Leah: blessed and fulfilled destiny... In spite of

[J13578]

I don't know if I am posting this in the proper forum.

Leah has been mentioned a few times lately, and I think that these excerpts of a study on her could shed a new light on "who" she was.

Maybe looking beyond - and behind - her "whats", it will speak to us, as women and sisters (considering her situation with her own).

Anyway, here it is:

"Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, as she had declared, "Because God has discerned my humiliation, for now my husband will love me."

And she conceived again and bore a son and declared, "Because God has heard that I am hated, He has given me this one also," and she called his name Shimon.

Again she conceived and bore a son and declared, "This time my husband will become attached to me for I have borne him three sons;" therefore he called his name Levi.

She conceived again, and bore a son and declared, "This time let me gratefully praise the Lord;" therefore she called his name Judah; then she stopped giving birth."
(Genesis 29:32-35)

"God saw that Leah was hated, so He opened her womb," and gave her children. As mentioned, Leah is unaware of this hate.

If Leah does not experience being hated, why does God find it necessary to compensate her with children?

In spite of not feeling hated, Leah is in anguish over whether or not she has done the right thing by marrying Jacob

God's response to Leah's anguish does indeed come through Jacob, since Leah has children with him immediately after marriage. (By contrast, Rachel remains barren).

The names of Leah's children provide clues to the direction of Leah's journey towards an understanding that she has in fact succeeded in aligning herself with God's will.

Leah calls her first son Reuben, from the Hebrew word "re'e," which means, "to see." This is the basis for the verse "God saw my humiliation." God sees Leah's dilemma and responds by immediately granting her a child. This in turn indicates to Leah that her husband will also see her righteousness, will recognize that this is a proper marriage, with God's blessing - and will love her as a result.

Leah has a second son, Shimon. In the Torah verse announcing his birth she says, "God heard that I am hated, so He gave me also this one." (The name Shimon is related to the Hebrew word, "shema" - to hear).
With Reuben, her first child, Leah feels that perhaps she has fulfilled God's intentions. When Leah has a second child before her righteous sister Rachel has had one, Leah sees it another reassurance from God. Her statement, "...He gave me also this one," reflects this fact.

Leah sees prophetically that Jacob and four wives will give birth to the twelve future tribes of Israel.

When she has her third child, Levi, Leah assumes she has given Jacob her share of his sons - and that his three other wives will also have three children each. She states, "This time my husband will become attached to me for I have borne him three sons."

The child's name - Levi - is related to the Hebrew word for "attach." This time, Jacob names his son, whereas Leah had named the prior two. With two children, the woman carries one in each hand. With three, the husband must carry one, which provides impetus for a growing attachment between husband and wife, and a deeper unity in their relationship.

When Leah has a fourth child, she knows God has blessed her above and beyond her destined share in creating the Jewish people.

At this point the scripture turns to Rachel and tells us she is jealous of Leah. "Rachel saw that she had not borne children to Jacob, and Rachel became envious of her sister (Genesis 30:1

To return to Leah's fourth child, his name - Yehuda - contains "l'hodot," the Hebrew word for "praise."

On a simple level, the name reflects Leah's thanks to God for a child she did not expect, given that if the children had been divided equally between four wives this would be one more than her anticipated share.


On a deeper level, the thankfulness embedded in the name Yehuda expresses Leah's essence. From the start, Leah accepts her position, even in difficult times, with gratitude that is based in her trust in God.
Each time she gives birth, Leah praises God stating,

"God listens to me,"

"God will make me more beloved,"

"God will give me the ability to unite fully with my husband."

Often, Leah's words of praise and thankfulness are set forth in the future tense. This reveals a unique dimension of her gratitude. To thank God in good times, when we get what we want is always meritorious. To thank God before things go our way, or even when they actually do not go our way is a greater accomplishment - and Leah's specialty.

