Young's Literal Translation and the eyes of Leah [are] tender, and Rachel hath been fair of form and fair of appearance. “The Lord saw.” The eye of the Lord is upon the sufferer. "the written Torah." Thanks! God actually uses the trickery of a pushy Syrian sheep rancher to con Jacob into a marriage he never would have chosen, in order for his unwanted wife to become the mother of the future royal line, and ultimately of the Messiah. We can and should interrogate those reasons and how they’re related to advertising for example, and what role appearance should play in our self-worth. Leah’s “soft” eyes are eventually mirrored in the eyes of the earthly Jesus. Thanks! The Wycliffe Bible (1395) but Lya was blere iyed, Rachel was of fair face, and semeli in siyt. She can be found in the Bible Timeline between 1754-1704 BC.… Her father took advantage of the opportunity which the local marriage rite afforded to pass her off in her sisters stead on the unconscious bridegroom, and excused himself to Jacob by alleging that the … So how does it all play out? Jacob chose Rachel for her beauty, but it was not a blessed marriage. A very revealing statement that uses this word is in 2 Samuel 3:39, where David makes excuses as to why he cannot punish Joab for murdering Abner, the opposing general who came to make peace: “Today I am weak, though I am anointed king. Exodus 21:22-24 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful “When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman's husband shall … The softness of Leah’s eyes — reminiscent of Isaac, whose eyes also grew dim with time — are due to her trying to create an alternative timeline, to see beyond a fate she wishes to avoid. Leah and her sister Rachel, whose names mean “cow” and “ewe,” give Jacob many sons; and their father gives him actual live-stock Leah is described as having “soft (lovely) eyes” (Gen 29:7). In the beauty contest between Leah and Rachel in Genesis 29:17, we are told that Leah’s eyes were “weak” (rakkoth), and (or “but”) Rachel was “beautiful of form and beautiful of appearance.” So what does that mean? From the moment she appears in Scripture, Leah is described as having "weak eyes" (Genesis 29:17). And worse yet, she is introduced to us in comparison with her sister. Leah was born in the town of Paddan-Aram, the oldest daughter of Laban, sister of Rachel, and niece of Rebekah. We are first introduced to Leah (and her younger sister Rachel) when Jacob comes to Haran in search of a bride. See more ideas about Leah, Most beautiful eyes, Bible women. Some say it meant that she wasn’t attractive; some say she may have had some sort of condition that made her eyes look unusual. In the first place we read that her “eyes were weak” (v. 17), probably meaning they lacked the sparkle or glint that was highly prized in that culture. It is remarkable that both the narrator and Leah employ the proper name of God, which makes the performance of promise a prominent feature of his character. The Bible's term for her is eynaim racot, which most translations show means "weak eyes." Leah (wearied), the daughter of Laban. May the afflicted reader be encouraged today. In Psalm 55:21, David says that his enemy’s words “were softer” than oil, but they were drawn swords. Today, we will look at Leah’s side. We are first introduced to Leah (and her younger sister Rachel) when Jacob comes to Haran in search of a bride. One of my parishioners has suggested that while Jacob chooses Rachel as the winner of this beauty contest at the beginning of the story, in the end Leah ends up being more loved than Rachel, perhaps because of all of the children she bore to him. It is difficult to determine if Leah’s eyes are an impairment or a physical description. Make that "tender" (KJV), "delicate" (NKJV), or "pretty" (NLT) eyes. Leah and her sister Rachel, whose names mean “cow” and “ewe,” give Jacob many sons; and their father gives him actual live-stock Leah is described as having “soft (lovely) eyes” (Gen 29:7). Kill, Smite, or Wound in the Casualty Report? But, the eyes of Leah were weak, - whereas, Rachel, was comely in … It is argued as to whether the adjective "tender" (רכות ‎) should be taken to mean "delicate and soft" or "weary".. Leah's (and Rachel's) parents were Laban and Adinah . 7 Common Christian Beliefs That Aren’t... What's the Difference Between Spirit and Soul? Leah's eyes were tender, but Rachel had a lovely figure and beautiful appearance.) Whatever the case, she is compared unfavourably with her more beautiful younger sister, Rachel. Gill's Notes on the Bible. Leah faced many difficulties in her life, but in the end was rewarded by God by becoming a mother. Unfortunately, Leah's future husband, Jacob, had eyes only for Rachel. Leah is depicted in the Torah she-bi-khetav: Lit. Beauty lies to us. Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Literally, the eyes of Leah were tender, i. e. weak, dun; ἀσθενεῖς (LXX. Leah was the oldest daughter of Laban, Rebekah’s brother. How crazy that the line of Jacob’s royal descendants all seems to hang on a beauty contest between two sets of eyes! From the Hebrew name לֵאָה (Le'ah), which was probably derived from the Hebrew word לְאָה (le'ah) meaning "weary".Alternatively it might be related to Akkadian littu meaning "cow".In the Old Testament Leah is the first wife of Jacob and the mother of seven of his children.

