Genesis 29:32 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, "Because the Lord has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me."

NIV: Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, "It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now."

NASB: Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and named him Reuben, for she said, 'Because the Lord has seen my affliction; surely now my husband will love me.'

CSB: Leah conceived, gave birth to a son, and named him Reuben, for she said, "The Lord has seen my affliction; surely my husband will love me now."

NLT: So Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, 'The Lord has noticed my misery, and now my husband will love me.'

KJV: And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.

NKJV: So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, “The Lord has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.”

The first of Jacob's twelve sons is born to his unloved wife Leah. Blame for this lack of relationship can be laid at the feet of her father, Laban. After agreeing to let Jacob work seven years for Leah's younger sister, Rachel (Genesis 29:17–20), Laban switched Leah into the wedding night chambers, tricking Jacob into consummating his marriage to the wrong sister (Genesis 29:21–26). By that deception, Laban earned another seven years of free work from Jacob (Genesis 29:27–30).

Responding to Leah's heartbreak, the Lord intervened and allowed her to become pregnant while her favored sister remained childless. Leah names the boy Reuben, connecting it to her circumstances at the time. In Hebrew, Ra'uwben is similar to the phrase rā'ah be'ōnyi, meaning "my misery is seen." The name is also similar to the hopeful phrase Leah utters regarding Jacob, hoping her husband ye'ehā'ba ni—"will love me."

Leah's naming of the boy is an act of faith in God. She clearly gives Him credit for both noticing her pain and for giving her this gift of a son. The name also expresses Leah's misplaced confidence that bearing a son for Jacob will turn his heart toward her. It won't.

Genesis 29:31–35 describes Leah's joy and heartbreak. Tricked into marrying Leah, Jacob's heart is never with her. He loves Rachel more; in fact, it would be fair to say he never loved Leah at all. The Lord, who is ever with Jacob, notices Leah's heartbreak and allows her to begin bearing children while Rachel remains childless. Leah's four sons are named in celebration of the Lord and His noticing her, as well as for her hope, or lack of it, that Jacob will come to love her.

Jacob's journey from his home brings him to his uncle's household in Haran. He falls in love with Laban's younger daughter Rachel and agrees to work for Laban for seven years to marry her. When the time comes, Laban switches out Rachel for her older, less attractive sister Leah. Jacob is surprised to find he has consummated the marriage with the wrong sister. Manipulative Laban assures Jacob he can still marry Rachel the next week, as long as he will work another seven years. Jacob loves Rachel more than Leah, but with the Lord's help, unloved Leah bears Jacob his first four sons.

The previous chapter described Jacob fleeing from home to seek his uncle in Mesopotamia. This was both to escape the rage of his brother, Esau, and to look for a suitable wife. Now Jacob arrives and falls in love with his uncle's daughter Rachel. After working seven years to marry her, Jacob is tricked by his uncle into marrying the older daughter, Leah, instead. Laban allows Jacob to marry Rachel, as well, in exchange for another seven years' work. Though she is unloved by Jacob, the Lord notices Leah's heartbreak and allows her to bear four sons. In the next chapter, Rachel's jealousy sets off something of a birth war, as she and Leah compete to obtain children.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.