Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.
Parallel translations
- WEB Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and attractive.
- BSB Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.
- 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 12:11And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:
- Gen 30:22And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.
- 1 Sam 10:2When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel’s sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?
- Gen 39:6And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.
- Gen 46:19–22The sons of Rachel Jacob’s wife; Joseph, and Benjamin.
- Gen 35:24The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin:
- Prov 31:30Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
- Jer 31:15Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.
- Gen 29:6–12And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.
- Matt 2:18In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
- Gen 24:16And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.
- Gen 29:18And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
- Gen 30:1–2And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.
- Gen 35:19–20And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.
- Gen 48:7And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same 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.