How could ‘wise’ King Solomon let foreign women deceive him? It is here that I wave the KJV flag and say, “I am in your camp.” Leah had tender eyes. Isaiah (1:6) says that Zion’s wounds have not been “softened” with oil. It’s hard to know whether the description of Leah, which focuses on her eyes, regards them as a point of beauty or detracts from her beauty. Women in the Bible: Leah the unlovely. Pingback: Did Goliath suffer from a brain tumor? New Heart English Bible.

Rachel became the mother of two other tribes—Joseph and Benjamin. Leah's bleared eyes would be regarded in the East as a great defect, just as bright eyes were much admired. 17 Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful and lovely. This is appropriate in the mouth of Leah, who is the mother of the promised seed. Leah was tender eyed: but Rachel was beautiful and well fauoured. Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. 3. Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favored. Amplified Bible: “Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.” Contemporary English Version: “Leah was older than Rachel, but her eyes didn’t sparkle , while Rachel was beautiful and had a good figure.” We don’t know a whole lot about Leah, but the Bible tells us that Leah has gentle eyes (the word describing Leah’s eyes has a few translations but gentle and timid seem to make the most sense) while Rachel was beautiful in form and face (vs. 17): in other words – Rachel was a knock-out. Such a person was said to have ‘ayani rakak eyes of tenderness. In the first place we read that her “eyes were weak” (v. 17), probably meaning they lacked the sparkle or glint that was highly prized in that culture. 18 Jacob loved Rachel; and he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” Available for iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone and more. This is really an ancient idiom to express the idea of a gentle, loving and caring person. The ‘Torah’ describes Leah with the words: "Leah had tender eyes." Leah bears four sons to Jacob. And the heartache of feeling unloved and unattractive. There are a thousand reasons to feel ugly. In the words of Scripture: “Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.”2 Although not clearly spelled out, some say the two were actually twins.3. That’s all the times this adjective rak and its related verb are used in the Hebrew Bible. Genesis 29:17 states that “Leah’s eyes were weak.” Now whether your commentary interprets Leah’s “weak eyes” as a positive feature (tender and lovely) or a negative flaw (pale, without luster/red and watery), the point is clear: she wasn't the belle of the ball. It is uncanny how God is able to use messed-up sexual behavior that is contrary to his intention, in order to achieve important long-range sovereign plans. The bible itself draws the comparison, and says “Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured” (Gen 29:17). The name Leah means weary. First, he was tricked in the marriage, and ended up with Leah for his first wife. This speaks volumes about the value of motherhood in the eyes of the Lord! The Torah introduces Leah by describing her with the phrase, "Leah had tender eyes" (Hebrew: ועיני לאה רכות ‎) (Genesis 29:17). She married Jacob after her father deceived Jacob and switched her for his intended bride, her younger sister, Rachel.. - King James Version (1611) - View 1611 Bible Scan And Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful of form and face. Leah was not noted for her beauty as her sister Rachel was, but for her weak, or delicate, eyes.

