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 happened to have two daughters. The older one was named Leah and the younger was named Rachel. Leah looked rather plain, but Rachel was lovely in form and appearance. read more. Jacob loved Rachel, so he made this offer to Laban: "I'll serve you for seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter." "It's better that I give her to you than to another man," Laban replied, "so stay with me." Jacob served seven years for Rachel, but it seemed like only a few days because of his love for her. Eventually, Jacob told Laban, "Bring me my wife, now that my time of service has been completed, so I can go be with her." So Laban gathered all the men who lived in that place and held a wedding festival. That night Laban took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob. He had marital relations with her. Laban also gave his servant woman Zilpah to Leah to be her maidservant. The next morning, Jacob realized that it was Leah! "What have you done to me?" he demanded of Laban. "Didn't I serve you for seven years in order to marry Rachel? Why did you deceive me?" But Laban responded, "It's not the practice of our place to give the younger one in marriage before the firstborn. Fulfill the week for this daughter, then we'll give you the other one in exchange for serving me another seven years." So Jacob completed another seven years' work, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. Laban also gave his woman servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maidservant. Jacob also married Rachel, since he loved her. He served Laban another full seven years' work for Rachel. Later, the LORD noticed that Leah was being neglected, so he made her fertile, while Rachel remained childless. Leah conceived, bore a son, and named him Reuben, because she was saying, "The LORD had looked on my torture, so now my husband will love me." Later, she conceived again, bore a son, and declared, "Because the LORD heard that I'm neglected, he gave me this one, too." So she named him Simeon. Later, she conceived again and said, "This time my husband will become attached to me, now that I've borne him three sons." So he named him Levi. Then she conceived yet again, bore a son, and said, "This time I'll praise the LORD." So she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing children.
Rachel noticed that she was not bearing children for Jacob, so because she envied her sister Leah, she told Jacob, "If you don't give me sons, I'm going to die!" That made Jacob angry with Rachel, so he asked her, "Can I take God's place, who has not allowed you to conceive?" read more. Rachel responded, "Here's my handmaid Bilhah. Go have sex with her. She can bear children on my knees so I can have children through her." So Rachel gave Jacob her woman servant Bilhah to be his wife, and Jacob had sex with her. Bilhah conceived and bore a son for Jacob. Then Rachel said, "God has vindicated me! He has heard my voice and has given me a son." Therefore, she named him Dan. Rachel's servant conceived again and bore a second son for Jacob, so Rachel said, "I've been through a mighty struggle with my sister and won." She named him Naphtali. When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing children, she took her woman servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. Leah's servant Zilpah bore a son to Jacob, and Leah exclaimed, "How fortunate!" So she named him Gad. Later, Leah's servant Zilpah bore a second son for Jacob. She said, "How happy I am, because women will call me happy!" So she named him Asher. Some time later, during the wheat harvest season, Reuben went out and found some mandrakes in the field and brought them back for his mother Leah. Then Rachel told Leah, "Please give me your son's mandrakes." In response, Leah asked her, "Wasn't it enough that you've taken away my husband? Now you also want to take my son's mandrakes!" But Rachel replied, "Okay, let's let Jacob sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes." When Jacob came in from the field that evening, Leah went to meet him and told him, "You're having sex with me tonight. I traded my son's mandrakes for you!" So he slept with her that night. God heard what Leah had said, so she conceived and bore a fifth son for Jacob. Then Leah said, "God has paid me for giving my servant to my husband as his wife." So she named him Issachar. Later, Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son for Jacob. Then Leah said, "God has given me a good gift. This time my husband will exalt me, because I've borne him six sons." So she named him Zebulun. After that, Leah conceived, bore a daughter, and named her 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 happened to have two daughters. The older one was named Leah and the younger was named Rachel. Leah looked rather plain, but Rachel was lovely in form and appearance.
That night Laban took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob. He had marital relations with her.
Leah conceived, bore a son, and named him Reuben, because she was saying, "The LORD had looked on my torture, so now my husband will love me." Later, she conceived again, bore a son, and declared, "Because the LORD heard that I'm neglected, he gave me this one, too." So she named him Simeon. read more. Later, she conceived again and said, "This time my husband will become attached to me, now that I've borne him three sons." So he named him Levi. Then she conceived yet again, bore a son, and said, "This time I'll praise the LORD." So she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing children.
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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Eventually, Jacob told Laban, "Bring me my wife, now that my time of service has been completed, so I can go be with her."
Jacob also married Rachel, since he loved her. He served Laban another full seven years' work for Rachel. Later, the LORD noticed that Leah was being neglected, so he made her fertile, while Rachel remained childless.
