Genesis 29:32

32 And Leah childed a son conceived (And Leah conceived, and bare a son), and she called his name Reuben, and said, The Lord hath seen my meekness; now mine husband shall 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 And at the last Jacob used the weddings desired, and set the love of the latter wife before the first; and Jacob served Laban seven other years. (And so at last Jacob had the desired wedding, and put the love of the latter wife ahead of the first wife; and Jacob served Laban for another seven years.)

31 Forsooth the Lord saw that Jacob despised Leah, that is, (that he) loved her less than Rachel, and (so) he opened Leah's womb, while her sister dwelled barren.

32 And Leah childed a son conceived (And Leah conceived, and bare a son), and she called his name Reuben, and said, The Lord hath seen my meekness; now mine husband shall love me.

33 And again she conceived, and childed a son, and said, For the Lord saw that I was despised, he gave also this son to me (he also gave me this son); and she called his name Simeon.

34 And she conceived the third time, and childed another son, and she said also (and then she said), Now mine husband shall be coupled to me, for I have childed three sons to him; and therefore she called his name Levi.