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.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older [was] Leah, and the name of the younger [was] Rachel. Now the eyes of Leah [were] dull, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. read more. And Jacob loved Rachel and said, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter." Then Laban said, "Better [that] I give her to you than I give her to another man. Stay with me." And Jacob worked for Rachel seven years, but they were as a few days in his eyes because he loved her. And Jacob said to Laban, "Give [me] my wife, that I may go in to her, for {my time} is completed." So Laban gathered all the men of the place and prepared a feast. And it happened [that] in the evening he took Leah his daughter and brought her to him, and he went in to her. And Laban gave Zilpah his female servant to her, to Leah his daughter [as] a female servant. And it happened [that] in the morning, behold, it [was] Leah! And he said to Laban, "What [is] this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Now why did you deceive me?" Then Laban said, "{It is not the custom} in our country to give the younger before the firstborn. Complete the week of this one, then I will also give you the other, {on the condition that you will work for me} another seven years." And Jacob did so. So he completed the week of this [one], then he gave Rachel his daughter to him as a wife. And Laban gave Bilhah his female servant to Rachel his daughter as a female servant. Then he also went in to Rachel, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with him yet another seven years. When Yahweh saw that Leah [was] unloved he opened her womb, but Rachel [was] barren. Then Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, "Because Yahweh has noticed my misery, that I [am] unloved. Now my husband will love me." And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. And she said, "[It is] because Yahweh has heard that I [am] unloved that he gave me this [son] also." And she called his name Simeon. And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. Then she said, "Now this time my husband will be joined to me, for I have borne him three sons." Therefore, she called his name Levi. And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. And she said, "This time I will praise Yahweh." Therefore she called his name Judah. And she ceased bearing children.
When Rachel saw that she could not bear children to Jacob, Rachel envied her sister. And she said to Jacob, "Give me children--if not, I will die!" And Jacob {became angry} with Rachel. And he said, "[Am] I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?" read more. Then she said, "Here [is] my servant girl Bilhah; go in to her that she may bear children {as my surrogate}. Then I will even {have children} by her." Then she gave him Bilhah, her female servant, as a wife, and Jacob went in to her And Bilhah conceived and gave birth to a son for Jacob. Then Rachel said, "God has judged me, and has also heard my voice, and has given me a son." Therefore she called his name Dan. And Bilhah, Rachel's servant, conceived again and bore a second son to Jacob. And Rachel said, "I have struggled a mighty struggle with my sister and have prevailed." And she called his name Naphtali. When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took Zilpah her female servant and gave her to Jacob as a wife. And Zilpah, the female slave of Leah, bore a son to Jacob. Then Leah said, "Good fortune!" And she called his name Gad. And Zilpah, Leah's female servant, bore a second son to Jacob. Then Leah said, "How happy [am] I! For women have called me happy." So she called his name Asher. And in the days of the wheat harvest, Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field and he brought them to Leah his mother. And Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes." And she said to her, "[Is] your taking my husband [such] a small [thing] that you will also take the mandrakes of my son?" Then Rachel said, "Then he may sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes." When Jacob came in from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him. And she said, "Come in to me, for {I have hired} you with my son's mandrakes." And he slept with her that night. And God listened to Leah and she conceived and gave birth to a fifth son for Jacob. Then Leah said, "God has given [me] my wage since I gave my servant girl to my husband." And she called his name Issachar. And Leah conceived again and gave birth to a sixth son for Jacob. And Leah said, "God has endowed me with a good gift. This time my husband will acknowledge me, because I bore him six sons." And she called his name Zebulun. And afterward she gave birth to a daughter. And 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).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older [was] Leah, and the name of the younger [was] Rachel. Now the eyes of Leah [were] dull, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.
And it happened [that] in the evening he took Leah his daughter and brought her to him, and he went in to her.
Then Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, "Because Yahweh has noticed my misery, that I [am] unloved. Now my husband will love me." And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. And she said, "[It is] because Yahweh has heard that I [am] unloved that he gave me this [son] also." And she called his name Simeon. read more. And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. Then she said, "Now this time my husband will be joined to me, for I have borne him three sons." Therefore, she called his name Levi. And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. And she said, "This time I will praise Yahweh." Therefore she called his name Judah. And she ceased bearing children.
Fausets
(See JACOB; LABAN.) She was buried in the cave of Machpelah (Ge 49:31).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
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
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Jacob said to Laban, "Give [me] my wife, that I may go in to her, for {my time} is completed."