Later, the LORD noticed that Leah was being neglected, so he made her fertile, while Rachel remained childless. Leah conceived, bore a son, and named him Reuben, because she was saying, "The LORD had looked on my torture, so now my husband will love me." read more. Later, she conceived again, bore a son, and declared, "Because the LORD heard that I'm neglected, he gave me this one, too." So she named him Simeon.
Later, she conceived again, bore a son, and declared, "Because the LORD heard that I'm neglected, he gave me this one, too." So she named him Simeon. Later, she conceived again and said, "This time my husband will become attached to me, now that I've borne him three sons." So he named him Levi. read more. Then she conceived yet again, bore a son, and said, "This time I'll praise the LORD." So she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing children.
Then Leah said, "God has paid me for giving my servant to my husband as his wife." So she named him Issachar.
Then Leah said, "God has given me a good gift. This time my husband will exalt me, because I've borne him six sons." So she named him Zebulun. After that, Leah conceived, bore a daughter, and named her Dinah.
It's where Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, where Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and where I buried Leah.
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 happened to have two daughters. The older one was named Leah and the younger was named Rachel. Leah looked rather plain, but Rachel was lovely in form and appearance. read more. Jacob loved Rachel, so he made this offer to Laban: "I'll serve you for seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter." "It's better that I give her to you than to another man," Laban replied, "so stay with me." Jacob served seven years for Rachel, but it seemed like only a few days because of his love for her. Eventually, Jacob told Laban, "Bring me my wife, now that my time of service has been completed, so I can go be with her." So Laban gathered all the men who lived in that place and held a wedding festival. That night Laban took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob. He had marital relations with her. Laban also gave his servant woman Zilpah to Leah to be her maidservant. The next morning, Jacob realized that it was Leah! "What have you done to me?" he demanded of Laban. "Didn't I serve you for seven years in order to marry Rachel? Why did you deceive me?" But Laban responded, "It's not the practice of our place to give the younger one in marriage before the firstborn. Fulfill the week for this daughter, then we'll give you the other one in exchange for serving me another seven years." So Jacob completed another seven years' work, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. Laban also gave his woman servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maidservant. Jacob also married Rachel, since he loved her. He served Laban another full seven years' work for Rachel. Later, the LORD noticed that Leah was being neglected, so he made her fertile, while Rachel remained childless. Leah conceived, bore a son, and named him Reuben, because she was saying, "The LORD had looked on my torture, so now my husband will love me." Later, she conceived again, bore a son, and declared, "Because the LORD heard that I'm neglected, he gave me this one, too." So she named him Simeon. Later, she conceived again and said, "This time my husband will become attached to me, now that I've borne him three sons." So he named him Levi. Then she conceived yet again, bore a son, and said, "This time I'll praise the LORD." So she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing children.
When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing children, she took her woman servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. Leah's servant Zilpah bore a son to Jacob, read more. and Leah exclaimed, "How fortunate!" So she named him Gad. Later, Leah's servant Zilpah bore a second son for Jacob. She said, "How happy I am, because women will call me happy!" So she named him Asher. Some time later, during the wheat harvest season, Reuben went out and found some mandrakes in the field and brought them back for his mother Leah. Then Rachel told Leah, "Please give me your son's mandrakes." In response, Leah asked her, "Wasn't it enough that you've taken away my husband? Now you also want to take my son's mandrakes!" But Rachel replied, "Okay, let's let Jacob sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes." When Jacob came in from the field that evening, Leah went to meet him and told him, "You're having sex with me tonight. I traded my son's mandrakes for you!" So he slept with her that night. God heard what Leah had said, so she conceived and bore a fifth son for Jacob. Then Leah said, "God has paid me for giving my servant to my husband as his wife." So she named him Issachar. Later, Leah conceived again and bore a sixth son for Jacob. Then Leah said, "God has given me a good gift. This time my husband will exalt me, because I've borne him six sons." So she named him Zebulun. After that, Leah conceived, bore a daughter, and named her Dinah.
Then Rachel and Leah asked him, "Do we have anything left of inheritance remaining in our father's house?
So Laban entered Jacob's tent, Leah's tent, and the tents of the two maid servants, but he didn't find them. Then he left Leah's tent and entered Rachel's tent.
When Jacob looked off in the distance, there was Esau coming toward him, accompanied by 400 men! So Jacob divided Leah's children, Rachel, and the children of the two servants into separate groups. Then he positioned the women servants and their children first, then Leah and her children next, and then Rachel and Joseph after them.
Leah also approached, and she and her children bowed low. After this, Joseph and Rachel approached and bowed low.
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.)