Reference: Leah
American
The elder daughter of Laban, and the first wife of Jacob, though less beloved than her sister Rachel. She had, through life, the remembrance of the deceit by which her father had imposed her upon Jacob. She was the mother of seven children, among whom were Reuben-Jacob's firstborn-and Judah, the ancestor of the leading tribe among the Jews, of the royal line, and of our Lord, Ge 29:16-35; 30:1-21. She is supposed to have died before the removal of the family into Egypt, Ge 49:31.
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Now, Laban, had two daughters, - the name of the elder, Leah, and the name of the younger, Rachel, But, the eyes of Leah were weak, - whereas, Rachel, was comely in form and comely in countenance. read more. So Jacob loved Rachel, - and he said, I will serve thee seven years, for Rachel thy younger daughter. And Laban said, Better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man, - Abide with me! So Jacob served for Rachel - seven years, - and they became, in his eyes, as single days, for his love to her. Then said Jacob unto Laban: Come give me my wife, for fulfilled are my days, - that I may go in unto her. So Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a banquet, And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her in unto him, - and he went in unto her. And Laban gave her Zilpah, his handmaid, unto Leah his daughter. as handmaid. And it came to pass in the morning, that lo! it was Leah, - and he said unto Laban, What is this thou hast done to me? Was it not, for Rachel, I served with thee? Wherefore then hast thou deceived me? And Laban said, It must not be done so in our place, - to give the later-born before the firstborn. Fulfil the week of this one, - then must we give thee, the other one also, for the service wherewith thou shalt serve with me, yet seven years more. And Jacob did so, and fulfilled the week of this one, - and he gave him Rachel his daughter - to him to wife. And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid, - to be hers as a handmaid. So he went in, unto Rachel also, and loved, Rachel also, more than Leah, - and he served with him, yet seven years more. And, when Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, he granted her to bear children, - whereas, Rachel, was barren. So Leah conceived, and hare a son, and called his name Reuben, - for she said, Because, Yahweh hath looked upon my humiliation, For, now, will my husband love me. And she conceived again, and bare a son, and said. Because Yahweh heard that, I, was I hated, he gave me, this one also. So she called his name Simeon. And she conceived again and bare a son, and said, Now - this time, will my husband he bound unto me, For I have borne him three sons, - For this cause, called she his name Levi. And she conceived again and bare a son, and said This time, will I praise Yahweh, For which cause, she called his name Judah. And she left off bearing.
And Rachel saw she had borne no children unto Jacob, so Rachel became envious of her sister, - and said unto Jacob, Come! give me children, or else, I die. Then kindled the anger of Jacob with Rachel, - and he said, Am I, in the place of God, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? read more. And she said, Lo! my handmaid, Bilhah. Go in unto her, - that she may hear upon my knees, so that, I also, may be builded up by her! And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid, to wife, - and Jacob went in unto her; and Bilhah conceived, and bare unto Jacob a son; and Rachel said God hath vindicated me. Moreover also he hath hearkened unto my voice, and hath given me a son. For this cause, called she his name Dan. And Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid conceived again, and bare a second son to Jacob. Then said Rachel With wrestlings of God, have I wrestled with my sister Yea I have prevailed. So she called his name, Naphtali. Then saw Leah, that she had left off bearing, - so she took Zilpah, her handmaid, and gave her to Jacob to wife. And Zilpah, Leah's handmaid, bare to Jacob a son: and Leah said, Victory hath come! So she called his name Gad. And Zilpah, Leah's handmaid bare a second son to Jacob; and Leah said, For my happiness, surely happy have daughters pronounced me. So she called his name, Asher. Then went Reuben, in the days of the wheat harvest, and found mandrakes, in the field, and brought them in unto Leah his mother, and Rachel said unto Leah, Pray give me, stone of the mandrakes of thy son And she said to her, Is it, a small thing, that thou hast taken away my husband? And wouldst thou take away, even the mandrakes of my son? Then said Rachel, Therefore, shall he lie with thee to-night, for the mandrakes of thy son. And Jacob came in from the field, in the evening, so Leah went out to meet him and said: Unto me, shall thou come in, for I have hired, thee, even with the mandrakes of my son. And he lay with her that night, And God hearkened unto Leah, - and she conceived and bare to Jacob a fifth son. Then said Leah. God hath given my hire, in that I gave my handmaid to my husband. So she called his name, Issachar. And Leah conceived again and bare a sixth son to Jacob. Then said Leah, God hath dowered me even me with a hand-some dowry, Now! will my husband dwell with me, for I have borne him six sons. So she called his name, Zebulon. And afterwards she bare a daughter, - so she called her name, Dinah.
