Leah
Leah appears in the Old Testament as one of the two wives of the Biblical patriarch Jacob. Leah was Jacob's first wife, and the older sister of his second (and favored) wife Rachel. She is the mother of Jacob's first son Reuben. She has three more sons, namely Simeon, Levi and Judah, but does not bear another son until Rachel offers her a night with Jacob in exchange for some mandrake root. Leah gives birth to two more sons after this, Issachar and Zebulun, and to Jacob's only daughter, Dinah.
Quotes about
- Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah’s eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance.
- Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.
- Genesis 29, 16-18 (NKJV).
- Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.” And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast. Now it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?”
- And Laban said, “It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
- Genesis 29, 21-26 (NKJV).
- When 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.” Then 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. She 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. And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she stopped bearing.
- Genesis 29,31-35 (NKJV).
- When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing, she took Zilpah her maid and gave her to [[Jacob] as wife. And Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son. Then Leah said, “A troop comes!” So she called his name Gad. 12 And Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. Then Leah said, “I am happy, for the daughters will call me blessed.” So she called his name Asher.
- Genesis 30,9-13
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- Giovane e bella in sogno mi parea | donna vedere andar per una landa | cogliendo fiori; e cantando dicea: || "Sappia qualunque il mio nome dimanda | ch'i' mi son Lia, e vo movendo intorno | le belle mani a farmi una ghirlanda. || Per piacermi a lo specchio, qui m'addorno; | ma mia suora Rachel mai non si smaga | dal suo miraglio, e siede tutto giorno. || Ell'è d'i suoi belli occhi veder vaga | com'io de l'addornarmi con le mani; | lei lo vedere, e me l'ovrare appaga". (Dante Alighieri, Divina Commedia)
