Genesis 29:31

31 When God realized that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb. But Rachel was barren.

Genesis 29:31 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 29:31

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 30:22-24 ) .

Genesis 29:31 In-Context

29 (Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maid.)

30 Jacob then slept with her. And he loved Rachel more than Leah. He worked for Laban another seven years.

31 When God realized that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb. But Rachel was barren.

32 Leah became pregnant and had a son. She named him Reuben (Look-It's-a-Boy!). "This is a sign," she said, "that God has seen my misery; and a sign that now my husband will love me."

33 She became pregnant again and had another son. "God heard," she said, "that I was unloved and so he gave me this son also." She named this one Simeon (God-Heard).