New King James Version
Genesis 29:32
32So 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.”
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 Living Translation (NLT)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.”
Context of Genesis 29:32
30Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban still another seven years. 31When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. 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.” 33Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon. 34She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.
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 35:22And it happened, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine; and Israel heard about it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:
- Genesis 37:21But Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands, and said, “Let us not kill him.”
- Genesis 42:22And Reuben answered them, saying, “Did I not speak to you, saying, ‘Do not sin against the boy’; and you would not listen? Therefore behold, his blood is now required of us.”
- Genesis 46:8Now these were the names of the children of Israel, Jacob and his sons, who went to Egypt: Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn.
- Genesis 49:3“Reuben, you are my firstborn, My might and the beginning of my strength, The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power.
- 1 Chronicles 5:1Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel—he was indeed the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel, so that the genealogy is not listed according to the birthright;
- Exodus 3:7And the Lord said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.
- Exodus 4:31So the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.
- Deuteronomy 26:7Then we cried out to the Lord God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and looked on our affliction and our labor and our oppression.
- 1 Samuel 1:11Then she made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.”
- 2 Samuel 16:12It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing this day.”
- Psalms 25:18Look on my affliction and my pain, And forgive all my sins.
- Psalms 106:44Nevertheless He regarded their affliction, When He heard their cry;
- Luke 1:25“Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries