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Leah
Leah: The Woman Lacking Loveliness Was Yet Loyal
The more confident we are in God’s loving gaze, the less driven we will be to win the loving gaze of others.
~Cynthia Hicks (4)
Her names
Key
Scriptures
Promises In
Scripture
Her name may mean “Impatient” or “Wild Cow” (1)
Leah as a name has been explained in many ways. “Wearied” or “Faint from
Sickness” with a possible reference to her precarious condition at the time of birth.
Others say the name means “married” or “mistress”. The narrative tells us that she
was “tender eyed” (Genesis 29:17, which can mean that her sight was weak or that her
eyes lacked that luster reckoned a conspicuous part of female beauty which Rachel her
sister “beautiful and well favored” evidently had. (2)
Genesis 29-35, Ruth 4:11
Isaiah 61:1,3 Jeremiah 31:13
Her Background, Life and Times
Marriage Customs: The customs of marriage were far different in ancient biblical
times from our own modern customs. Seldom did a man or woman marry for love.
Jacob is a notable exception when he expresses his love for Rachel and his desire to
marry her. Usually the bride and groom were very young when they married. The bride
was often only around twelve and the groom around thirteen. Their marriage was
arranged by parents, and their consent was neither requested nor required. God’s design
for marriage to be between one husband and one wife was often not practiced in early
biblical times. Although polygamy was less common after the Exodus from Egypt,
Gideon had a number of wives (Judges 8:30) and, of course, Solomon had many (I Kings
11:3). But, as the New Testament indicates, a union between one husband and one wife
continues to be God’s design and desire (I Timothy 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6) (1)
2. All the Family Connections: Because Jacob was Rebekah’s son he was related to Leah by
Women of marriage. Leah was the elder daughter of Laban who, by deception, married her to
the Bible Jacob, to whom she bore six sons and a daughter. By her maid, Zilpah, Leah added two
more sons to her family. (2)
Marriage Customs: It was custom of the time to conduct the bride to the bedchamber
of her husband in silence and darkness, it was only with the morning light that Jacob
discovered that he had been deceived by Laban as he saw Leah and not Rachel at his
side. (2)
7. Women The Story so far: Jacob, a distant cousin to Leah and Rachel, had come to their home
Who
in Padan Aram to seek a bride. (Gen. 28:2) Rachel, Leah’s beautiful sister, met Jacob at
Loved God the city well, and the two instantly loved one another. Laban, Rachel’s father, contracted
Jacob for seven years of indentured service in exchange for Rachel’s hand in marriage.
On Jacob’s wedding night, Laban secretly substituted Leah, who had a physical defect,
for Rachel. The result? Leah was used by her father, unloved by her husband, and
envied by her sister. (7)
Her appearance: Leah was destined to live her life in the shadow of her sister Rachel’s
exquisite beauty. Not only was Leah - whose name means “wearied” or “faint from
sickness” - less than beautiful, but she had a physical defect. The Bible tells us her eyes
1. Women
of the
Bible
Compiled by Susan McGeown. Please see attached bibliography at the end of this study. 6/26/2010
www.susanmcgeown.com
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Leah
8. The
Bible
Reader’s
Companio
n
9. Man
and
Woman in
Biblical
Perspectiv
e
10.
Manners
and
Customs
of the
Bible
The Good
were delicate, weak, pale, and dull. And eyes like that were considered a serious blemish.
