^29:31When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved,⁶⁵ he enabled her to become pregnant⁶⁶ while Rachel remained childless. ^29:32So Leah became pregnant⁶⁷ and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben,⁶⁸ for she said, “The Lord has looked with pity on my oppressed condition.⁶⁹ Surely my husband will love me now.”

^29:33She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, “Because the Lord heard that I was unloved,⁷⁰ he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.⁷¹

Read in Logos

Footnotes

61 Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
62 Heb “went in also to Rachel.” The expression “went in to” in this context refers to sexual intercourse, i.e., the consummation of the marriage.
63 Heb “him”; the referent (Laban) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
64 Heb “and he loved also Rachel, more than Leah, and he served with him still seven other years.”
65 Heb “hated.” The rhetorical device of overstatement is used (note v. 30, which says simply that Jacob loved Rachel more than he did Leah) to emphasize that Rachel, as Jacob’s true love and the primary object of his affections, had an advantage over Leah.
66 Heb “he opened up her womb.”
67 Or “Leah conceived” (also in vv. 33, 34, 35).
68 The name Reuben (רְאוּבֵן, ré’uven) means “look, a son.”
69 Heb “looked on my affliction.” Leah’s explanation of the name Reuben reflects a popular etymology, not an exact one. The name means literally “look, a son.” Playing on the Hebrew verb “look,” she observes that the Lord has “looked” with pity on her oppressed condition. See further S. R. Driver, Genesis, 273.
70 Heb “hated.” See the note on the word “unloved” in v. .
71 The name Simeon (שִׁמְעוֹן, shim’on) is derived from the verbal root שָׁמַע (shama’) and means “hearing.” The name is appropriate since it is reminder that the Lord “heard” about Leah’s unloved condition and responded with pity.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years.

When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because the Lord has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” 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 called his name Simeon.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.

When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless. Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.”

She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Jacob slept with Rachel also, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.

When the Lord saw that Leah was neglected, he opened her womb; but Rachel was unable to conceive. Leah conceived, gave birth to a son, and named him Reuben, for she said, “The Lord has seen my affliction; surely my husband will love me now.”

She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, “The Lord heard that I am neglected and has given me this son also.” So she named him Simeon.

NLTNew Living Translation

So Jacob slept with Rachel, too, and he loved her much more than Leah. He then stayed and worked for Laban the additional seven years.

When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to have children, but Rachel could not conceive. So Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “The Lord has noticed my misery, and now my husband will love me.”

She soon became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She named him Simeon, for she said, “The Lord heard that I was unloved and has given me another son.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Then he also went in to Rachel, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with him yet another seven years.

When Yahweh saw that Leah was unloved he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. Then Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because Yahweh has noticed my misery. Surely now my husband will love me.” And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. And she said, “It is because Yahweh has heard that I am unloved that he gave me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon.

KJV 1900King James Version

And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren. And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the Lord hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.

Public Domain