Leah's gratitude persists even in the midst of difficulty and in situations that may or may not go her way. This ability comes from her conviction that what is happening is right, given that it is coming from God.


Leah teaches us growth through acceptance. The power to accept leads to inner peace, no matter what the circumstances. This ability is not easy to cultivate and is no guarantee that life will be easy. Leah faced obstacles, which caused her great distress. At the same time, however, she was inwardly tranquil because of her belief that God was leading her in a necessary direction.

As such, she remains a model for us of personal growth in the face of adversity and uncertainty. Leah's process with its ups and downs was never a source for misery.

"Leah's eyes were tender, because she wept constantly in prayer

Leah was a prophetess. She knew that, in reality, people's mundane talk about her marriage reflected God's will for her."

It is also interesting to note that Jacob, just before he died, spoke to his sons, and specifically requested to be buried beside his wife, Leah....

She is definitely a great inspiration, to this day. I think that we can look beyond the tender eyes....

[LANL ns]

This is nice Lilah

[keita]

God Bless You, Sista Lilah!

lilah said:

I don't know if I am posting this in the proper forum.

Leah has been mentioned a few times lately, and I think that these excerpts of a study on her could shed a new light on "who" she was.

Maybe looking beyond - and behind - her "whats", it will speak to us, as women and sisters (considering her situation with her own).

I think right here is an excellent place for your post. I was actually hoping that at least some of our fellowship here would include discussing the women of the Word. I had in mind sharing "snapshots" (as opposed to full on Bible studies) like the one you did in hopes that appetites would be whetted for more intensive and attentive personal/collective study of these women and what they have to teach us.

She is definitely a great inspiration, to this day. I think that we can look beyond the tender eyes....

Amen! And thanks for reminding us that a woman's story is always about so much more than her appearance.


Note: Speaking of women in the Word, check out the discussion of Ruth which is now beginning in the Singles Forum!

[this2shallpass]

Gen. 30:1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.

Jacob's love for Rachel was patient. Rachel was frustrated by her barrenness and desparate to compete with her sister for Jacob's affection. She was trying to gain from Jacob what he had already given: devoted love.

She failed to recognize that Jacob's devotion to her was not dependent on her ability to have children.

Her envy and competitiveness marred her relationship with her sister, Leah.

[J13578]

Both Rachel and Leah had a great purpose to fulfill.

It's true that Rachel became envious of her sister. However, at this point, she failed to realise that the issue was not about having or not having children (or whatever blessing should manifest in our life).
Leah went to God, and trusted God for everything, from bearing children to being loved and respected by Jacob. She overcame and conquered through faith and submission to God... She stepped into her destiny and never let go.
Rachel missed that and went to Jacob. In fact, when she said "give me children or I'll die", Jacob became angry and pointed her back to God...

[Beulah5]

This is an interesting topic and let me add my 2 cents.

Being the troublesome person that I am i have always found it intriguing that commentaries on Leah (which are usually written from a masculine point of view-no offence meant but i simply find it true) fail to mention the seriousness in the fact that in spite of her numerous tribal offspring that it still does not take away from the tragedy of her not being loved.

I mean let us get real-Leah was fulfilled because she had no choice and praise God for her offspring but it does not take away from the severity of what she missed out on.

As great a blessing as children were-was she totally really fulfilled or did she simply resign herself to her fate and chose to rejoice in spite of? Only she can truly tell.

The Bible is not always as peachy and rosy as people would like it to mean. I bet Leah went to the grave with a part of her still wishing she had had a loving fulfilling relationship as a hot blooded woman .

I know I would. Even if a 100 ebony skinned princes popped out of my nigerian loins.

[J13578]

No comments on the 100 tinies....

When it comes to love, it also could depend on how we define love... Also, many times, we tend to "read" as if they were all very young, and they were not. Jacob was not a spring chicken when he went to Laban's house... Far from it!

Romance and passion are certainly important in a marriage, it's not enough.

