Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.
Parallel translations
- WEB Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and attractive.
- KJV Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.
- NKJV Leah’s eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance.
- NASB And Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in figure and appearance.
- NLT There was no sparkle in Leah’s eyes, but Rachel had a beautiful figure and a lovely face.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Leah had weak (or tender) eyes, while Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.
Overview
The comparison highlights Rachel's striking beauty alongside a less flattering note about Leah, whose exact meaning is debated. Whether "weak eyes" implies poor sight or simply lacked Rachel's beauty, the contrast explains Jacob's preference for Rachel. The narrative will show God's special care for Leah, the less-favored sister, by opening her womb.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Gen 12:11As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I know that you are a beautiful woman,
- Gen 30:22Then God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb,
- 1 Sam 10:2When you leave me today, you will find two men at Rachel’s tomb in Zelzah on the border of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you seek have been found, and now your father has stopped worrying about the donkeys and started worrying about you, asking, “What should I do about my son?”’
- Gen 39:6So Potiphar left all that he owned in Joseph’s care; he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome,
- Gen 46:19–22The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.
- Gen 35:24The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.
- Prov 31:30Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
- Jer 31:15This is what the LORD says: “A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
- Gen 29:6–12“Is he well?” Jacob inquired. “Yes,” they answered, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.”
- Matt 2:18“A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
- Gen 24:16Now the girl was very beautiful, a virgin who had not had relations with any man. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up again.
- Gen 29:18Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
- Gen 30:1–2When Rachel saw that she was not bearing any children for Jacob, she envied her sister. “Give me children, or I will die!” she said to Jacob.
- Gen 35:19–20So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).
- Gen 48:7Now as for me, when I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died along the way in the land of Canaan, some distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 29:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.