Easton
weary, the eldest daughter of Laban, and sister of Rachel (Ge 29:16). Jacob took her to wife through a deceit of her father (Ge 29:23). She was "tender-eyed" (Ge 29:17). She bore to Jacob six sons (Ge 29:32-35), also one daughter, Dinah (Ge 30:21). She accompanied Jacob into Canaan, and died there before the time of the going down into Egypt (Ge 31), and was buried in the cave of Machpelah (Ge 49:31).
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Now, Laban, had two daughters, - the name of the elder, Leah, and the name of the younger, Rachel, But, the eyes of Leah were weak, - whereas, Rachel, was comely in form and comely in countenance.
And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her in unto him, - and he went in unto her.
So Leah conceived, and hare a son, and called his name Reuben, - for she said, Because, Yahweh hath looked upon my humiliation, For, now, will my husband love me. And she conceived again, and bare a son, and said. Because Yahweh heard that, I, was I hated, he gave me, this one also. So she called his name Simeon. read more. And she conceived again and bare a son, and said, Now - this time, will my husband he bound unto me, For I have borne him three sons, - For this cause, called she his name Levi. And she conceived again and bare a son, and said This time, will I praise Yahweh, For which cause, she called his name Judah. And she left off bearing.
Fausets
(See JACOB; LABAN.) She was buried in the cave of Machpelah (Ge 49:31).
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Hastings
The elder daughter of Laban, married to Jacob by stratagem (Ge 29:21 ff.). Jacob's love for her was less than for Rachel (Ge 29:30); sometimes she is said to be hated (Ge 29:31,33). She was the mother of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and a daughter Dinah (Ge 29:31-35; 30:18,20-21). She was buried in the cave of Machpelah before Jacob went to Egypt (Ge 49:31). She is mentioned in Ru 4:11. Her name probably means 'mistress,' equivalent to Assyrian li'at (Haupt, GGN [Note: GN Nachrichten der konigl. Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu G
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Then said Jacob unto Laban: Come give me my wife, for fulfilled are my days, - that I may go in unto her.
So he went in, unto Rachel also, and loved, Rachel also, more than Leah, - and he served with him, yet seven years more. And, when Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, he granted her to bear children, - whereas, Rachel, was barren.
And, when Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, he granted her to bear children, - whereas, Rachel, was barren. So Leah conceived, and hare a son, and called his name Reuben, - for she said, Because, Yahweh hath looked upon my humiliation, For, now, will my husband love me. read more. And she conceived again, and bare a son, and said. Because Yahweh heard that, I, was I hated, he gave me, this one also. So she called his name Simeon.
And she conceived again, and bare a son, and said. Because Yahweh heard that, I, was I hated, he gave me, this one also. So she called his name Simeon. And she conceived again and bare a son, and said, Now - this time, will my husband he bound unto me, For I have borne him three sons, - For this cause, called she his name Levi. read more. And she conceived again and bare a son, and said This time, will I praise Yahweh, For which cause, she called his name Judah. And she left off bearing.
Then said Leah. God hath given my hire, in that I gave my handmaid to my husband. So she called his name, Issachar.
Then said Leah, God hath dowered me even me with a hand-some dowry, Now! will my husband dwell with me, for I have borne him six sons. So she called his name, Zebulon. And afterwards she bare a daughter, - so she called her name, Dinah.
There, buried they Abraham, and Sarah his wife, There, buried they Isaac, and Rebekah his wife, - And there, buried I Leah: -
Then said all the people who were in the gate, and the elders - Witnesses!, - Yahweh grant the woman who is coming into thy house, to be as Rachel, and as Leah, which two of them did build the house of Israel. Do thou bravely, then, in Ephrathah, and proclaim thou a name in Bethlehem,
Morish
Le'ah
The elder daughter of Laban, given to Jacob as wife through the artifice of her father. She was 'tender eyed,' and not as beautiful as Rachel; but she was blessed of God in bearing to Jacob six sons and one daughter, and was thus the mother of the heads of the important tribes of Reuben, Levi, and Judah, as well as of Simeon, Issachar, and Zebulun. Ge 29:16-35; 30:9-21; 31:4,14,33; 33:1-2,7; 49:31.