We also might assume a lot about Leah, her personality and her character, simply because, from the jump, a physical flaw is mentioned.

However, does that make her any less of a woman? Should she lower her expectactions, dreams, because "Poor Leah, you know..." I don't think so....

And, in light of that, we could eventually ask ourselves if SHE loved Jacob? Just because he was it for Rachel does not mean that he was Leah's choice and favorite camel rider in a shiny turban....

Keeping in mind that Jacob still ended up marrying Rachel but never repudiated Leah, and the fact that she gave him six children, Jacob never seemed to have a problem fulfilling his husband's obligations
(That's all I'm going to say about that, Beulah, don't jump on me

[Beulah5]

You mention some excellent points Leah-i basically wanted us to also consider all angles of the equation.

For so long many have taught the Bible as though everything in it was rosy.

This has come at a cost to women throughout the ages.

Aaaw i never jump on people-u must have me mistaken for someone else.

The issue of feminity etc etc in my view considers to be ill handled by the church.

I just wanted to just suggest that we broaden our discussion on this......

Yes Leah was blessed as a mother however whether she loved Jacob or not was she fulfilled as a wife/woman?

[J13578]

"The issue of feminity etc etc in my view considers to be ill handled by the church.

I just wanted to just suggest that we broaden our discussion on this......

Yes Leah was blessed as a mother however whether she loved Jacob or not was she fulfilled as a wife/woman?"

I agree with you...

You mentioned that "the issue of feminity etc.. in my view considers to be ill handled by the church."

Again, I agree, it was ill handled by the church, NOT by the Bible, not by God himself. As we look back at the record that we have in the Bible, we cannot not see that.
So, the question is where did we take that turn? Because, let's face it, whatever side they were on (good vs. evil) women in the Bible were always extremely powerful, each in their own way.
I think - just little me - that we might want to look at this, not from the angle of man vs. woman, but to really try and understand what God's plan was, and when we medled with it to the point that even today, in a society supposedly so much more advanced than the Jewish one then or now, woman still does not have her God's status.
God said there will always be inimity between her and the snake, not between her and man... So, when did man become the "enemy" so to speak?

Back to Leah.... Was she fulfilled as a wife/woman?
I think she was, and not "just" through motherhood. I know that when we are younger - just being honest - we do want to be swept off of our feet, we want the Cinderella wedding and live happy ever after AND we want God's approval on all of that....
Leah's constant in her life was God, her purpose, God's plan for her life, however it manifested, she knew she was in God's hands.
It might be more difficult for us, today, to try and understant if she was fulfilled as a wife and a woman because of the context of the time in which this took place.
If we do take this into account though, as a wife, she was fulfilled. As a woman, Jacob did come to the understanding of why Leah had to be his wife. They were both aware of the "bigger picture" and willing to let God work it out.
I believe that she was loved, in the deepest sense of the word.
You know, how sometimes people might ask or think, about another woman "What does she have that I don't?"
What they really mean is "I'm more beautiful than her, I have a better job, better clothes, more this and more that, and there she goes with him, tall, dark, handsome AND man of God too..."
So, whatever she has, if we put it in today's context too, is not in the visible, is it?
Leah was not competing with Rachel on that level, what she had - and she knew it - God gave it to her and He revealed it to her, to Jacob and, if you really look at it, to Rachel too.
Again, it's not letting go of our dreams and expectations, but knowing that we can because He's able, and not just because we're cute (and that's a good thing too
It's also about maximising time, a precious commodity given to us by God in limited amount on this earth, but that's a whole 'nother thing.
Me thinks...

[livinganewlife]

Lilah, i understand what your saying but in reality how can a woman really experience deep, sincere love from a man who DESIRED another woman, and that the only reason he is with you is to get the woman he really wants.

I believe that is the part of the story that B5 is talking about, how can this be love when your husband is desiring someone else. He is just using you to get what he really wants. Who wants to be used and KNOW IT?

