Genesis 29:32

32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben because she said, "The LORD saw my harsh treatment, and now my husband will love me."

Genesis 29:32 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 29:32

And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name
Reuben
That is, "see the son", as if she by this name called upon her husband, her friends, and all about her, to look at him, and view him; perhaps hoping and imagining he might be the famous son, the promised seed, the Messiah that was to spring to Abraham, in the line of Jacob; but if she so thought, she was greatly mistaken; for this son of hers proved unstable, and did not excel; or rather God hath seen or provided a son, as Hillerus ^F23 gives the signification of the name, which seems better to agree with what follows: for she said, surely the Lord hath looked on my affliction;
being deceived by her father, not so much loved by her husband as her sister was, and perhaps slighted by her: now therefore my husband will love me:
more than he has done, and equally as my sister, having bore him a son.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 Onomastic. Sacr. p. 918.

Genesis 29:32 In-Context

30 Jacob slept with Rachel, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He worked for Laban seven more years.

31 When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb; but Rachel was unable to have children.

32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben because she said, "The LORD saw my harsh treatment, and now my husband will love me."

33 She became pregnant again and gave birth to a son. She said, "The LORD heard that I was unloved, so he gave me this son too," and she named him Simeon.

34 She became pregnant again and gave birth to a son. She said, "Now, this time my husband will embrace me, since I have given birth to three sons for him." So she named him Levi.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or see, a son