(7)
Jacob’s family:
Children by Leah: Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dinah (daughter)
Children by Bilhah (Rachel’s maid): Dan, Naphtali
Children by Zilpah (Leah’s maid): Gad, Asher
Children by Rachel: Joseph, Benjamin(8)
Veiling Customs: Jacob’s failure to know the difference between Rachel and Leah on
his wedding night (Gen. 29:21-30) has sometimes been ascribed either to his never
having seen her face before or to a custom of veiling brides. The text, however, shows
that it was precisely for Rachel’s good looks that Jacob loved her (29:17) While it is
possible that his failure to recognize Leah was the result of a veil, which she wore
throughout the wedding night, it does seem as likely as another explanation suggested by
the discussion of the banquet of verse 22. Could it be that after the banquet Jacob was
unable to distinguish between the woman whom he loved and her sister because of the
amount, which he had drunk at the festivities? (9)
Marriage Feast: The usual duration of a marriage feast was a week. (10)
The Elder First: The ancient custom still exists in India, and is sometimes observed in
Egypt. It also prevailed in old imperial Germany. In India, it is considered disgraceful in
the extreme, and according to the Gentoo law a crime, for a father to permit a younger
daughter to get married before the elder, or for a younger son to be married while his
elder brother remains single. If the eldest daughter be deformed, or blind, or deaf, or
dumb, then the younger may be married first. If a father has an opportunity to marry
one of his younger daughters advantageously, he will first do all he can to get the elder
one married, and until this can be done the younger cannot be married. (10)
Her Love: Capable of both strong and enduring love (1)
Wife and Mother: She was a faithful mother and wife. (1)
Her Faith: The names Leah gave her children testified to the miraculous faith God had
planted in her heart. Somewhat despised by Jacob, she was yet remembered by the Lord.
In spite of the polygamous marriage, she became the mother of six sons who were to
become the representatives of six of the twelve tribes of Israel. The names Leah chose
revealed her piety and sense of obligation to the Lord. (2)
She possessed the faith, which prays and trusts, and praises God for all things. This we
can know from the names she gives to her sons. (3)
When the time came, Rachel and Leah had to decide whether to leave and cleave to
their husband, Jacob, or remain in their homeland. God had promised to make Jacob into
a great nation, but first Jacob must leave his father-in-law’s home and return to the land of
his grandfather Abraham - the land of God’s promise. But Jacob wanted to take a willing
family with him on his pilgrimage into God’s will - a family filled with faith. Detailing
God’s leading and pointing to God’s hand of blessing, Jacob called upon Rachel and Leah
to join him in following after God. The two women had to choose. Leaving and cleaving
is always a test of faith: It tests our obedience to God’s Word and His way. It tests our
faith in God’s leading through our husbands. It tests our trust in our husbands’ wisdom.
It tests our commitment to our husbands. Rachel and Leah’s answer - “Whatever God
has said to you, do it” - was evidence of their faith in God. They joined with other
women of faith through the ages as they left the familiar, stepped out into the unknown,
Compiled by Susan McGeown. Please see attached bibliography at the end of this study. 6/26/2010
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Leah
and followed after God. (7)
Leah was listed in God’s Who’s Who. The name Leah, meaning “weak” and “faint,”
stands next to those of the powerful giants of faith - Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - and their
honored wives, Sarah and Rebekah. (Gen. 49) (7)
Her Inner Beauty: We find in Leah, unloved, unsought, undesired and plain, the qualities
of a spiritually sensitive woman. Woman’s greatest attractiveness is still found in a neat
and quiet spirit, the adornment of love to God and man, which combines to make a
personality magnetic in its warmth and loveliness. (3)
Her prayer life: Leah names her first son Rueben which means “See, a son!” and said,
“The Lord has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.”
She names her second son Simeon, which means “hearing” and said, “Because the Lord has
heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” Hidden in the name
that Leah selected for her new baby is evidence of her budding prayer life. With her first
child, she hoped to gain her husband’s love. When those hopes died, Leah turned to
prayer. Evidently, Leah had been troubled by her husband’s rejection and had prayed
about it. A second baby had come because God heard Leah’s prayer. For Leah - and for
you - the name Simeon stood as a lasting monument to answered prayer. (7)
Her spiritual growth: Year by year Leah’s family grew. Year by year Leah’s faith grew.
