Home People Leah Leah was Jacob's first wife and Rachel's older sister. Although Jacob did not love her as much as Rachel, God blessed her with six sons and a daughter. Through Judah came the royal line and the Messiah, and through Levi came the priestly line.
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Key events Laban gave Leah to Jacob instead of Rachel on the wedding night, which led to Jacob's despair.
23 When evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he slept with her. Heb וַיְהִ֣י בָעֶ֔רֶב וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶת־לֵאָ֣ה בִתּ֔וֹ וַיָּבֵ֥א אֹתָ֖הּ אֵלָ֑יו וַיָּבֹ֖א אֵלֶֽיהָ׃
24 Laban also gave his slave girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her slave girl. Heb וַיִּתֵּ֤ן לָבָן֙ לָ֔הּ אֶת־זִלְפָּ֖ה שִׁפְחָת֑וֹ לְלֵאָ֥ה בִתּ֖וֹ שִׁפְחָֽה׃
25 When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, "What have you done to me? Wasn't it for Rachel that I served you? Why have you deceived me?" Heb וַיְהִ֣י בַבֹּ֔קֶר וְהִנֵּה־הִ֖וא לֵאָ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶל־לָבָ֗ן מַה־זֹּאת֙ עָשִׂ֣יתָ לִּ֔י הֲלֹ֤א בְרָחֵל֙ עָבַ֣דְתִּי עִמָּ֔ךְ וְלָ֖מָּה רִמִּיתָֽנִי׃
The Lord saw that Leah was unloved and opened her womb. She bore Reuben and said: 'The Lord has seen my misery.'
31 When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb; but Rachel remained childless. Heb וַיַּ֤רְא יְהוָה֙ כִּֽי־שְׂנוּאָ֣ה לֵאָ֔ה וַיִּפְתַּ֖ח אֶת־רַחְמָ֑הּ וְרָחֵ֖ל עֲקָרָֽה׃
32 Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, "The LORD has seen my misery. Surely now my husband will love me." Heb וַתַּ֤הַר לֵאָה֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֔ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ רְאוּבֵ֑ן כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֗ה כִּֽי־רָאָ֤ה יְהוָה֙ בְּעָנְיִ֔י כִּ֥י עַתָּ֖ה יֶאֱהָבַ֥נִי אִישִֽׁי׃
When Leah gave birth to her fourth son, Judah, she said: 'This time I will praise the Lord.' From Judah came the royal line.
35 She conceived again and gave birth to a son, and she said, "This time I will praise the LORD." So she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing children. Heb וַתַּ֨הַר ע֜וֹד וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֗ן וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַפַּ֙עַם֙ אוֹדֶ֣ה אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה עַל־כֵּ֛ן קָרְאָ֥ה שְׁמ֖וֹ יְהוּדָ֑ה וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֖ד מִלֶּֽדֶת׃
Leah bore Levi, who became the ancestor of the priestly line and the Levites.
34 She conceived again and gave birth to a son, and she said, "Now at last my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons." So he was named Levi. Heb וַתַּ֣הַר עוֹד֮ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּן֒ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר עַתָּ֤ה הַפַּ֙עַם֙ יִלָּוֶ֤ה אִישִׁי֙ אֵלַ֔י כִּֽי־יָלַ֥דְתִּי ל֖וֹ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה בָנִ֑ים עַל־כֵּ֥ן קָרָֽא־שְׁמ֖וֹ לֵוִֽי׃
Leah was buried in the cave of Machpelah together with Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Rebekah - the family burial place.
31 There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried; there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried; and there I buried Leah. Heb שָׁ֣מָּה קֽ͏ָבְר֞וּ אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֗ם וְאֵת֙ שָׂרָ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ שָׁ֚מָּה קָבְר֣וּ אֶת־יִצְחָ֔ק וְאֵ֖ת רִבְקָ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וְשָׁ֥מָּה קָבַ֖רְתִּי אֶת־לֵאָֽה׃
Mentioned in the Bible (31)