In today's society the man's wants and desire has changed. By that i mean men are with women that they don't want for other reasons #1 $$$$$$$. Alot of these women you pass by and wonder what she has that you don't have (and what she has is an OPEN pocketbook full of money) and all bortherman got to do is just show up.

[Beulah5]

Amen living

Thanks Lilah for the response.

I totally agree that this should not be a man v woman issue -my exact intention.

However we cannot separate the discussion of how man in general has behaved in applying the Bible.

I am not into fairy tales either and i see ur point about how love has stages but the bible is clear that Leah was certainly not loved.

The foundation of her marriage was not a proper one but God in His mercy chose the capstone which had been rejected by giving her 11 tribes.

Reading the story of Leah shows me that her situation was that of a woman who was not well treated by her father. Jacob did not bully her or ill treat her in the same way but sometimes i think that knowing you are being tolerated is worse than someone who is physically doing u wrong.

It is important that if we are going to grow and advance as women and leave a legacy to the next generation that we do not gloss over the real facts and issues that women have had including the Bible ones.

Our refusal to acknowledge that female treatment in the Bible was not always the best one of them being Leah and to gloss over it is what has given rise to many feminist organisations who feel that in spite of evidence that we refuse to acknowledge what is a real issue.

To me Leah's story is-in spite of what man did God who is great and gracious made it up to her.

It does not gloss over her heartbreak and her issues however it points to a loving God who is able to take every brokeness and injustice and elevate the victim.

Leah was bundled off into Jacob's tent because her father was probably afraid she was getting on and would not be getting married or he wanted to rid himself of the responsibility.

Laban had his own agenda. Leah had to go along with it or maybe she hoped that Jacob will come to love her-can u imagine how one will feel when the next morning after seeing you they stormed off in anger at the fact that u were not their intended and then promptly took ur sister in exchange for another 7 years of hard work.

That kind of rejection stings, we even see later that Leah was having to bribe Rachel with mandrakes .....

I mean even Rachel's womb was shut up because of the injustice.

Leah was not treated well-yes later on she came to accept her lot however that should not be the norm.


Growing up in the 3rd world and within my own family i have seen so many women who have been taught to 'accept their lot'.

They are not to expect anything more from their husbands who sire children with them and probably provide but oh as for enjoying a romantic and deeply satisfying intimate relationship which encompasses sexuality that is too much to ask and expect.

This is a crime as God created the feminine to be called out by the masculine.

I am not trying to jump on you Leah i think this post is fantastic but in my humble personal opinion I believe that to teach women that Leah was a happy bunny from the word go is contradictory as the Bible clearly shows that hers was a tragic circumstance which was turned around by God in His mercy however that was never His original purpose for women.

[J13578]

"Growing up in the 3rd world and within my own family i have seen so many women who have been taught to 'accept their lot'."

I have too... The mistake would be to believe that this is restricted to 3rd world countries' societies. This is the 21st century, and women down to my mother's generation - and even mine - are still taught to "accept their lot". How, when, why and BY WHOM were they taught that?

-They are not to expect anything more from their husbands who sire children with them and probably provide but oh as for enjoying a romantic and deeply satisfying intimate relationship which encompasses sexuality that is too much to ask and expect.

Why are there still women accepting that? Who or what is it, today, that causes this belief to be so deeply inbedded in some women's heart and soul?


-This is a crime as God created the feminine to be called out by the masculine.

Amen. So, can we agree that, in this case, going back to the beginning is actually progress? Who should consider that option? Here is what I mean: we, women in general, very seldom have a problem in "going it alone". We would rather do it ourselves, because, among other things, it saves time.... In this case, and in my opinion, it would defeat the purpose: men have been taught wrong too.
Again, in my opinion, the church at large also bears responsibility for this situation as of today. The world took it in its hands and it ended up in what we see today, very often an all out war between Man and Woman. In other words, and again, "divide to conquer".

