Genesis 29:32

32 Leah conceived and bore a son, and she named him Reuben; for she said, "Because the Lord has looked on my affliction; surely 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.


FOOTNOTES:

F23 Onomastic. Sacr. p. 918.

Genesis 29:32 In-Context

30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He served Laban for another seven years.
31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
32 Leah conceived and bore a son, and she named him Reuben; for she said, "Because the Lord has looked on my affliction; surely now my husband will love me."
33 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also"; and she named him Simeon.
34 Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, "Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons"; therefore he was named Levi.

Footnotes 1

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.