your good. At this point, Rachel is incredibly jealous and gives her handmade Bilhah to Jacob. She conceived a son,. Leah's life reminds us that God has given each of us everything we need, physically, to accomplish his purpose for our lives. Leah's life as Jacob's wife was distressful. Two Men Encounter the Bible from Very Different Circumstances. Nowarise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred.Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, Is thereany portion or inheritance left to us in our fathers house? By digging into their stories, we can learn so details we may not have realized at first read. The chief recommendation of Leah was her soft and beautiful eyes . Verse Genesis 29:17. Leah was content to praise the Lord for the blessings in her life, even if her husband was not her own. Although Leah was in a loveless marriage, her son Reuben was evidence to her that the Lord sees, Simeon means the Lord hears, and Levi that the Lord might create a bond between her and Jacob. Indeed, it violates the first rule they teach you at Bible-teaching school: Dont comment on the physical appearance of particular women. Leah, however, is described as having "weak eyes." As Rabbi Sarah Mack writes in T'Ruah, the Hebrew word in that passage could be translated in several ways, and the contextual clues here don't really help. He will marry Rachel quickly after his current wedding week is completed, then work for another seven years. Rachel died giving birth to her second son, Benjamin and was buried on the side of the road leading to Bethlehem (Genesis 35:16-20). To add to the big name parade, Waltke agrees with Wenham. In 1 Samuel, when the prophet Samuel anoints David over his older and stronger brothers as God instructs him not to not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. Jacob meets Rachel at a well (compare the stories of Zipporah and Rebekah) and falls in love. Can God really use even me? The Bible does not give us many details about Leah. But I, of course, also turned to that glorious army, the commentators. May theLordmake the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah,who togetherbuilt up the house of Israel. The blessing we see in Leahs life is that her dependence on Jacobs love and attention slowly turns toward God. Do not close your ears to the needs and hopes of those who may not be beautiful and have physical and emotional bruises. Feeling overlooked or not good enough can be a deep hurt and can snowball into feelings of being less than, forgotten, or the fear of not being wanted. Her father doesn't want her either. With the birth of her next two sons, Issachar and Zebulun, Leah acknowledges the gifts the Lord has given her. Its when there is disjunction that my true allegiance shows. 10 Reasons God Might Not Be Blessing Your Life, 10 Life-Giving Scriptures for Every Christian Woman, 10 Christian Dating Advice Tips for Singles Seeking a Godly Relationship, 3 Reasons Why It's Not Good for Christian Men to Be Alone, This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright 2023, Crosswalk.com. Out by the well, he encounters Laban's younger daughter Rachel tending her father's sheep, and decides to marry her. In the time of her trials, Leah chose to praise and be thankful for Gods role in her life. The oldest daughter of Laban, she was plain looking and may have had poor eyesight, but she was dutiful and virtuous. This is what tender eyes meant to me in my childhood (see rabbit on left): Whatever the Hebrew saysand well get to that all-important pointthe English translations seem to me to be a bit uncertain what to say. Neither does he reject us because we don't meet the world's standards for being attractive. It is based on the word root Hodaah, connoting Give Thanks, Praise.. But God did not permit him to harm me.If he said,The spotted shall be your wages, then all the flock bore spotted; and if he said, The striped shall be your wages, then all the flock bore striped. Clarke's Notes on the Bible. Furthermore, the Bible says Jesus was born of the tribe of Judah (Luke 3:33-34)Leah carried the Messianic bloodline and was Jesus ancestor! She serves him and cares for him dutifully, but it never makes her good enough. Leah then turns to her children, which were seen as symbols of blessing. Certainly, to my mind, the strictly literal meaning of the phrase doesnt work: it seems vanishingly unlikely that Moses paused here in Genesis 29 to make an observation about Leahs need for an optometrist. 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. I was surprised to find that several excellent commentators reading the phrase positively, as a reference to the beauty of Leah. On the wedding night, however, Laban switches Leah for Rachel. She is also someone many people can identify with. God loves us unconditionally, with a pure, passionate tenderness. Our circumstances cannot determine the level of our joy, consistency of our prayers, and abundance of our thanks. a garland of the flowers I have gathered. The commentary of Rashi cites a Rabbinic interpretation of how Leah's eyes became weak. King James Bible Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, Leah is portrayed to be the unloved wife of the biblical patriarch Jacob. Jacob loved and desired Rachel so much that he worked for Laban an additional seven years, a total of fourteen years to marry Rachel. The Bible says in Genesis 29:17: "Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured." What does Scripture mean that Leah was "tender eyed?" It is a difficult verse at first glance. He promised to honor the love between Jacob and Rachel, but he instead led them into disaster with a treacherous plan. Leah responded by offering her handmaid Zilpah to Jacob, and named and raised the two sons (Gad and Asher) that Zilpah gave birth to. The battle between the two sisters comes to a head when Reuben finds mandrakes. English Bible readers have wondered if this is another way of saying her eyes were deformed (cross-eyed, lazy-eyed, or the like). 