God’s Word Translation
Genesis 29:32
32Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben [Here’s My Son], because she said, “Certainly, the Lord has seen my misery; now my husband will love me!”
Genesis 29:32 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)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.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)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."
- New King James Version (NKJV)So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, “The Lord has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.”
Context of Genesis 29:32
30Jacob slept with Rachel too. He loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years. 31When the Lord saw Leah was unloved, he made it possible for her to have children, but Rachel had none. Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben [Here’s My Son], because she said, “Certainly, the Lord has seen my misery; now my husband will love me!” 33She became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said, “Certainly, the Lord has heard that I’m unloved, and he also has given me this son.” So she named him Simeon [Hearing]. 34She became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me because I’ve given him three sons.” So she named him Levi [Attached].
Read all of Genesis 29Genesis 29:32 word by word
וַתַּ֤הַר לֵאָה֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֔ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ רְאוּבֵ֑ן כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֗ה כִּֽי־רָאָ֤ה יְהוָה֙ בְּעָנְיִ֔י כִּ֥י עַתָּ֖ה יֶאֱהָבַ֥נִי אִישִֽׁי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Leahלֵאָהlê'âh · LeahH3812
- conceivedהָרָהhârâh · to conceiveH2029
- and bareיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
- a sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- and she calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call byH7121
- his nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- Reubenרְאוּבֵןre'ûbên · ReubenH7205
- forכִּיkîy · forH3588
- she saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- hath lookedרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- upon my afflictionעֳנִי‛ŏnîy · afflictionH6040
- my husbandאִישׁ'îysh · man: husbandH376
- will loveאָהֵב'âhab 'âhêb · to love: loverH157
Cross-references for Genesis 29:32
- Genesis 35:22While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went to bed with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had 12 sons.
- Genesis 37:21When Reuben heard this, he tried to save Joseph from their plot. “Let’s not kill him,” he said.
- Genesis 42:22Reuben said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn’t listen. Now we must pay for this bloodshed.”
- Genesis 46:8These are the names of Israel’s descendants (Jacob and his descendants) who arrived in Egypt. Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn.
- Genesis 49:3“Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength, the very first son I had, first in majesty and first in power.
- 1 Chronicles 5:1These are the sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn. (Although he was the firstborn, his rights as firstborn were given to his nephews, Joseph’s sons, because he dishonored his father’s bed. However, Joseph couldn’t be listed in the genealogy as the firstborn son.
- Exodus 3:7The Lord said, “I have seen the misery of my people in Egypt, and I have heard them crying out because of the slave drivers. I know how much they’re suffering.
- Exodus 4:31and the people believed them. When they heard that the Lord was concerned about the people of Israel and that he had seen their misery, they knelt, bowing with their faces touching the ground.
- Deuteronomy 26:7We cried out to the Lord God of our ancestors, and he heard us. He saw our misery, suffering, and oppression.
- 1 Samuel 1:11She made this vow, “Lord of Armies, if you will look at my misery, remember me, and give me a boy, then I will give him to you for as long as he lives. A razor will never be used on his head.”
- 2 Samuel 16:12Maybe the Lord will see my misery and turn his curse into a blessing for me today.”
- Psalms 25:18Look at my misery and suffering, and forgive all my sins.
- Psalms 106:44He saw that they were suffering when he heard their cry for help.
- Luke 1:25“The Lord has done this for me now. He has removed my public disgrace.”
Commentaries on Genesis 29:32
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 32She called his name Reuben - ראובן reuben, literally, see ye or behold a son; for Jehovah hath looked upon, ראה raah, beheld, my affliction; behold then the consequence, I have got a son!Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-35Verses 1-35 - Jacob‘s Marriage 6. רחל rāchēl Rachel, “a ewe.” 16. לאה lê'âh Leah, “wearied.” 24. זלפה zı̂lpâh Zilpah, “drop?” 29. בלהה bı̂lhâh Bilhah, “timidity.” 32. ראוּבן re'uvbēn Reuben, “behold a son.” A paronomasia in allusion to the phrase בעניי ראה be‛ānyı̂y rā'âh Derivatives and compounds, being formed by the common speaker, are sometimes founded upon resemblance in sound, and not always on precise forms of the original sentence which…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 31-35Verses 31-35 The names Leah gave her children, expressed her respect and regard, both to God and to her husband. Reuben, or See a son, with this thought, Now will my husband love me; Levi, or joined, expecting, Now will my husband be joined unto me. Mutual affection is both the duty and comfort of the married relation; and yoke-fellows should study to recommend themselves to each other, 1Co 7:33, 34. She thankfully acknowledges the kind providence of God…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 32The LORD has seen my affliction: The name Reuben (from the Hebrew re’uben) sounds like the Hebrew phrase ra‘ah be‘onyi, which means “he has seen my affliction.” Leah felt that God had seen her suffering and had comforted her when her son was born, and she hoped that Jacob would now love her. Jacob did not notice her suffering, but God did (compare 16:14; 24:62; 25:11). The name was a reminder of God’s care and help.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 32-3532-35. son ... his name Reuben--Names were also significant; and those which Leah gave to her sons were expressive of her varying feelings of thankfulness or joy, or allusive to circumstances in the history of the family. There was piety and wisdom in attaching a signification to names, as it tended to keep the bearer in remembrance of his duty and the claims of God.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 29:32
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 29
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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