Focus on her two giant steps forward and draw out two principles that will help us base
our hopes and focus our faith on God rather than on ourselves and our human efforts:
Step 1: Always acknowledge God in each event of life. Step 2: Always ask God for
direction and wisdom about each event of life. (7)
Leah’s fourth child was named Judah meaning “praise”. Leah finally ceased fretting
over the absence of Jacob’s love for her and rested instead in the Lord’s love. She no
longer needed people to make her happy. She found in God a source of joy and reason to
praise. (7)
Her character: Leah shone brilliantly in the shadows of suffering. (7)
Her Loyalty: Leah was uncomely when compared to her lovely sister, but what she
lacked in beauty she made up for in loyalty to Jacob as a wife, and as a good mother to his
children. (2)
Her children: She bore Jacob six sons and one daughter. (1)
Leah was blessed by God with six sons to love. One of those sons was Judah, through
whose line the Savior Jesus Christ came. (7)
Reuben: Her first born, the names means “Behold a son”, and Leah praised God for
looking favorably upon her. Thus, divine compassion was carefully treasured in such a
name which also the holder tarnished. (2)
Simeon: Her second son, means “Hearing” so given by Leah since God had heard her
cry because of Rachel’s hatred. Such a name as Simeon is a lasting monument of answered
prayer. (2)
Levi: Her third son, means “Joined” and Leah rejoices feeling that her husband would
now love her, and that through Levi’s birth she would be more closely united to her
husband. (2)
Judah: Her fourth son, means “Praise”. Perhaps by now Jacob had become a little more
affectionate. Certainly the Lord had been good to both Leah and Jacob, and with the
selfishness in her heart defeated, Leah utters a sincere “I will praise the Lord.” (2)
Issachar, Zebulun, Dinah: Two more sons and a daughter. (2)
Her Promise/Ancestress of the Savior: The promise of a Savior was carried not
through Rachel’s Joseph but through Leah’s Judah, whose descendants would include
Compiled by Susan McGeown. Please see attached bibliography at the end of this study. 6/26/2010
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Leah
David, Israel’s great kind, and Jesus, the long awaited Messiah. (1)
Though Jacob had not chosen Leah, God had favored and chosen her to be the
ancestress of the Savior. In the book of Ruth, she is honored because she “did build the
house of Israel,” for she was the mother of eight of its tribes. (3)
Her burial/status as wife: Leah was buried with her husband. It was not Rachel, but
Leah, who lay next to Jacob in the family tomb. (7)
The Bad
and The
Ugly
Not Physically Beautiful: That she lacked her sister’s beauty (1)
Party to Deceit: Whether Leah participated in the deceit to win Jacob from her more
beautiful sister we do not know. The moral tone of the home was low, and Leah may
have been a child of environment. This much is evident, that although she knew that the
love of her husband’s heart was not for her but for Rachel, Leah genuinely loved Jacob
and was true to him until he buried her in the cave of Machpelah. (2)
The Father problem: How could anyone respect a father who breaks a solemn promise,
deeply wrongs his young daughter, defrauds his nephew and practically prostitutes his
other daughter? How could his family, plunged into distress and consequent family
problems, expect sincere devotion and wise counsel from him in the future? (3)
She was manipulated by her father (1)
The background against which Leah’s star shines was indeed black. On the night of
her sister Rachel’s marriage to Jacob, Leah’s scheming father had replaced the beautiful
Rachel with his less-than-lovely daughter, Leah (Gen. 29:17,23). Trickery, lies, scheming,
and deception were the starting point of her loveless marriage to Jacob. (7)
Envied by her sister. (7)
The unwanted woman: Considering how all-important marriage was to girls of her day it
must have distressed Leah, who was the eldest to be passed by. And so it is
understandable that, when father Laban came to her with his plan to deceive Jacob, she
willingly entered into the scheme. Whether it was right to deceive her sister seems to have
been of minor importance. To carry out this deception was comparatively easy, for in
these days the bride was quietly, and in darkness, ushered into the tent of the groom. (3)
Watching Jacob’s undying passion for her sister must have made her miserable with
longing. Leah wanted, with all her heart, what every woman wants from the man she loves
- a constant in love which is deep, protective and considerate. (3)
We can ascertain how much Leah missed the love of her husband in the account of the
birth of her sons (Gen. 29:31-35 and 30:17-20). Repeatedly we see that she hoped her
children would eventually unite Jacob’s heart to her own. How hard it must have been for
the tender and loving Leah to have her husband withdraw his love from her. (3)
Her love for her husband was one-sided. (1)
If ever a marriage got off on the wrong foot, it was Jacob and Leah’s. The look in his
eyes wasn’t the warm glow of newly wedded bliss, but the bitter glares of betrayal. (4)
Leah ended up in a loveless marriage. To make matters worse, her husband, Jacob,
later married her sister, Rachel - “and [Jacob] loved Rachel more than Leah”. (Gen. 29) (7)
Jealous: She became jealous of her sister, with whom, it seems she never reconciled. (1)
Only once do we read that Rachel and Leah were united in mind and purpose, and that
was in their attitude toward their father. (Gen. 31) (3)
Dinah, Simeon, and Levi: Dinah’s love for sightseeing set off a train of tragic
consequences. Young and caring, and curious to know something of the world outside,
she stole away one day from the drab tents of her father, to see how the girls in their
Compiled by Susan McGeown. Please see attached bibliography at the end of this study. 6/26/2010
www.susanmcgeown.com
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Leah
gorgeous Oriental trappings fared in nearby Shechem. Roaming around, the eyes of
Prince Shechem, son of Hamor lighted upon her. He saw her means he lusted after her,
and then as the record puts it, “he took her, lay with her, and defiled her” (Gen 34:2).
