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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And Laban had two daughters, the eldest called Lea and the youngest Rachel. Lea was tender eyed, but Rachel was beautiful and well favored. read more. And Jacob loved her well, and said, "I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy youngest daughter." And Laban answered, "It is better that I give her thee, than to another man: bide therefore with me." And Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. And Jacob said unto Laban, "Give me my wife, that I may lie with her. For the time appointed me is come." Then Laban bade all the men of that place, and made a feast. And when even was come, he took Lea his daughter and brought her to him and he went in unto her. And Laban gave unto his daughter Lea, Zilpah his maid, to be her servant. And when the morning was come, behold, it was Lea. Then said he to Laban, "Wherefore hast thou played thus with me? Did not I serve thee for Rachel? Wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?" Laban answered, "It is not the manner of this place, to marry the youngest before the eldest. Pass out this week, and then shall this also be given thee for the service which thou shalt serve me yet seven years more. And Jacob did even so, and passed out that week, and then he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, Bilhah his handmaid to be her servant. So lay he by Rachel also, and loved Rachel more than Lea, and served him yet seven years more. When the LORD saw that Lea was despised, he made her fruitful: but Rachel was barren. And Lea conceived and bare a son, and called his name Reuben, for she said, "The LORD hath looked upon my tribulation. And now my husband will love me." And she conceived again and bare a son, and said, "The LORD hath heard that I am despised, and hath therefore given me this son also." And she called him Simeon. And she conceived yet, and bare a son, and said, "Now this once will my husband keep me company, because I have borne him three sons." And therefore she called his name Levi. And she conceived yet again, and bare a son, saying, "Now will I praise the LORD!" Therefore she called his name Judah, and left bearing.
When Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, she envied her sister and said unto Jacob, "Give me children, or else I am but dead." Then was Jacob wroth with Rachel saying, "Am I in God's stead which keepeth from thee the fruit of thy womb?" read more. Then she said, "Here is my maid, Bilhah: go in unto her, that she may bear upon my lap, that I may be increased by her." And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife. And Jacob went in unto her: And Bilhah conceived and bare Jacob a son. Then said Rachel, "God hath given sentence on my side, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son." Therefore called she him Dan. And Bilhah, Rachel's maid, conceived again; and bare Jacob another son. And Rachel said, "God is turned, and I have made a change with my sister, and have gotten the upper hand." And she called his name Naphtali. When Lea saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife. And Zilpah Lea's maid bare Jacob a son. Then said Lea, "Good luck," and called his name Gad. And Zilpah, Lea's maid, bare Jacob another son. Then said Lea, "Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed." And called his name Asher. And Reuben went out in the wheat harvest and found mandragoras in the fields, and brought them unto his mother Lea. Then said Rachel to Lea, "Give me of thy son's mandragoras." And Lea answered, "Is it not enough, that thou hast taken away my husband, but wouldest take away my son's mandragoras also?" Then said Rachel, "Well, let him sleep with thee this night, for thy son's mandragoras." And when Jacob came from the fields at even, Lea went out to meet him, and said, "Come in to me, for I have bought thee with my son's mandragoras." And he slept with her that night. And God heard Lea, that she conceived and bare unto Jacob the fifth son. Then said Lea, "God hath given me my reward, because I gave my maiden to my husband." And she called him Issachar. And Lea conceived yet again and bare Jacob the sixth son. Then said she, "God hath endued me with a good dowry. Now will my husband dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons." And called his name Zebulon. After that she bare a daughter, and called her Dina.
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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And Laban had two daughters, the eldest called Lea and the youngest Rachel. Lea was tender eyed, but Rachel was beautiful and well favored.
And when even was come, he took Lea his daughter and brought her to him and he went in unto her.
And Lea conceived and bare a son, and called his name Reuben, for she said, "The LORD hath looked upon my tribulation. And now my husband will love me." And she conceived again and bare a son, and said, "The LORD hath heard that I am despised, and hath therefore given me this son also." And she called him Simeon. read more. And she conceived yet, and bare a son, and said, "Now this once will my husband keep me company, because I have borne him three sons." And therefore she called his name Levi. And she conceived yet again, and bare a son, saying, "Now will I praise the LORD!" Therefore she called his name Judah, and left 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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And Jacob said unto Laban, "Give me my wife, that I may lie with her. For the time appointed me is come."
So lay he by Rachel also, and loved Rachel more than Lea, and served him yet seven years more. When the LORD saw that Lea was despised, he made her fruitful: but Rachel was barren.
