LEAH: The unfavoured lady who won God’s favour

Bible references: Genesis 29:1-35; 30:1-21

Narrative:

Leah was the elder daughter of Laban and she had a younger sister named Rachel. Her name (in Hebrew le’ah; Greek leia) literally means “weary” or “dull”. Unlike her sister Rachel who was beautiful, Leah did not have those lustrous and glowing eyes which were considered as prominent aspect of female beauty (Gen. 29:17). So, Leah was probably a simple and ordinary woman.

Leah became Jacob’s wife due to her father’s trick on Jacob. Laban had deceived Jacob by taking advantage of the oriental custom of heavily veiling the prospective bride by saying that it was against their custom to first give away the younger daughters for marriage (Gen. 29:21-26). In this way, Leah began her married life as the monopolized, unintended and unloved wife (Gen. 29:30).

Despite being treated unfairly by her husband and Rachel, God had His own greater plans for her (Gen. 29:30-31). Leah was regarded lowly, yet she remained faithful to God and her husband by enduring all ill treatments (Gen. 29:32-34; 30:10-21). At some point of time, Leah was even deprived of her husband’s intimacy (Gen. 30:15-16). So she really yearned for her husband’s love and attention.

Leah earnestly prayed to God to show her mercy and vindicate her. Then, God showered His mercies and blessings to Leah in great measures. Leah gave birth to six sons named Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and a daughter named Dinah. Then, she thought that her husband would begin to love her more because God had blessed her with seven children. Up to this time, Rachel had not even given birth to any child.

Leah was always committed to secure her husband’s love and attention. She yearned for her husband’s unbiased care. So, when Rachel cunningly resorted to use her maid Bilhah to bear two children for her husband Jacob (Gen. 30:6-7), Leah was not to be outdone. Leah also used the same method to win her husband’s favour by using her maid Zilpah to give birth to Gad and Asher for her husband (Gen. 30:9-13).

However, Leah hardly received any of her husband’s true love. Even in their journey to her husband’s land, Leah was told to be infront of Rachel when they were preparing to meet Jacob’s brother, Esua (Gen. 33.2). This arrangement was strategic because in case Esau sought to take revenge, then Leah would have to first face Esau’s fury while providing time to save Rachel. Even so, Leah faithfully accompanied Jacob into his father’s land in Canaan. Later, she died before her family moved into Egypt and she was buried at Machpelah where her husband’s parents and grandparents were buried (Gen. 49:29-31).

Leah’s life was a story of commitment, dedication and unwavering love to her God and husband despite the harsh realities of being the monopolized and unexpected bride, unfavoured, ill treated and dull looking wife. Even though Leah’s simple and ordinary appearance made her the sidelined wife, she remained faithful and committed to God and her husband. God is a just and merciful God who would not allow men’s biased love, cunning and worldly beauty to thwart His sovereign plan. So, in the later course of Israel’s history, we eventually find that god honoured her prayers and life with great descendants. Personalities like Moses, their greatest prophet and leader, was born from the family of Levi (Exodus 2:1-10), and the King David and the Messiah, Jesus Christ, were born from the family of Judah (Matthew 1:1-2). They were the descendants of Jacob and Leah!

Lessons for Reflections:

1.      Leah was a dull, simple and ordinary woman. Her father Laban monopolized her to be the unintended bride of Jacob. The result was that she was neither favoured nor loved but ill treated. Yet, God had His own purpose in all these situations of human monopoly, deceit, biases and ill treatments. Then, God gradually reveals and unfolds His plans through committed and faithful children. Similarly, a woman may end up marrying through monopoly and unwillingness, yet if she remains faithful and committed to God and her newly wedded family, God will definitely bless her and her children.

2.      God is not put off by our dull, simple and ordinary physique and personalities. Rather He delights in our sincere and unwavering commitment and faith in Him and His plans.

3.      God is just, merciful and sovereign! God honoured Leah’s unwavering faith and committed life with descendants who became the greatest personalities in both the histories of Israel and Christianity. Moses, King David and Jesus Christ were born from the line of Jacob and Leah.

Reference Books:

1.      Easton Dictionary, Bible Works CD-ROM

2.      Fausset Dictionary, Bible Works CD-ROM

ISBE Encyclopedia, Bible Works CD-ROM