Although Dinah’s vanity was flattered at Shechem’s attention so that she went to his
palace, she never meant to go so far. Took her implies he forced her, and although she
may have resisted his advances, resistance was futile and she was seduced. The young
prince offered the usual reparation for his seduction of Dinah - marriage and a payment to
her father which was sufficient according to Hebrew law. Evidently there was more than
lustful desire on the part of Shechem, for we read - “His soul clave unto Dinah the
daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel and spake kindly unto her.” The sons of
Jacob, angry over the shame brought to their sister and nation, said that such a thing
“ought not to be done.” Seeming to acquiesce in Hamor’s suggestion that his son and
Dinah should marry and that there should be established a friendlier associate between the
Israelites and Shechemites, the sons of Jacob, particularly Simeon and Levi, said that they
would agree to Hamor’s proposition on one condition. The condition was that all the
male Shechemites submit to the rite of circumcision. When the paid of the operation was
at its height and movement was difficult, on the third day, Simeon and Levi attacked and
slew all the males in the city, including young Shechem himself. For centuries among the
Arabs, seduction was punishable by death, the judgment being generally inflicted by the
brothers of the one seduced. For their crime, Simeon and Levi received a curse instead of
a blessing from Jacob their father, as he came to die. (2)
US: The
Lessons
To Learn
Solemn choices should not be based upon mere external appearances: Rachel was
beautiful, and as soon as Jacob saw her he fell for her. But it was Leah, not Rachel, who
bore Judah through whose line the Savior came. The unattractive Leah might have repelled
others, but God was attracted toward her because of an inner beauty which the lovely
Rachel lacked. “There are two kinds of beauty. There is a beauty which God gives at birth,
and which withers as a flower. And there is a beauty which God grants when by His grace
men are born again. That kind of beauty never vanishes but blooms eternally.” God does
not look upon the outward appearance, but upon the heart. (2)
God knows: He sees our miseries, no matter how small or how large. He knows our
circumstances, our feelings, our hurts. And, Just as in Leah’s life, he’s willing to step in and
create something beautiful in and through us. (1)
Beauty: Comparatively few of us are really beautiful. Most of us are just plain Leahs. It is
not wrong to admire beauty, nor is it wrong to be concerned about our appearance. Charm,
poise, and good taste in dress and manners can be acquired by all, and an ordinary woman
with a charming, well-rounded personality can be more attractive than a petulant, self-willed
beauty. (3)
Desire to be loved: It is deeply inherent in the nature of woman to thrive in a truly loving
relationship. (3)
Confidence: The more confident we are in God’s loving gaze, the less driven we will be to
win the loving gaze of others. ~Cynthia Hicks (4)
Leah learned that what God thinks of you is the most important reflection of who you
are. (4)
Husband’s Love: No, it’s not too much to ask of your husband that your relationship
become a priority to him - not always taking a back seat to work, hobbies, and whatever it is
that keeps his mind so preoccupied. But is it too much to demand. Nothing in y our
Compiled by Susan McGeown. Please see attached bibliography at the end of this study. 6/26/2010
www.susanmcgeown.com
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Leah
scolding is likely to change his mind or to melt the hard shell on his icy, detached habits. If
you want to get his attention, honor him. Serve him. Love him. Make the brave decision
that you will do what’s right even when your husband does you wrong. (4)
Opinions of others: There’s a fundamental problem with expecting fulfillment from
people, places, and things. These are the gifts of life, not the source of life. Anytime we
expect the gifts of life to give us what only God can, we’re asking for our cups to be drained
of energy and life itself. When I focus on Jesus Christ as the Source of my life, an amazing
thing happens. Because He loves me and actually possesses the wisdom, love, peace and joy
I’ve always wanted - He alone can fill my cup to overflowing! Because I’m no longer
expecting people to fill my cup, I’m not hurt when the don’t respond in a particular way.
