the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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New King James Version
Genesis 29:31
Bible Study Resources
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- InternationalParallel Translations
When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
And Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb. But Rachel was barren.
When the Lord saw that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah, he made it possible for Leah to have children, but not Rachel.
When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to become pregnant while Rachel remained childless.
And when the LORD saw that Leah [was] hated, he made her fruitful: but Rachel [was] barren.
Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
Now when the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He made her able to bear children, but Rachel was barren.
Forsothe the Lord seiy that he dispiside Lya, and openyde hir wombe while the sistir dwellide bareyn.
And Jehovah seeth that Leah [is] the hated one, and He openeth her womb, and Rachel [is] barren;
When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
The Lord knew that Jacob loved Rachel more than he did Leah, and so he gave children to Leah, but not to Rachel.
Adonai saw that Le'ah was unloved, so he made her fertile, while Rachel remained childless.
And Jehovah saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.
Now the Lord, seeing that Leah was not loved, gave her a child; while Rachel had no children.
When the Lorde sawe that Lea was despised, he made her fruitfull, and Rachel remayned baren.
And when Jehovah saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
The Lord saw that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah, so he made it possible for Leah to have children. But Rachel did not have any children.
And the LORD saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, hee opened her wombe: but Rachel was barren.
And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.
When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, He made her able to give birth. But Rachel could not give birth.
When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
And, when Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, he granted her to bear children, - whereas, Rachel, was barren.
When the Lord saw that Leah was despised, he made her fruitful: but Rahel was barren.
And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
When the Lord saw that Leah was loved less than Rachel, he made it possible for her to have children, but Rachel remained childless.
And the Lord seeing that he despised Lia, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren.
When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
And when the Lord God saw that Lea was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
And the LORD saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.
When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb; but Rachel was unable to conceive.
The LORD saw that Le'ah was hated, and he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
When Yahweh saw that Leah was unloved he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
And Jehovah saw that Leah was hated. And He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
But when the LORDE sawe, that Lea was nothinge regarded, he made her frutefull, and Rachel baren.
When God realized that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb. But Rachel was barren. Leah became pregnant and had a son. She named him Reuben (Look-It's-a-Boy!). "This is a sign," she said, "that God has seen my misery; and a sign that now my husband will love me."
Now the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, and He opened her womb, but Rachel was unable to have children.
When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to have children, but Rachel could not conceive.
Now the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, and He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
And Yahweh saw that Leah was unloved, and He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
saw: Exodus 3:7
was hated: Genesis 29:30, Genesis 27:41, Deuteronomy 21:15, Malachi 1:3, Matthew 6:24, Matthew 10:37, Luke 14:26, John 12:25
he opened: Genesis 16:1, Genesis 20:18, Genesis 21:1, Genesis 21:2, Genesis 25:21, Genesis 30:1, Genesis 30:2, Genesis 30:22, Judges 13:2, Judges 13:3, 1 Samuel 1:5, 1 Samuel 1:20, 1 Samuel 1:27, 1 Samuel 2:21, Psalms 127:3, Luke 1:7
Reciprocal: Genesis 11:30 - barren Genesis 20:17 - General Genesis 30:23 - General Genesis 35:22 - Now the sons Exodus 1:1 - General Deuteronomy 22:13 - General Ruth 4:13 - the Lord Job 3:10 - it shut not Acts 7:8 - and Jacob Romans 9:13 - hated 1 Timothy 6:10 - and pierced
Cross-References
Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar.
Now Isaac pleaded with the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob."
So Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the East.
And he looked, and saw a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks. A large stone was on the well's mouth.
Now all the flocks would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from the well's mouth, water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the well's mouth.
Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban still another seven years.
Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.
And the LORD said: "I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.
"If a man has two wives, one loved and the other unloved, and they have borne him children, both the loved and the unloved, and if the firstborn son is of her who is unloved,
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And when the Lord saw that Leah [was] hated,.... Not properly and simply hated by Jacob, as appears by his doing the duty of an husband to her, but comparatively; she was less loved than Rachel: and there are many things to be said for it; she was not beautiful as Rachel was; she was not Jacob's choice, as she was but imposed upon him through deceit, and he was forced to marry her, or he could not have Rachel his beloved wife: but the Lord had pity on her, and that she might have a share in her husband's affections,
he opened her womb; or gave her conception; as Onkelos paraphrases it:
but Rachel [was] barren; bare no children as yet, and for many years after, Genesis 30:22.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
- Jacob’s Marriage
6. רחל rāchēl, Rachel, “a ewe.”
