Leah was the oldest daughter of Laban, Isaac's wife and Rebekah's brother. So, she was Jacob's cousin. The story begins many years earlier. Leah was given the position by God to be the first daughter of Laban. God had a plan; not only for Leah's life, but for the impact she would have in the future. Our first impressions in Genesis 29 are that Leah was tender eyed, which could mean weak eyed or having beautiful eyes. The Hebrew word is rakkoth which can also be translated as tenderhearted. When compared to her younger sister Rachel, who was described as shapely and beautiful, Leah seems to come up short from the beginning.
Her husband Jacob had left his father's home quickly to escape the wrath of his brother Esau who Jacob had just robbed of his inheritance. He traveled a long way to find a wife of Laban's family with nothing for a dowry. Jacob first saw Rachel, beautiful and graceful, at the same well that his mother had drawn water from for his Grandfather Abraham's servant who was sent there to find a wife for his father, Isaac. Jacob helped her to water the sheep, announcing to her his identity. After going to meet his Uncle Laban and the rest of the family he stayed with them for a month. Then, Laban asked what wages Jacob desired as he had been working for him. Jacob loved Rachel and said he would serve him seven years for the hand of Rachel in marriage. Laban agreed.
After seven years came the wedding, but instead of Laban bringing Rachel to Jacob, he brought Leah. The next morning in the light of day Jacob realized that he had been betrayed. Laban assured him that it was only because the younger sister should not be married before the older, and for the promise of another seven years, he would give him Rachel immediately after the traditional marriage week with Leah. And so, in spite of the honor and respect of the community as the oldest daughter, Leah's married life was off to a scandalous start. In spite of her humiliation, there is nowhere in the Bible where it is states that Leah complained or allowed herself to become bitter. Genesis 29:30-32 tells us that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah, and when the Lord saw that she was loved less than her due, Leah conceived and bore to Jacob his first-born son. Leah named him “...Reuben: for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.”
And so it went, Leah being a tenderhearted woman continued to be neglected of Jacob but not of God. She faithfully tended to her husband, always working, and hoping to capture her husband's heart by raising and raising their sons to become the future leaders of the tribe of Israel. The Lord honored her choices of contentment without bitterness or envy. She continually acknowledged God's blessings in her life, documenting her spiritual journey in a loveless marriage as revealed with the birth of each son. Reuben – the Lord sees, Simeon – the Lord hears, Levi – attached, that the Lord might create a bond between her and Jacob. Although Jacob loved her less than he loved Rachel, the Lord filled that void. With the birth of Judah, meaning praise, Leah acknowledged and praised the Lord for the blessings He brought to her life. She chose to be joyful and content in the life the Lord gave her, and her praise left a legacy which she would not realize in her lifetime. It brought to the world a Savior. When we rejoice at all times, pray without ceasing and in everything express our gratitude toward our God who is not limited by our current circumstances, we exhibit a pure heart before Him.
As in James 1:16-17, Leah was not deceived into despondency, but realized that every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like the shifting shadows. One of her lessons to us is to realize that even though the world can throw us off course and keep us coveting more instead of being content with what we have, we need to focus on the giver of our blessings instead of what is or what is not given; rejoicing always and praying constantly. Therein we find abundance in our relationship with the Lord.
The lesser loved and honored wife of Jacob may have had a life of grief in her marriage, but was greatly blessed not only with six sons and a daughter, but one of those sons, Judah, was listed in Matthew 1 in the genealogy of King David, King Solomon, and the King of Kings Jesus Christ! God had a specific calling on Leah's life that was not dependent on the preferences of her husband. He placed her first because of it and blessed her abundantly. God also has a calling on the life of each of His children who love Him and live for Him today, and according to His purposes will make all circumstances work together for our good (Romans 8:28). She was buried in the cave alongside Jacob's parents and grandparents, her fellow patriarchs of faith. Jacob also requested to be buried beside her, honoring her at last. God had given her a life of honor because He is her Lord. A life redeemed cannot occur with a perfect spouse or an abundance of children, but with a heart that is tender and surrendered to God.
The Lord chooses and elevates those whose hearts are pure before him. Leah's tender heart was created specifically to fulfill the task of Jacob's first wife and mother of many sons. That is so like our Lord! In I Samuel 16:7 when the prophet Samuel anointed David over his brothers who were all older and stronger, he is instructed by God to not look at their appearance or stature for He had rejected them. But to look on the heart, and David had a heart after God. We humans do not see what the Lord sees, for only He can see the heart. Therefore, focus on the condition of your heart. Leah did not see her impact on life, but focused on her present job with a heart of gratitude and obedience toward God. Can you trust the Lord in your circumstances even if you never see an impact for Him?
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