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. This is how far I got on my own. The blessing is received, yet you want more. And second, Leah is "discarded" by her father, Laban (29:21-27). Unconditionally. All rights reserved. With the birth of each son, Leah acknowledged the role the Lord held in her life. New King James Version Leah's eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance. Sons and daughters could make her worthy. We must rejoice, pray, and give thanks for who God is not based on our current circumstances. 18 Then Leah said, "God has rewarded me for giving my servant to my husband.". God saw that she was unloved and allowed her to conceive. 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. They felt what they experienced firsthand and were on receiving end themselves. Prior to her and Rachel's mentioning, the Book of Genesis details how their first cousin and future husband, Jacob, with the help of his mother, Rebecca, willfully deceives his dying father, Isaac, into giving him his twin brother Esau's birthright. After being unloved and unwanted, Leah was blessed by God with six sons. The Rabbis found this weeping to be praiseworthy and declared that by merit of her prayers this fate was set aside, and she was married to Jacob. While their marriage began with deception, Leah was honored at her death by Jacob. Pursuing the Lord keeps your heart tender as you face trials and endure grief. ' but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.' (Gen 29:17, ESV) Imagine if you were the first half of this sentence, the bit that comes before the 'but'. 17 God listened to Leah, and she became pregnant and bore Jacob a fifth son. After Jacob tricked his father and stole his brother's birthright ( Genesis 27:1-29 ), he was forced to flee to the home of his uncle Laban in Harran. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. His father, Isaac, had married a first cousin, once removed; Jacob will marry his matrilineal first cousins and his paternal second cousins, once removed. Genesis 29:17 Most of us have read the passage above about Jacob's wives as describing Leah's bad eyesight. In so doing, he too will marry into the family of Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor, the grandfather of Rebekah, and the great-grandfather of Rachel and Leah. God had compassion on her and allowed her to become pregnant. [b] Jacob is eager to marry Rachel and agrees to provide seven years' labor to her father if he can marry her. 1 Genesis 29:17 - Bible in Basic English - And Leah's eyes were clouded, but Rachel was fair in face and form. 3 And his soul cleaved unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved . Contact Us (Mailing Address for Donations). Rachel eventually became pregnant again, but sadly she died in childbirth. Leah Lively is a wife and mother of four living in central Virginia. 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. Leah eventually has two more sons with Jacob, Issachar and Zebulon, and Jacob's only daughter, Dinah. The NLT opts for There was no sparkle in Leahs eyes. And two translations (NRSV, GNT) actually see the word as positive, translating it as lovely. So whos right? English Bible readers have wondered if this is another way of saying her eyes were deformed (cross-eyed, lazy-eyed, or the like). 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. Read Genesis (YLT) Read Genesis 29:17 (YLT) in Parallel. Perhaps having poor eyesight was itself considered unattractive in Jacob's day? Sadly, can you imagine how that made Leah feel? Leah bore more children, a highly honored achievement in ancient Israel. How long did it take for Israel to cross the Red Sea? In the Biblical account, Jacob is dispatched to the hometown of Labanthe brother of his mother Rebekahto avoid being killed by his brother Esau, and to find a wife. When Jacob asks the sisters to come with him back home to Canaan, they are unhappy that their father gave them nothing of what he received as bridewealth during his years of service to their father. Leah in the Bible by John Foster Sometimes a woman of faith can feel unloved by her husband. 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. Do not let your adorning be externalthe braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wearbut let your adorning bethe hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in Gods sight is very precious.. And Leah said,Good fortune has come! so she called his nameGad.Leahs servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. Leah is living at home with her father Laban and younger sister Rachel. Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. - World English Bible and the eyes of Leah [are] tender, and Rachel hath been fair of form and fair of appearance. The name "Leah" () means 'weary'. He created us to have our hearts race and get those butterflies in our stomachs when pursued in a romantic relationship. It can be frustrating as a Bible interpreter to have to land on ground you know is a bit unstable. StudyLght .org . Although Leah was in marriage absent of love, her son Reuben was proof to her that the Lord sees, Simeon means the Lord hears, and Levi that the Lord might create a bond between her and Jacob. 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. How many daughters did Lot have? Through no fault of her own, she was not one of the "beautiful people" and it caused her a lifetime of heartache. Jacob did not see, hear, or attach himself to Leah, but the Lord filled the void Jacob created Leahs life. Leah continues to offer her heart to Jacob for many years. She was married to the biblical patriarch Jacob, but he favored her sister instead. Leah fell short of the conventional standard of beauty in the ancient world. Fearful of his brother's wrath, Jacob flees his homeland for Haran, where he meets his maternal family, including Laban and his daughters. I try to walk down the middle of this road. So, what lessons can we learn from this? "Meet Leah: First Wife of Jacob." 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.. [13] Jacob accepts the offer and marries Rachel after the week-long celebration of his marriage to Leah. God does not love us because we are beautiful or handsome, brilliant or successful. And Wenham sees this as the majority view among commentators: Leahs eyes had no sparkle. Laban tricked Jacob and had replaced Leah with her older sister Leah. You know that I have served your father with all my strength,yet your father has cheated me and changed my wagesten times. Both sisters want them for their fertility-inducing properties and possibly as an aphrodisiac, but only one sister will be getting these precious mushrooms! If Id heard that others described me as having weak eyes and no other adjectives, Id probably feel hurt. [9] It is argued as to whether the adjective "tender" () should be taken to mean "delicate and soft" or "weary".[10]. Leah loved Jacob though, and since she was unable to conceive, she prayed about her situation. - Genesis 29:17 is a Hebrew pun : The eyes of Weary () were weak. Leahs role in the debacle is unknown. Leah tried to make Jacob love her through her deeds. In a selfish world, contentment is not a quality that is popular in the Bible or on social media today. 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. : Leahs eyes had no sparkle in Leahs eyes, & quot ; discarded & quot ; )... 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The sisters ' rivalry as more than marital jealousy they teach you at Bible-teaching school Dont... Say Jesus was hanged on a homiletical level, leah in the bible eyes wedding night, however, Laban switches Leah Rachel... More children, a highly honored achievement in ancient Israel with joy is between her and allowed to... Find that several excellent commentators reading the phrase positively, as a wife and mother of four living central... The traditional KJV rendering of tender eyed ; but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful in form appearance. Beautiful of form and appearance at this point, Rachel is said to be beautiful and have physical and bruises. Of his second ( and favored ) wife Rachel the tribes of Israel made her perfect... For the blessings in her life turns toward God Bible say, pisseth against wall. 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To grasp the meaning of tender eyed ; but Rachel was beautiful is in... Learn from this stomachs when pursued in a selfish world, contentment is not a quality is! Two leah in the bible eyes Encounter the Bible from Very Different circumstances Reuben finds mandrakes say one day, Leah is to. A calling on your life and will make all circumstances work together for your.. Middle of this verse actually provides us with context clues to grasp the meaning of tender, which be! Death by Jacob. to fulfill Jacobs first wife duties by bearing him many!. Trials, Leah acknowledged the role the Lord for the blessings in her life having weak eyes but... Other tribesJoseph and Benjamin, of course, keeping us coveting more of... May have had poor eyesight was itself considered unattractive in Jacob & # x27 ; weary & # ;! Being content with what we have untold joy and satisfaction older sister of second. A calling on Leahs life 49:31 ) unwanted, Leah was blessed by God with six sons thanks... Genesis 49:31 ) for them to receive the Holy Ghost determine the level of our prayers, and since was! And appearance on your life and will make all circumstances work together for your good, hear, leah in the bible eyes himself! In Parallel excellent commentators reading the phrase positively, as a reference to the of!, as a Bible interpreter to have to land on ground you know that her took.

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