16. לאה lê'âh, Leah, “wearied.”
24. זלפה zı̂lpâh, Zilpah, “drop?”
29. בלהה bı̂lhâh, Bilhah, “timidity.”
32. ראוּבן re'uvbēn, Reuben, “behold a son.” A paronomasia in allusion to the phrase בעניי ראה be‛ānyı̂y rā'âh. Derivatives and compounds, being formed by the common speaker, are sometimes founded upon resemblance in sound, and not always on precise forms of the original sentence which prompted them.
33. שׁמעין shı̂m‛ôn, Shim‘on, “hearing, answer.”
34. לוי lêvı̂y, Levi, “junction, union.”
35. יחוּדה yehûdâh, Jehudah, “praised.”
In this chapter and the following, Jacob grows from a solitary fugitive with a staff in his hand Genesis 32:10 to be the father of a large family and the owner of great wealth. He proves himself to be a man of patience and perseverance, and the Lord according to promise is with him.
Genesis 29:1-8
Jacob arrives at the well of Haran. “The land of the sons of the east.” The points of the heavens were defined by the usage of practical life, and not by the standard of a science yet unknown. Hence, the east means any quarter toward the sunrising. Haran was about four degrees east of Beer-sheba, and five and a half degrees north. The distance was about four hundred and fifty miles, and therefore it would take Jacob fifteen days to perform the journey at thirty miles a day. If he reached Bethel the first night, he must have travelled about fifty miles the first day. After this he proceeds on his journey without any memorable incident. In the neighborhood of Haran he comes upon a well, by which lay three flocks. This is not the well near Haran where Abraham’s servant met Rebekah. It is in the pasture grounds at some distance from the town. On its mouth was a large stone, indicating that water was precious, and that the well was the common property of the surrounding natives. The custom was to gather the flocks, roll away the stone, which was too great to be moved by a boy or a female, water the flocks, and replace the stone. Jacob, on making inquiry, learns that Haran is at hand, that Laban is well, and that Rachel is drawing nigh with her father’s flocks. Laban is called by Jacob the son of Nahor, that is, his grandson, with the usual latitude of relative names in Scripture Genesis 28:13. “The day is great.” A great part of it yet remains. It is not yet the time to shut up the cattle for the night; “water the sheep and go feed them.” Jacob may have wished to meet with Rachel without presence of the shepherds. “We cannot.” There was a rule or custom that the flocks must be all assembled before the stone was rolled away for the purpose of watering the cattle. This may have been required to insure a fair distribution of the water to all parties, and especially to those who were too weak to roll away the stone.
Genesis 29:9-14
Jacob’s interview with Rachel, and hospitable reception by Laban. Rachel’s approach awakens all Jacob’s warmth of feeling. He rolls away the stone, waters the sheep, kisses Rachel, and bursts into tears. The remembrance of home and of the relationship of his mother to Rachel overpowers him. He informs Rachel who he is, and she runs to acquaint her father. Laban hastens to welcome his relative to his house. “Surely my bone and my flesh art thou.” This is a description of kinsmanship probably derived from the formation of the woman out of the man Genesis 2:23. A month here means the period from new moon to new moon, and consists of twenty-nine or thirty days.
Genesis 29:15-20
Jacob serves seven years for Rachel. “What shall thy wages be?” An active, industrious man like Jacob was of great value to Laban. “Two daughters.” Daughters in those countries and times were also objects of value, for which their parents were accustomed to receive considerable presents Genesis 24:53. Jacob at present, however, is merely worth his labor. He has apparently nothing else to offer. As he loves Rachel, he offers to serve seven years for her, and is accepted. Isaac loved Rebekah after she was sought and won as a bride for him. Jacob loves Rachel before he makes a proposal of marriage. His attachment is pure and constant, and hence the years of his service seem but days to him. The pleasure of her society both in the business and leisure of life makes the hours pass unnoticed. It is obvious that in those early days the contact of the sexes before marriage was more unrestrained than it afterward became.
