Leah לֵאָה
Wife of Jacob; mother of six sons and Dinah
Who is Leah in the Bible?
Leah was the first wife of Jacob and the elder daughter of Laban, Jacob's uncle (Genesis 29:16). Jacob agreed to work seven years for Laban to marry Rachel, Leah's younger sister, but Laban deceived Jacob on the wedding night and gave him Leah instead, requiring Jacob to work another seven years for Rachel (Genesis 29:23-28). Though less favored by Jacob than her sister, Leah bore him six sons, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, as well as a daughter, Dinah (Genesis 29:32-35; 30:17-21). She remained with Jacob through his departure from Laban's household and his reconciliation with his brother Esau, and was eventually buried with Jacob in the cave of Machpelah (Genesis 49:31). Leah's significance lies in her role as the mother of sons who became founders of major tribes of Israel, particularly Judah, from whose line the Messiah would come.
Biography
Leah was the elder daughter of Laban, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's mother (Gen.29.16). Israel (or 'Jacob') agreed to work for Laban for seven years to marry Rachel, Leah's younger sister (Gen.29.18). However, Laban deceived Jacob and gave him Leah instead, requiring him to work another seven years for Rachel (Gen.29.23-28). Leah bore Jacob six sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, as well as a daughter, Dinah (Gen.29.32-35; 30.17-21). Despite being the less favored wife, Leah hoped to gain Jacob's affection through childbearing (Gen.29.32). Leah accompanied Jacob when he left Laban's household and reconciled with his brother Esau (Gen.31.4,14; 33.1-2,7). She is last mentioned as being buried with Jacob in the cave of Machpelah (Gen.49.31). Leah's sons became the ancestors of six of the twelve tribes of Israel (Gen.35.23; 46.15; 49.1-28).
Family
Offspring
- Reuben Tribe of ReubenSon of IsraelFirstborn son of Jacob and LeahView full profile →
- Simeon Tribe of SimeonSon of IsraelSon of Jacob and Leah, one of the twelve tribes.View full profile →
- Levi Tribe of LeviSon of IsraelSon of Jacob; progenitor of the LevitesView full profile →
- Judah Tribe of JudahSon of IsraelIsraelite tribe, kingdom, and provinceView full profile →
- Issachar Tribe of IssacharSon of IsraelSon of Jacob and Leah, forefather of tribeView full profile →
- Zebulun Tribe of ZebulunSon of IsraelIsraelite tribe, son of Jacob and LeahView full profile →
- Dinah Early PatriarchJacob's daughterDaughter of Jacob and LeahView full profile →
In Scripture
2 biblical books ; 1 with study contentGenesis 5 verses
- Genesis 29:16
"Now Laban had two daughters; the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel."
Study Genesis → - Genesis 29:17
"Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful."
Study Genesis → - Genesis 29:23
"But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her."
Study Genesis → - Genesis 29:24
"And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant."
Study Genesis → - Genesis 29:25
"When morning came, there was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob said to Laban. “Wasn’t it for Rachel that I served you? Why have you deceived me?”"
Study Genesis →
Ruth 1 verse
- Ruth 4:11
"“We are witnesses,” said the elders and all the people at the gate. “May the LORD make the woman entering your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you be prosperous in Ephrathah and famous in Bethlehem."
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | לֵאָה |
Leah
"weak," Septuagint astheneis; accordingly, she was weak-eyed, but by no means "blear-eyed" (compare Vulgate). Her eyes were lacking that luster which always and everywhere is looked upon as a conspicuous part of female beauty. Josephus (Ant., I, xix, 7) says of her, ten opsin ouk euprepe, which may safely be rendered, "she was of no comely countenance."
Leah became the wife of Jacob by a ruse on the part of her father, taking advantage of the oriental custom of heavily veiling the prospective bride. When taken to task by his irate son-in-law, Laban excused himself by stating it was against the rule of the place "to give the younger before the first-born" (Ge 29:21-26). Although Rachel was plainly preferred by Jacob to Leah, still the latter bore him six sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah (Ge 29:31), Issachar, Zebulun, and a daughter, Dinah (Ge 30:17-21). Up to this time Rachel had not been blessed with children of her own. Thus the lesson is brought home to us that Yahweh has a special and kindly regard for the lowly and despised, provided they learn, through their troubles and afflictions, to look to Him for help and success. It seems that homely Leah was a person of deep-rooted piety and therefore better suited to become instrumental in carrying out the plans of Yahweh than her handsome, but worldly-minded, sister Rachel.
When Jacob decided to return to the "land of his fathers," both of his wives were ready to accompany him (Ge 31:4,14). Before they reached the end of their journey their courage was sorely tried at the time of the meeting between Jacob and his brother Esau. Although Leah was placed between the handmaids in the front, and Rachel with her son Joseph in the rear, she still cannot have derived much comfort from her position. We may well imagine her feeling of relief when she saw Esau and his 400 men returning to Seir (Ge 33:2,16).
According to Ge 49:31, Leah was buried at Machpelah. We cannot know for a certainty that she died before Jacob's going down to Egypt, though it is very likely. If she went down with her husband and died in Egypt, he had her body sent to the family burying-place. Ru 4:11 discloses the fact that her memory was not forgotten by future generations. When Boaz took Ru for a wife the witnesses exclaimed, "Yahweh make the woman that is come into thy house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel."
William Baur
le-an'-oth (Ps 88, title).
See PSALMS.
lep'-ing.
See GAMES<