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 older one was named Leah, and the younger one Rachel. Leah's eyes were tender, but Rachel had a lovely figure and beautiful appearance.) read more. Since Jacob had fallen in love with Rachel, he said, "I'll serve you seven years in exchange for your younger daughter Rachel." Laban replied, "I'd rather give her to you than to another man. Stay with me." So Jacob worked for seven years to acquire Rachel. But they seemed like only a few days to him because his love for her was so great. Finally Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time of service is up. I want to have marital relations with her." So Laban invited all the people of that place and prepared a feast. In the evening he brought his daughter Leah to Jacob, and Jacob had marital relations with her. (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) In the morning Jacob discovered it was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, "What in the world have you done to me! Didn't I work for you in exchange for Rachel? Why have you tricked me?" "It is not our custom here," Laban replied, "to give the younger daughter in marriage before the firstborn. Complete my older daughter's bridal week. Then we will give you the younger one too, in exchange for seven more years of work." Jacob did as Laban said. When Jacob completed Leah's bridal week, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) Jacob had marital relations with Rachel as well. He loved Rachel more than Leah, so he worked for Laban for seven more years. When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to become pregnant while Rachel remained childless. So Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, "The Lord has looked with pity on my oppressed condition. Surely my husband will love me now." She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, "Because the Lord heard that I was unloved, he gave me this one too." So she named him Simeon. She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, "Now this time my husband will show me affection, because I have given birth to three sons for him." That is why he was named Levi. She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, "This time I will praise the Lord." That is why she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.
When Rachel saw that she could not give Jacob children, she became jealous of her sister. She said to Jacob, "Give me children or I'll die!" Jacob became furious with Rachel and exclaimed, "Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?" read more. She replied, "Here is my servant Bilhah! Have sexual relations with her so that she can bear children for me and I can have a family through her." So Rachel gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob had marital relations with her. Bilhah became pregnant and gave Jacob a son. Then Rachel said, "God has vindicated me. He has responded to my prayer and given me a son." That is why she named him Dan. Bilhah, Rachel's servant, became pregnant again and gave Jacob another son. Then Rachel said, "I have fought a desperate struggle with my sister, but I have won." So she named him Naphtali. When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she gave her servant Zilpah to Jacob as a wife. Soon Leah's servant Zilpah gave Jacob a son. Leah said, "How fortunate!" So she named him Gad. Then Leah's servant Zilpah gave Jacob another son. Leah said, "How happy I am, for women will call me happy!" So she named him Asher. At the time of the wheat harvest Reuben went out and found some mandrake plants in a field and brought them to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, "Give me some of your son's mandrakes." But Leah replied, "Wasn't it enough that you've taken away my husband? Would you take away my son's mandrakes too?" "All right," Rachel said, "he may sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes." When Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, "You must sleep with me because I have paid for your services with my son's mandrakes." So he had marital relations with her that night. God paid attention to Leah; she became pregnant and gave Jacob a son for the fifth time. Then Leah said, "God has granted me a reward because I gave my servant to my husband as a wife." So she named him Issachar. Leah became pregnant again and gave Jacob a son for the sixth time. Then Leah said, "God has given me a good gift. Now my husband will honor me because I have given him six sons." So she named him Zebulun. After that she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.
There they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah; there they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah; and there I buried Leah.
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 older one was named Leah, and the younger one Rachel. Leah's eyes were tender, but Rachel had a lovely figure and beautiful appearance.)
In the evening he brought his daughter Leah to Jacob, and Jacob had marital relations with her.
So Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, "The Lord has looked with pity on my oppressed condition. Surely my husband will love me now." She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, "Because the Lord heard that I was unloved, he gave me this one too." So she named him Simeon. read more. She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, "Now this time my husband will show me affection, because I have given birth to three sons for him." That is why he was named Levi. She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, "This time I will praise the Lord." That is why she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.
There they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah; there they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah; and there I buried Leah.
Fausets
(See JACOB; LABAN.) She was buried in the cave of Machpelah (Ge 49:31).
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There they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah; there they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah; and there I buried Leah.
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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Finally Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time of service is up. I want to have marital relations with her."
Jacob had marital relations with Rachel as well. He loved Rachel more than Leah, so he worked for Laban for seven more years. When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to become pregnant while Rachel remained childless.
