Leah’s eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance.
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.
- BSB Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.
- 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 12:11When he had come near to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman to look at.
- Gen 30:22God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her, and opened her womb.
- 1 Sam 10:2When you have departed from me today, then you will find two men by Rachel’s tomb, on the border of Benjamin at Zelzah. They will tell you, ‘The donkeys which you went to look for have been found; and behold, your father has stopped caring about the donkeys, and is anxious for you, saying, “What shall I do for my son?”’
- Gen 39:6He left all that he had in Joseph’s hand. He didn’t concern himself with anything, except for the food which he ate. Joseph was well-built and handsome.
- Gen 46:19–22The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife: Joseph and Benjamin.
- Gen 35:24The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.
- Prov 31:30Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears Yahweh, she shall be praised.
- Jer 31:15Yahweh says: “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.”
- Gen 29:6–12He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well. See, Rachel, his daughter, is coming with the sheep.”
- Matt 2:18“A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; she wouldn’t be comforted, because they are no more.”
- Gen 24:16The young lady was very beautiful to look at, a virgin. No man had known her. She went down to the spring, filled her pitcher, and came up.
- Gen 29:18Jacob loved Rachel. He said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”
- Gen 30:1–2When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I will die.”
- Gen 35:19–20Rachel died, and was buried on the way to Ephrath (also called Bethlehem).
- Gen 48:7As for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was still some distance to come to Ephrath, and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (also called 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.