#44: Unloved Leah

Genesis 29:31-35

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

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

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

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. Then she stopped having children.

Comments

Rivalry and jealousy are deeply woven into Israel’s history. The first four of Jacob’s twelve sons were born to Leah, his unloved wife. Her sister, Rachel, the wife whom Jacob loved, bore him no children.

Leah’s situation was not a happy one. Though not homely, she would never be attractive as Rachel. And it must have been humiliating for her to think the only way she could get a husband was through her father tricking someone into marrying her. 

Though Leah had an insensitive father, an unloving husband and a beautiful sister as a rival for her husband’s affections, God loved Leah in a special way and blessed her with four sons. This “favoritism” of God toward those whom the world rejects is a theme that reappears throughout the Bible.

Reflections

How much time and energy do you put into being the kind of person who will be popular with others because of how you look and what you do? 

Have you ever had the experience of knowing you were loved and blessed by God even while others were ignoring or rejecting you?

Prayer

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who loves and blesses those whom others ignore or reject.