30 Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah.(A) And he worked for Laban another seven years.(B)

Jacob’s Children

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved,(C) he enabled her to conceive,(D) but Rachel remained childless. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.(E) She named him Reuben,[a](F) for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery.(G) Surely my husband will love me now.”

33 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved,(H) he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.[b](I)

34 Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me,(J) because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.[c](K)

35 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah.[d](L) Then she stopped having children.(M)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 29:32 Reuben sounds like the Hebrew for he has seen my misery; the name means see, a son.
  2. Genesis 29:33 Simeon probably means one who hears.
  3. Genesis 29:34 Levi sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for attached.
  4. Genesis 29:35 Judah sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for praise.

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