seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Genesis 29:31 When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben,(b) for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.”
33 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.[c]
34 Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.[d]
35 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah.[e] Then she stopped having children.
33 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.[c]
34 Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.[d]
35 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah.[e] Then she stopped having children.
b. Genesis 29:32 Reuben sounds like the Hebrew for he has seen my misery; the name means see, a son.
c. Genesis 29:33 Simeon probably means one who hears.
d. Genesis 29:34 Levi sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for attached.
e. Genesis 29:35 Judah sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for praise.
I found this at studylight.org.
Gods compassion on Leah is touching. She was truly the innocent party in all of this mess. God can bring comfort and blessing to a wife and meet her needs even when the husband acts in an ungodly manner.
Wretched Leah sits sadly in her tent with her maid and spends her time spinning and weeping. For the rest of the household, and especially Rachel, despises her because she has been scorned by her husband, who prefers Rachel and is desperately in love with Rachel alone. She is not beautiful, not pleasing. No, she is odious and hated. There the poor girl sits; no one pays any attention to her. Rachel gives herself airs before; she does not deign to look at her. I am the lady of the house, she thinks, Leah is a slave. These are truly carnal things in the saintly fathers and mothers, like the things that usually happen in our houses.
I know, I know, she didn't sit alone all the time, after all she had 4 sons. The commentary goes on to say this.
Jacob, even though he did not love Leah, still was willing to have sex with her. This demonstrates a principle that is still true, that a man will often be willing to have sex completely apart from love, and only a foolish woman regards the willingness to have sex as proof of love. Leah was not the first nor the last to live under this problem of male nature.
And it continues...
The fourth son born to Jacob, again through Leah, was named Judah meaning, Praise. Apparently, Leah stopped naming her children to reflect the pain and longing in her heart. At this point she focused on God and could praise Him.
To some extent, and for some period of time, Leah allowed the Lord to meet her need, and she could now praise God. Leah knew the Lord better, driven to Him by the neglect of her husband.
To some extent, and for some period of time, Leah allowed the Lord to meet her need, and she could now praise God. Leah knew the Lord better, driven to Him by the neglect of her husband.
Leah, though she was neglected by Jacob and despised by Rachel, had a great purpose in Gods plan. The two greatest tribes came from Leah, not Rachel: Levi (the priestly tribe) and Judah (the royal tribe). And most importantly, the Messiah came from Leah, the less-attractive sister who was neglected and despised but learned to look to the Lord and praise Him.
So yet another dysfunctional limb on the family tree.
