Genesis 29:31

_AND WHEN THE LORD SAW THAT LEAH WAS HATED, HE OPENED HER WOMB: BUT RACHEL WAS BARREN._ When the Lord saw ... This statement is of great importance in the progressive development of the covenant. It is not to be considered as made by the sacred historian merely in the style of Scripture, which ascribes all ordinary events to the agency of God; but purposely to show that in the third, as in the earlier stages, the Israelite nation originated not from nature but from grace. LEAH WAS HATED - i:e., not loved so much as she ought to have been. Her becoming a mother ensured her rising in the estimation both of her husband and of society....

31._And when the Lord saw_. Moses here shows that Jacob’s extravagant love was corrected by the Lord; as the affections of the faithful, when they become inordinate, are wont to be tamed by the rod. Rachel is loved, not without wrong to her sister, to whom due honor is not given. The Lord, therefore, interposes as her vindicator, and, by a suitable remedy, turns the mind of Jacob into that direction, to which it had been most averse. This passage teaches us, that offspring is a special gift of God; since the power of rendering one fertile, and of cursing the womb of the other with barrenness, is expressly ascribed to him. We must observe further, that the bringing forth of offspring tends to conciliate husbands to their wives. Whence also the ancients have called children by the name of _pledges_; because they avail, in no slight degree, to increase and to cherish mutual love. When Moses...

31-35 The names Leah gave her children, expressed her respect and regard, both to God and to her husband. Reuben, or See a son, with this thought, Now will my husband love me; Levi, or joined, expecting, Now will my husband be joined unto me. Mutual affection is both the duty and comfort of the married relation; and yoke-fellows should study to recommend themselves to each other, 1 Corinthians 7:33; 1 Corinthians 7:34. She thankfully acknowledges the kind providence of God in hearing her. Whatever supports and comforts us under afflictions, or tends to our deliverance from them, God must be owned in it. Her fourth son she called Judah, or praise, saying, Now will I praise the Lord. This was he, of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came. Whatever is the matter of our rejoicing, ought to b...

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...

- 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. ש

EXPOSITION GENESIS 29:31 AND WHEN THE LORD SAW—literally, _and Jehovah saw_._ _As Eve's son was obtained from Jehovah (Genesis 4:1), and Jehovah visited Sarah (Genesis 21:1), and was entreated for Rebekah (Genesis 25:21), so here he again interposes in connection with the onward development of the holy seed by giving children to Jacob's wives. The present section (Genesis 29:31-1) is by Davidson, Kalisch, and others assigned to the Jehovist, by Tuch left undetermined, and by Colenso in

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....

CHAPTER 29 JACOB WITH LABAN _ 1. Jacob's arrival at Padan-aram (Genesis 29:1)_ 2. His service for Rachel (Genesis 29:15) 3. Laban's deception (Genesis 29:21) 4. Jacob receives Rachel (Genesis 29:26) 5. Leah's sons (Genesis 29:32) The Lord brought him to Padan-aram, where he was to dwell as an exile for twenty years. During these twenty years Jehovah did not manifest Himself to him, even as Israel dispersed among the nations has no communications from the Lord. His sojourn in Padan-aram produce

GENESIS 29:31 TO GENESIS 30:24. THE BIRTH OF JACOB'S CHILDREN. This section is from JE, with slight touches from P. Roughly Genesis 29:31; Genesis 30:9 is from J, Genesis 30:1; Genesis 30:8 is from E, Genesis 30:14 mainly from JE, the two strands here being hard to unravel. It records the origin of the tribes of Israel. It reflects conditions a good deal earlier than those kno

LORD. Jehovah used with the five sons (Genesis 29:31 and Genesis 30:24). Elohim is used with six (Genesis 30:2; Genesis 30:6; Genesis 30:17; Genesis 30:18; Genesis 30:20; Genesis 30:23). No title used with Benjamin ...