Genesis 29:34

34 Once again she became pregnant and gave birth to another son. She said, "Now my husband will be bound more tightly to me, because I have borne him three sons"; so she named him Levi.

Genesis 29:34 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 29:34

And she conceived again, and bare a son
A third time, as soon as she well could after the former birth: and said, now this time will my husband be joined to me;
in greater affection and stronger ties of love, and cleave unto her: because I have born him three sons;
which she considered as a threefold cord, binding his affections to her, which could not be easily broke; and therefore was his name called Levi;
which signifies "joined"; from him the Levites sprung, and had their name.

Genesis 29:34 In-Context

32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She said, "The Lord has seen my trouble, and now my husband will love me"; so she named him Reuben.

33 She became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said, "The Lord has given me this son also, because he heard that I was not loved"; so she named him Simeon.

34 Once again she became pregnant and gave birth to another son. She said, "Now my husband will be bound more tightly to me, because I have borne him three sons"; so she named him Levi.

35 Then she became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said, "This time I will praise the Lord"; so she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.

Footnotes

• [a]. levi: [This name sounds like the Hebrew for "bound."]