When the LORD saw that Lea was despised, he made her fruitful: but Rachel was barren. And Lea conceived and bare a son, and called his name Reuben, for she said, "The LORD hath looked upon my tribulation. And now my husband will love me." read more. And she conceived again and bare a son, and said, "The LORD hath heard that I am despised, and hath therefore given me this son also." And she called him Simeon.
And she conceived again and bare a son, and said, "The LORD hath heard that I am despised, and hath therefore given me this son also." And she called him Simeon. And she conceived yet, and bare a son, and said, "Now this once will my husband keep me company, because I have borne him three sons." And therefore she called his name Levi. read more. And she conceived yet again, and bare a son, saying, "Now will I praise the LORD!" Therefore she called his name Judah, and left bearing.
Then said Lea, "God hath given me my reward, because I gave my maiden to my husband." And she called him Issachar.
Then said she, "God hath endued me with a good dowry. Now will my husband dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons." And called his name Zebulon. After that she bare a daughter, and called her Dina.
There they buried Abraham and Sara his wife, there they buried Isaac and Rebecca his wife. And there I buried Lea:
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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And Laban had two daughters, the eldest called Lea and the youngest Rachel. Lea was tender eyed, but Rachel was beautiful and well favored. read more. And Jacob loved her well, and said, "I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy youngest daughter." And Laban answered, "It is better that I give her thee, than to another man: bide therefore with me." And Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. And Jacob said unto Laban, "Give me my wife, that I may lie with her. For the time appointed me is come." Then Laban bade all the men of that place, and made a feast. And when even was come, he took Lea his daughter and brought her to him and he went in unto her. And Laban gave unto his daughter Lea, Zilpah his maid, to be her servant. And when the morning was come, behold, it was Lea. Then said he to Laban, "Wherefore hast thou played thus with me? Did not I serve thee for Rachel? Wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?" Laban answered, "It is not the manner of this place, to marry the youngest before the eldest. Pass out this week, and then shall this also be given thee for the service which thou shalt serve me yet seven years more. And Jacob did even so, and passed out that week, and then he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, Bilhah his handmaid to be her servant. So lay he by Rachel also, and loved Rachel more than Lea, and served him yet seven years more. When the LORD saw that Lea was despised, he made her fruitful: but Rachel was barren. And Lea conceived and bare a son, and called his name Reuben, for she said, "The LORD hath looked upon my tribulation. And now my husband will love me." And she conceived again and bare a son, and said, "The LORD hath heard that I am despised, and hath therefore given me this son also." And she called him Simeon. And she conceived yet, and bare a son, and said, "Now this once will my husband keep me company, because I have borne him three sons." And therefore she called his name Levi. And she conceived yet again, and bare a son, saying, "Now will I praise the LORD!" Therefore she called his name Judah, and left bearing.
When Lea saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife. And Zilpah Lea's maid bare Jacob a son. read more. Then said Lea, "Good luck," and called his name Gad. And Zilpah, Lea's maid, bare Jacob another son. Then said Lea, "Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed." And called his name Asher. And Reuben went out in the wheat harvest and found mandragoras in the fields, and brought them unto his mother Lea. Then said Rachel to Lea, "Give me of thy son's mandragoras." And Lea answered, "Is it not enough, that thou hast taken away my husband, but wouldest take away my son's mandragoras also?" Then said Rachel, "Well, let him sleep with thee this night, for thy son's mandragoras." And when Jacob came from the fields at even, Lea went out to meet him, and said, "Come in to me, for I have bought thee with my son's mandragoras." And he slept with her that night. And God heard Lea, that she conceived and bare unto Jacob the fifth son. Then said Lea, "God hath given me my reward, because I gave my maiden to my husband." And she called him Issachar. And Lea conceived yet again and bare Jacob the sixth son. Then said she, "God hath endued me with a good dowry. Now will my husband dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons." And called his name Zebulon. After that she bare a daughter, and called her Dina.
Then answered Rachel and Lea and said unto him, "We have no part nor inheritance in our father's house:
Then went Laban into Jacob's tent, and into Lea's tent, and into two maidens' tents: but found them not. Then went he out of Lea's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.
Jacob lift up his eyes and saw his brother Esau come, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Lea and unto Rachel and unto the two maidens. And he put the maidens and their children foremost, and Lea and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.
Lea also and her children came and did their obeisance. And last of all came Joseph and Rachel and did their obeisance.
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.)