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Now, Laban, had two daughters, - the name of the elder, Leah, and the name of the younger, Rachel, But, the eyes of Leah were weak, - whereas, Rachel, was comely in form and comely in countenance. read more. So Jacob loved Rachel, - and he said, I will serve thee seven years, for Rachel thy younger daughter. And Laban said, Better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man, - Abide with me! So Jacob served for Rachel - seven years, - and they became, in his eyes, as single days, for his love to her. Then said Jacob unto Laban: Come give me my wife, for fulfilled are my days, - that I may go in unto her. So Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a banquet, And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her in unto him, - and he went in unto her. And Laban gave her Zilpah, his handmaid, unto Leah his daughter. as handmaid. And it came to pass in the morning, that lo! it was Leah, - and he said unto Laban, What is this thou hast done to me? Was it not, for Rachel, I served with thee? Wherefore then hast thou deceived me? And Laban said, It must not be done so in our place, - to give the later-born before the firstborn. Fulfil the week of this one, - then must we give thee, the other one also, for the service wherewith thou shalt serve with me, yet seven years more. And Jacob did so, and fulfilled the week of this one, - and he gave him Rachel his daughter - to him to wife. And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid, - to be hers as a handmaid. So he went in, unto Rachel also, and loved, Rachel also, more than Leah, - and he served with him, yet seven years more. And, when Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, he granted her to bear children, - whereas, Rachel, was barren. So Leah conceived, and hare a son, and called his name Reuben, - for she said, Because, Yahweh hath looked upon my humiliation, For, now, will my husband love me. And she conceived again, and bare a son, and said. Because Yahweh heard that, I, was I hated, he gave me, this one also. So she called his name Simeon. And she conceived again and bare a son, and said, Now - this time, will my husband he bound unto me, For I have borne him three sons, - For this cause, called she his name Levi. And she conceived again and bare a son, and said This time, will I praise Yahweh, For which cause, she called his name Judah. And she left off bearing.
Then saw Leah, that she had left off bearing, - so she took Zilpah, her handmaid, and gave her to Jacob to wife. And Zilpah, Leah's handmaid, bare to Jacob a son: read more. and Leah said, Victory hath come! So she called his name Gad. And Zilpah, Leah's handmaid bare a second son to Jacob; and Leah said, For my happiness, surely happy have daughters pronounced me. So she called his name, Asher. Then went Reuben, in the days of the wheat harvest, and found mandrakes, in the field, and brought them in unto Leah his mother, and Rachel said unto Leah, Pray give me, stone of the mandrakes of thy son And she said to her, Is it, a small thing, that thou hast taken away my husband? And wouldst thou take away, even the mandrakes of my son? Then said Rachel, Therefore, shall he lie with thee to-night, for the mandrakes of thy son. And Jacob came in from the field, in the evening, so Leah went out to meet him and said: Unto me, shall thou come in, for I have hired, thee, even with the mandrakes of my son. And he lay with her that night, And God hearkened unto Leah, - and she conceived and bare to Jacob a fifth son. Then said Leah. God hath given my hire, in that I gave my handmaid to my husband. So she called his name, Issachar. And Leah conceived again and bare a sixth son to Jacob. Then said Leah, God hath dowered me even me with a hand-some dowry, Now! will my husband dwell with me, for I have borne him six sons. So she called his name, Zebulon. And afterwards she bare a daughter, - so she called her name, Dinah.
Then responded Rachel and Leah, and said to him, - Have we any longer a portion or an inheritance in the house of our father?
Then entered Laban into the tent of Jacob and into the tent of Leah and into the tent of the two handmaids, and found nothing, - then went he forth out of the tent of Leah, and entered into the tent of Rachel.
Then Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo! Esau, coming in, - and with him, four hundred men. So he divided the children - unto Leah and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids; and put the handmaids and their children first, - and Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph next;
Then came near Leah also with her children, - and they bowed themselves. And afterwards, came near Joseph with Rachel, and they bowed themselves,
Smith
Le'ah
(wearied), the daughter of Laban.
The dullness or weakness of her eyes was so notable that it is mentioned as a contrast to the beautiful form and appearance of her younger sister Rachel. Her father took advantage of the opportunity which the local marriage rite afforded to pass her off in her sister's stead on the unconscious bridegroom, and excused himself to Jacob by alleging that the custom of the country forbade the younger sister to be given first in marriage. Jacob's preference of Rachel grew into hatred of Leah after he had married both sisters. Leah, however, bore to him in quick succession Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, then Issachar, Zebulun and Dinah, before Rachel had a child. She died some time after Jacob reached the south country in which his father Isaac lived. She was buried in the family grave in Machpelah, near Hebron.
(B.C. about 1720.)