-I am not trying to jump on you Leah i think this post is fantastic but in my humble personal opinion I believe that to teach women that Leah was a happy bunny from the word go is contradictory as the Bible clearly shows that hers was a tragic circumstance which was turned around by God in His mercy however that was never His original purpose for women.

No, she was not a happy bunny. Yes, she was wronged. Yes, God turn it around and all of that has also to be seen in the context of the times in which in happened. There is a dimension in Leah which cannot be ignored, outside of the inherent downsides of her condition, in the natural....

"It was never God's original purpose for women. "
No, it was not. But, again, Man is not the enemy. Woman was told that she would bruise the head of the serpent, not Man's (even if some days she feels like it
I have to say this: I love Man. Because of that, and regardless of personal experiences, I do not have any "prejudice" against Man, or any "prejudgement" against Man.
I may be mistaken, but it seems that a lot of women, even young ones, have already judged some men and applied their conclusion to Man at large. To me, it's a dangerous mistake....

How about we learn to know each other first? What about "Let's be friends" first? Impossible between Man and Woman? I don't think so, I think that's a lie that we have come to believe too

[Beulah5]

The title of this post was Leah blessed and fulfilled in destiny and that is what i seek to address-not to say that i have the answers but merely to point out her issues which are very real and alive in the lives of many women today.

The beginnings of the post seem to me to indicate that Leah was a happy lark and fulfilled in every aspect of the word and what i was saying is merely pointing out that it was not so cut and dried.

I do know that women everywhere in the world have been told to 'put up with their lot' it is a universal situation however my reference to 3rd world country was the reality of polygamous situations on my doorstep sometimes with 2 sisters in the same kind of Leah-Rachel situation.

I do not blame this situation on men i also think that we as women are many times guilty of using the martyr card in order to make us look like saints when many times we have the option of 'not having to put up'.

Men are wonderful. I am surrounded with a brilliant abundance of them actually i was planning to start a post on celebrating the men in our lives earlier this morning.

When i use the word man i meant-mankind.
Mankind-both men and women have mishandled the word of God hence the mistakes of the past.

There will always be chauvinistic attitudes in many places just as much as there will be feminist attitudes. There are some women who are just as chauvinistic in their worldviews and there are some men who hold extreme feminist views it is not a battle of the sexes thing but universal attitudes.

That still does not take away from the fact that God said: Male and Female He made them and it was perfect in His eyes.

My point is not to start some campaign against Jacob/Rachel etc my point was simply that Leah's situation was not so straight forward so let us investigate that before we tout her as an example of a model wife/marriage and i am glad you have made mention of that fact.

That was my 50 cents -keep on with the discussion.

As to the question of why do women put up/have these deeply ingrained attitudes i believe majorly is up to them, there is also the added factor of mama including church mothers teaching their daughters straight from infancy an erroneous doctrine of 'u gotta put up Leah style & endure shanana na cause that is what pleases God, there is also the exception being those who have a culture so ingrained that they know nothing else.

Obviously there are issues which are sometimes not so straight forward but i will apply that to majority of cases. It is a very broad subject and will make 4 a brilliant post as you rightly said it is time for us to stop blaming men non?

[J13578]

Absolument!
Tu sais, je suis aussi en train de préparer mon déménagement parce que nous partons à la fin du mois..... Donc, je m'excuse si des fois je parle un peu de tout à la fois! ;D
Some things are just not compatible, like moving boxes and a topic about Leah.... Well... Nah...

"That still does not take away from the fact that God said: Male and Female He made them and it was perfect in His eyes."

If it was, then it still is... I really wish we could put our finger on one thing, even if it hurts, and take it from there.... Long journey...

[Nikkol]

I actually have a "different" view of Leah. I don't know if it's from a "male perspective" but just something that came to my mind..... I am not sure if I'm going to share it so to not take away from the post....but you guys know me. I always have to take it from a different POV.