When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to become pregnant while Rachel remained childless. So Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, "The Lord has looked with pity on my oppressed condition. Surely my husband will love me now." read more. She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, "Because the Lord heard that I was unloved, he gave me this one too." So she named him Simeon.
She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, "Because the Lord heard that I was unloved, he gave me this one too." So she named him Simeon. She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, "Now this time my husband will show me affection, because I have given birth to three sons for him." That is why he was named Levi. read more. She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, "This time I will praise the Lord." That is why she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.
Then Leah said, "God has granted me a reward because I gave my servant to my husband as a wife." So she named him Issachar.
Then Leah said, "God has given me a good gift. Now my husband will honor me because I have given him six sons." So she named him Zebulun. After that she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.
There they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah; there they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah; and there I buried Leah.
All the people who were at the gate and the elders replied, "We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is entering your home like Rachel and Leah, both of whom built up the house of Israel! May you prosper in Ephrathah and become famous 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 older one was named Leah, and the younger one Rachel. Leah's eyes were tender, but Rachel had a lovely figure and beautiful appearance.) read more. Since Jacob had fallen in love with Rachel, he said, "I'll serve you seven years in exchange for your younger daughter Rachel." Laban replied, "I'd rather give her to you than to another man. Stay with me." So Jacob worked for seven years to acquire Rachel. But they seemed like only a few days to him because his love for her was so great. Finally Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time of service is up. I want to have marital relations with her." So Laban invited all the people of that place and prepared a feast. In the evening he brought his daughter Leah to Jacob, and Jacob had marital relations with her. (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) In the morning Jacob discovered it was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, "What in the world have you done to me! Didn't I work for you in exchange for Rachel? Why have you tricked me?" "It is not our custom here," Laban replied, "to give the younger daughter in marriage before the firstborn. Complete my older daughter's bridal week. Then we will give you the younger one too, in exchange for seven more years of work." Jacob did as Laban said. When Jacob completed Leah's bridal week, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) Jacob had marital relations with Rachel as well. He loved Rachel more than Leah, so he worked for Laban for seven more years. When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to become pregnant while Rachel remained childless. So Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, "The Lord has looked with pity on my oppressed condition. Surely my husband will love me now." She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, "Because the Lord heard that I was unloved, he gave me this one too." So she named him Simeon. She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, "Now this time my husband will show me affection, because I have given birth to three sons for him." That is why he was named Levi. She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, "This time I will praise the Lord." That is why she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.
When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she gave her servant Zilpah to Jacob as a wife. Soon Leah's servant Zilpah gave Jacob a son. read more. Leah said, "How fortunate!" So she named him Gad. Then Leah's servant Zilpah gave Jacob another son. Leah said, "How happy I am, for women will call me happy!" So she named him Asher. At the time of the wheat harvest Reuben went out and found some mandrake plants in a field and brought them to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, "Give me some of your son's mandrakes." But Leah replied, "Wasn't it enough that you've taken away my husband? Would you take away my son's mandrakes too?" "All right," Rachel said, "he may sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes." When Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, "You must sleep with me because I have paid for your services with my son's mandrakes." So he had marital relations with her that night. God paid attention to Leah; she became pregnant and gave Jacob a son for the fifth time. Then Leah said, "God has granted me a reward because I gave my servant to my husband as a wife." So she named him Issachar. Leah became pregnant again and gave Jacob a son for the sixth time. Then Leah said, "God has given me a good gift. Now my husband will honor me because I have given him six sons." So she named him Zebulun. After that she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.
So Jacob sent a message for Rachel and Leah to come to the field where his flocks were.
Then Rachel and Leah replied to him, "Do we still have any portion or inheritance in our father's house?
So Laban entered Jacob's tent, and Leah's tent, and the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find the idols. Then he left Leah's tent and entered Rachel's.
Jacob looked up and saw that Esau was coming along with four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two female servants. He put the servants and their children in front, with Leah and her children behind them, and Rachel and Joseph behind them.
Then Leah came forward with her children and they bowed down. Finally Joseph and Rachel came forward and bowed down.
There they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah; there they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah; and there I buried Leah.
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.)
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(Now Laban had two daughters; the older one was named Leah, and the younger one Rachel.
There they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah; there they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah; and there I buried Leah.