Then he also went in to Rachel, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with him yet another seven years. When Yahweh saw that Leah [was] unloved he opened her womb, but Rachel [was] barren.
When Yahweh saw that Leah [was] unloved he opened her womb, but Rachel [was] barren. Then Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, "Because Yahweh has noticed my misery, that I [am] unloved. Now my husband will love me." read more. And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. And she said, "[It is] because Yahweh has heard that I [am] unloved that he gave me this [son] also." And she called his name Simeon.
And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. And she said, "[It is] because Yahweh has heard that I [am] unloved that he gave me this [son] also." And she called his name Simeon. And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. Then she said, "Now this time my husband will be joined to me, for I have borne him three sons." Therefore, she called his name Levi. read more. And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. And she said, "This time I will praise Yahweh." Therefore she called his name Judah. And she ceased bearing children.
Then Leah said, "God has given [me] my wage since I gave my servant girl to my husband." And she called his name Issachar.
And Leah said, "God has endowed me with a good gift. This time my husband will acknowledge me, because I bore him six sons." And she called his name Zebulun. And afterward she gave birth to a daughter. And she called her name Dinah.
There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife. And there 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.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older [was] Leah, and the name of the younger [was] Rachel. Now the eyes of Leah [were] dull, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. read more. And Jacob loved Rachel and said, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter." Then Laban said, "Better [that] I give her to you than I give her to another man. Stay with me." And Jacob worked for Rachel seven years, but they were as a few days in his eyes because he loved her. And Jacob said to Laban, "Give [me] my wife, that I may go in to her, for {my time} is completed." So Laban gathered all the men of the place and prepared a feast. And it happened [that] in the evening he took Leah his daughter and brought her to him, and he went in to her. And Laban gave Zilpah his female servant to her, to Leah his daughter [as] a female servant. And it happened [that] in the morning, behold, it [was] Leah! And he said to Laban, "What [is] this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Now why did you deceive me?" Then Laban said, "{It is not the custom} in our country to give the younger before the firstborn. Complete the week of this one, then I will also give you the other, {on the condition that you will work for me} another seven years." And Jacob did so. So he completed the week of this [one], then he gave Rachel his daughter to him as a wife. And Laban gave Bilhah his female servant to Rachel his daughter as a female servant. Then he also went in to Rachel, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with him yet another seven years. When Yahweh saw that Leah [was] unloved he opened her womb, but Rachel [was] barren. Then Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, "Because Yahweh has noticed my misery, that I [am] unloved. Now my husband will love me." And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. And she said, "[It is] because Yahweh has heard that I [am] unloved that he gave me this [son] also." And she called his name Simeon. And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. Then she said, "Now this time my husband will be joined to me, for I have borne him three sons." Therefore, she called his name Levi. And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. And she said, "This time I will praise Yahweh." Therefore she called his name Judah. And she ceased bearing children.
When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took Zilpah her female servant and gave her to Jacob as a wife. And Zilpah, the female slave of Leah, bore a son to Jacob. read more. Then Leah said, "Good fortune!" And she called his name Gad. And Zilpah, Leah's female servant, bore a second son to Jacob. Then Leah said, "How happy [am] I! For women have called me happy." So she called his name Asher. And in the days of the wheat harvest, Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field and he brought them to Leah his mother. And Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me some of your son's mandrakes." And she said to her, "[Is] your taking my husband [such] a small [thing] that you will also take the mandrakes of my son?" Then Rachel said, "Then he may sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes." When Jacob came in from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him. And she said, "Come in to me, for {I have hired} you with my son's mandrakes." And he slept with her that night. And God listened to Leah and she conceived and gave birth to a fifth son for Jacob. Then Leah said, "God has given [me] my wage since I gave my servant girl to my husband." And she called his name Issachar. And Leah conceived again and gave birth to a sixth son for Jacob. And Leah said, "God has endowed me with a good gift. This time my husband will acknowledge me, because I bore him six sons." And she called his name Zebulun. And afterward she gave birth to a daughter. And she called her name Dinah.
Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, "[Is there] yet a portion for us, and an inheritance in the house of our father?
Then Laban went into Jacob's tent and Leah's tent and the tent of the two female servants and did not find [his gods]. And he came out of Leah's tent and went into Rachel's tent.
And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked. And behold, Esau [was] coming and four hundred men [were] with him. And he divided the children among Leah and among Rachel, and among the two of his female servants. And he put the female slaves and their children first, then Leah and her children next, then Rachel with Joseph last.
Then Leah and her children drew near and bowed down, and afterward Joseph and Rachel drew near and they bowed down.
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.)