¹⁶ Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah,^(A) and the name of the younger was Rachel.^{(B) 17} Leah had weak^[a] eyes, but Rachel^(C) had a lovely figure and was beautiful.^{(D) 18} Jacob was in love with Rachel^(E) and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”^(F)

Jacob’s Children

³¹ When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved,^(A) he enabled her to conceive,^(B) but Rachel remained childless. ³² Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.^(C) She named him Reuben,^[a](D) for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery.^(E) Surely my husband will love me now.”

³³ She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved,^(F) he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.^[b](G)

³⁴ Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me,^(H) because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.^[c](I)

³⁵ She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah.^[d](J) Then she stopped having children.^(K)