How could ‘wise’ King Solomon let foreign women deceive him? Leah was not noted for her beauty as her sister Rachel was, but for her weak, or delicate, eyes. (Genesis 29:17) She had weak eyes from crying, since people would say, “Lavan has two daughters, and Rivka has two sons. But the fiction approach is unnecessary. The eyes of Leah were exquisite but Rachel was finely formed, a vision to grasp. Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world. Soul or Life? - Leah was tender eyed. And what does she see with her eyes closed? Understand the meaning of Genesis 29:17 using all available Bible versions and commentary. She lived faithfully to the best of her abilities even though her life was hard and unfair. Rachel today as well would be the ideal lady who many men would sacrifice for, but in God's eyes it seems like a Rachel without a Leah is a fable. In Genesis 18:7, Abraham grabs a calf from the herd, “rak and good,” usually translated “tender.” In Proverbs 4:3, Solomon describes his earliest memories of his father’s teaching when he was rak (tender) and the only child of his mother. "And Leah's eyes were tender." The biblical text affords Leah only two lines of dialogue (Genesis. The truth of God’s word does not hang in the balance on which meaning we prefer. Isn’t that a bit harsh? Leah is the elder daughter of Laban and the wife of Jacob, father of twelve sons who will become the twelve tribes of Israel. I have always enjoyed Robert Gundry's works. They implied that her only redeeming virtue was that she was fertile and gave birth But today, his eyes are a flame of fire as he awaits the appointed time for his return to Planet Earth. Yet it was not Rachel, with her fair face and well-proportioned figure, and her husband's lasting love, that was the mother of the progenitor of the Messiah, but the weary-eyed Leah. Our first introduction to Leah is in Genesis 29:17, “And Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful of form and face.” Leah's face was not ugly (Bohlen), only her eyes were not clear and lustrous, dark and sparkling, as in all probability Rachel's … NET Bible. (See 1Samuel 16:12 , where David is described as fair of eyes. ) If the account of Rachel and Leah is fiction, the above question is unanswerable and irrelevant (Rachel’s Tomb itself would become a fictionally-motivated name). So Leah closes her eyes and cries. Yet Leah was eclipsed by her younger sister, Rachel, who was "lovely in form and beautiful." Leah's story in the Bible is told in Genesis chapters 29-31, 33-35, 46, and 49. Read: Twins In the Bible. I think it is common place for us to read the stories in the bible statically rather than imagining these real life characters experiencing similar troubles, temptations and emotions. She was also the sister of Rachel and the wife of Jacob. ( Genesis 29:16) The dullness or weakness of her eyes was so notable that it is mentioned as a contrast to the beautiful form and appearance of her younger sister Rachel. 2 Lessons We Can Learn from Leah in the Bible She can be found in the Bible Timeline between 1754-1704 BC.… The Bible translators read Leah to be a lackluster, weary woman who was an encumbrance to her family. Church and ministry leadership resources to better equip, train and provide ideas for today's church and ministry leaders, like you. Bible verses about Leah. Rachel‘s and Leah’s stories run right along each other. Leah was the oldest daughter of Laban, Rebekah’s brother. In 2 Kings 22:19 (= 2 Chronicles 34:27), Huldah the prophetess says that King Josiah’s heart was “penitent” (literally “was soft” as opposed to hard or stubborn). This is really an ancient idiom to express the idea of a gentle, loving and caring person. Please also opt me in for Exclusive Offers from Patheos’s Partners. Would we read the bible differently if we could see through the eyes of the biblical characters. The fact that she was “tender eyed” (‘Genesis’ 29:17), could mean that she had weak eyesight or that her eyes lacked the feminine brightness that Rachel, her sister, who has been described as “beautiful and well-favoured,” possessed. The elder will marry the elder, and the younger will marry the younger.” [Leah] cried and said: “May it be Your will that I not fall to the fate of the evil Esav." Identity Politics vs. Transactional Politics. Get updates from Biblical Words and World delivered straight to your inbox. The name Leah means weary. Leahs’ Weak Eyes Gen. 29:17 states: “Leah had weak [rakot, literally, soft] eyes.” The unclear meaning of the adjective “rakot” provided an opportunity for various Rabbinic expositions. Such a person was said to have ‘ayani rakak eyes of tenderness. In The Eyes Of The Beholder. “Tender and delicate” is an expression to describe both men and women who then become heartless cannibals of their own children (Deuteronomy 28:54, 56). World English Bible Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful and well favored. Just know what the options are. And worse yet, she is introduced to us in comparison with her sister. Rashi comments that Leah's eyes were made "weak" (tender) from crying "until her eyelashes fell out." More Beauty Doesn’t Mean Fewer Problems. God overturns the results of the beauty contest between two sets of eyes. 16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. (See 1Samuel 16:12 , where David is described as fair of eyes. ) But today, his eyes are a flame of fire as he awaits the appointed time for his return to Planet Earth. Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. It deceives us into believing that it … Leah, third of the four matriarchs, was the oldest daughter of Laban, Rebecca ’s brother. Jacob's other wife was Leah's younger sister Rachel, who he preferred. And in three places, we find exhortations that the listeners’ hearts should not “be soft” or faint (Deuteronomy 20:3, Isaiah 7:4, Jeremiah 51:46), plus a declaration in Job 23:16 that God had made his heart that way. Leah's name is variously said to mean "wild cow," "gazelle," "wearied," and "weary" in Hebrew. I used to believe that Genesis 29:17 was the meanest verse in the whole Bible. (Please note that even the translation “but” versus “and” here is entirely based on our hunch as to whether a negative comparison is being made, or simply “here is Leah, and here is Rachel,” with no value judgment on either description.). Leah's eyes were tender and tearstained, then, but this is not intended to say she was physically unattractive. 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