Psalm 62 says that we are to wait and hope in God alone. He’s our rock, our salvation, our
rear guard, our hiding place. He’s everything we’ll ever need! The more we place our
expectations on another person, the more control we give them over our emotional and
spiritual state. The freer we are of expectations from others - and the more we depend
upon God alone - the more pure and honest our love for others will become. ~Gary
Smalley (4)
Shadowlands of Life: Every life - including yours - has its darkness, its valleys, its
shadowlands. Learn from Leah the following lessons which she learned from God in the
shadowlands of Life:
Take a long-range view of life: God’s grand purposes are achieved through the whole of
your life, not in the fragments of a moment, a day, a year, even a decade. What counts most
is the sum total of your contributions, not the deficits along the way. Being a devoted wife,
a loving mother, and a benefit to those around you are contributions to His kingdom that
can never be fully measured. (7)
Give your love along the way: Give it generously, liberally, lavishly, bountifully, as much as
you can to as many as you can. It’s not what you get, but what you give that is God’s true
measure of a life. (7)
The winner’s wreath is not awarded until the end of the contest: Honor is not always
bestowed along life’s way. Flowers may be thrown across your path, but the winner’s wreath
is not awarded until the end of the contest. Regardless of seeming barriers or obstacles en
route to glory, regardless of sorrow or mistreatment on your journey to paradise, you are to
look only to the Lord. He is standing...at the end, to receive you...at the end, and to reward
you...at the end. Wait for God’s “well done”. It will come, but not until...the end. (7)
God is more concerned with inner beauty: Aren’t you glad that “the Lord does not see
as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (I
Sam. 16:7). Nurture the beauty of your heart. God values truly godly character, which always
shines forth in outward conduct. So concern yourself with fashioning your heart after the
likeness of Jesus. Cultivate the beauty of a gently and quiet spirit. It is your most prized
ornament. God treasures the soft graces of a calm, quiet spirit - not costly clothes and
jewels. Concern yourself with inner beauty. Which is precious in the sight of God. God is the
On you must seek to honor. Your supreme goal in life is to be pleasing in His sight. (7)
Compiled by Susan McGeown. Please see attached bibliography at the end of this study. 6/26/2010
www.susanmcgeown.com
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Leah
Bibliography:
Source 1. Women of the Bible: A one-Year Devotional Study of Women in Scripture By Ann
Spangler & Jean E. Syswerda, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1999, ISBN: 0310-22352-0
Source 2. All the Women of the Bible by Herbert Lockyer, Zondervan Publishing House, Michigan,
ISBN 0-310-28151-2
Source 3. she shall be called Woman by Frances Vander Velde, Kegel Publications, Grand Rapids,
Michigan, 1957, ISBN:0-8254-4003-3
Source 4. Women of Character Broadman & Holman Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee, 1998 ISBN:
0-8054-9277-1)
Source 5. Great Women of the Bible by Clarence Edward Macartney, Baker Book House, Grand
Rapids, Michigan, 1942, ISBN: 0-8010-5901-5
Source 6. Bad Girls of the Bible and What We can Learn From Them By Liz Curtis Higgs,
Waterbrook Press, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1999, ISBN: I-57856-125-6
Source 7: Women Who Loved God By Elizabeth George, Harvest House Publishers, Eugene,
Oregon, 1999, ISBN: 1-56507-850-0
Source 8: The Bible Reader’s Companion By Lawrence O. Richards, Chariot Victor Publishing,
Wheaton Illinois, 1991, ISBN: 0-89693-039-4
Source 9: Man and Woman in Biblical Perspective by James B. Hurley, Academie Books,
Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids Michigan, 1981, ISBN: 0-310-42731-2
Source 10: Manners and Customs of the Bible, By James M. Freeman, Whitaker House, New
Kensington, PA, 1996, ISBN: 0-88368-290-7
Compiled by Susan McGeown. Please see attached bibliography at the end of this study. 6/26/2010
www.susanmcgeown.com