Genesis 29:21-30
Jacob is betrayed into marrying Leah, and on consenting to serve other seven years obtains Rachel also. He claims his expected reward when due. “Made a feast.” The feast in the house of the bride’s father seems to have lasted seven days, at the close of which the marriage was completed. But the custom seems to have varied according to the circumstances of the bridegroom. Jacob had no house of his own to which to conduct the bride. In the evening: when it was dark. The bride was also closely veiled, so that it was easy for Laban to practise this piece of deceit. “A handmaid.” It was customary to give the bride a handmaid, who became her confidential servant Genesis 24:59, Genesis 24:61. In the morning Jacob discovers that Laban had overreached him. This is the first retribution Jacob experiences for the deceitful practices of his former days. He expostulates with Laban, who pleads the custom of the country.
It is still the custom not to give the younger in marriage before the older, unless the latter be deformed or in some way defective. It is also not unusual to practise the very same trick that Laban now employed, if the suitor is so simple as to be off his guard. Jacob, however, did not expect this at his relative’s hands, though he had himself taken part in proceedings equally questionable. “Fulfill the week of this.” If this was the second day of the feast celebrating the nuptials of Leah, Laban requests him to Complete the week, and then he will give him Rachel also. If, however, Leah was fraudulently put upon him at the close of the week of feasting, then Laban in these words proposes to give Rachel to Jacob on fulfilling another week of nuptial rejoicing. The latter is in the present instance more likely. In either case the marriage of Rachel is only a week after that of Leah. Rather than lose Rachel altogether, Jacob consents to comply with Laban’s terms.
Rachel was the wife of Jacob’s affections and intentions. The taking of a second wife in the lifetime of the first was contrary to the law of nature, which designed one man for one woman Genesis 2:21-25. But the marrying of a sister-in-law was not yet incestuous, because no law had yet been made on the subject. Laban gives a handmaid to each of his daughters. To Rebekah his sister had been given more than one Genesis 24:61. Bondslaves had been in existence long before Laban’s time Genesis 16:1. “And loved also Rachel more than Leah.” This proves that even Leah was not unloved. At the time of his marriage Jacob was eighty-four years of age; which corresponds to half that age according to the present average of human life.
Genesis 29:31-35
Leah bears four sons to Jacob. “The Lord saw.” The eye of the Lord is upon the sufferer. It is remarkable that both the narrator and Leah employ the proper name of God, which makes the performance of promise a prominent feature of his character. This is appropriate in the mouth of Leah, who is the mother of the promised seed. “That Leah was hated” - less loved than Rachel. He therefore recompenses her for the lack of her husband’s affections by giving her children, while Rachel was barren. “Reuben” - behold a son. “The Lord hath looked on my affliction.” Leah had qualities of heart, if not of outward appearance, which commanded esteem. She had learned to acknowledge the Lord in all her ways. “Simon” - answer. She had prayed to the Lord, and this was her answer. “Levi” - union, the reconciler. Her husband could not, according to the prevailing sentiments of those days, fail to be attached to the mother of three sons. “Judah” - praised. Well may she praise the Lord; for this is the ancestor of the promised seed. It is remarkable that the wife of priority, but not of preference, is the mother of the seed in whom all nations are to be blessed. Levi the reconciler is the father of the priestly tribe. Simon is attached to Judah. Reuben retires into the background.
Reuben may have been born when Jacob was still only eighty-four, and consequently Judah was born when Jacob was eighty-seven.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Genesis 29:31. The Lord saw that Leah was hated — From this and the preceding verse we get the genuine meaning of the word שנא sane, to hate, in certain disputed places in the Scriptures. The word simply signifies a less degree of love; so it is said, Genesis 29:30: "Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah," i.e., he loved Leah less than Rachel; and this is called hating in Genesis 29:31: When the Lord saw that Leah was hated-that she had less affection shown to her than was her due, as one of the legitimate wives of Jacob, he opened her womb-he blessed her with children. Now the frequent intercourse of Jacob with Leah (see the following verses) sufficiently proves that he did not hate her in the sense in which this term is used among us; but he felt and showed less affection for her than for her sister. So Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated, simply means, I have shown a greater degree of affection for Jacob and his posterity than I have done for Esau and his descendants, by giving the former a better earthly portion than I have given to the latter, and by choosing the family of Jacob to be the progenitors of the Messiah. But not one word of all this relates to the eternal states of either of the two nations. Those who endeavour to support certain peculiarities of their creed by such scriptures as these, do greatly err, not knowing the Scripture, and not properly considering either the sovereignty or the mercy of God.
