Genesis 29:17 kjv
Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favored.
Genesis 29:17 nkjv
Leah's eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance.
Genesis 29:17 niv
Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful.
Genesis 29:17 esv
Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.
Genesis 29:17 nlt
There was no sparkle in Leah's eyes, but Rachel had a beautiful figure and a lovely face.
Genesis 29 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Prov 31:30 | Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. | Inner character over fleeting beauty |
| 1 Sam 16:7 | But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature... For the Lord sees not as man sees: for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." | God values heart over external appearance |
| Isa 53:2 | He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. | Christ's humble appearance, focus on spiritual |
| 1 Pet 3:3-4 | Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit... | True beauty is spiritual and internal |
| Song 1:15 | Behold, you are beautiful, my love; behold, you are beautiful; your eyes are doves. | Poetic descriptions of beautiful eyes |
| Song 4:1 | Behold, you are beautiful, my love, behold, you are beautiful! Your eyes are doves behind your veil. | Eyes as a feature of beauty in literature |
| Gen 24:16 | The young woman was very beautiful, a virgin, no man had known her. | Rebekah's beauty; similar description |
| Gen 29:30 | So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah... | Direct outcome of the beauty comparison |
| Gen 29:31 | When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. | God's compassion for the unloved |
| Deut 21:15-17 | If a man has two wives, the one loved and the other unloved, and both the loved and the unloved have had sons... | Laws addressing the complications of polygamy |
| Ps 127:3 | Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. | Children as blessings despite circumstances |
| Rom 9:10-13 | And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our ancestor Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad... "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." | God's sovereign choice, not based on human merit |
| Hos 12:12 | Jacob fled to the land of Aram; Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he guarded sheep. | Jacob's service for Rachel highlighted |
| Ps 146:9 | The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. | God's care for the disadvantaged and vulnerable |
| Ps 68:6 | God settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners with singing, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land. | God's provision for the isolated and lonely |
| Mt 6:25 | "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on..." | Focus away from superficial appearance |
| Mt 7:1-2 | "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged..." | Caution against superficial judgment |
| Jas 2:1 | My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. | Warning against favoritism and bias |
| Ecc 1:2 | Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. | The fleeting nature of all worldly things |
| 1 Cor 7:29-31 | From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no possessions, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away. | Emphasizes eternal over temporary attachments |
| Jn 7:24 | "Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment." | Warning against superficial judgment |
Genesis 29 verses
Genesis 29 17 Meaning
Genesis 29:17 describes a stark contrast between Leah and Rachel, the two daughters of Laban. It states that Leah's eyes were "weak" or "tender," while Rachel was strikingly "beautiful in form and appearance." This verse serves as a critical setup, explaining Jacob's profound preference for Rachel and the subsequent events of his life, particularly the complexities and conflicts within his family arising from this initial difference in perception.
Genesis 29 17 Context
Genesis 29:17 falls within the narrative of Jacob's flight from Esau and his journey to Haran, his mother Rebekah's homeland. Having just met Rachel at the well (Gen 29:1-12) and being welcomed by Laban (Gen 29:13-14), Jacob agrees to work seven years for Laban to marry Rachel (Gen 29:15-18). This verse serves as an immediate descriptive interlude, contrasting Laban's two daughters, Leah and Rachel, whom Jacob now sees as potential wives. This physical comparison directly informs Jacob's preference for Rachel and is pivotal to understanding the events that follow: Laban's deception of Jacob by substituting Leah on the wedding night (Gen 29:21-25) and the subsequent two decades of rivalry, conflict, and polygamy within Jacob's household that gave rise to the twelve tribes of Israel. The historical and cultural context involves patriarchal society, the custom of bride price, the importance of lineage, and marriage agreements dictated by the head of the household, Laban.
Genesis 29 17 Word analysis
Leah's eyes were weak, (וְעֵינֵי לֵאָה רַכּוֹת - ve'einey Le'ah rakkot)
- וְעֵינֵי (ve'einey): "And the eyes of." Refers specifically to the organs of sight.
- לֵאָה (Le'ah): Leah, Laban's elder daughter. Her name potentially relates to "weary" or "fatigued."
- רַכּוֹת (rakkôt): "weak," "tender," "soft," "delicate," "dim." This is a crucial and debated term. It's often interpreted as indicating a lack of sparkle, attractiveness, or even poor vision. The exact nuance is uncertain, but it generally implies a negative visual attribute or a deficiency compared to Rachel. It contrasts with Rachel's radiant beauty. It may not mean impaired sight per se, but rather eyes lacking vividness or luster.
but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. (וְרָחֵל הָיְתָה יְפַת־תֹּאַר וִיפַת מַרְאֶה - ve'Raḥel hayetah yefat-to'ar vi'yefat mar'eh)
- וְרָחֵל (ve'Raḥel): "And Rachel." Laban's younger daughter. Her name means "ewe," symbolizing purity and beauty.
- הָיְתָה (hayetah): "she was." Simple past tense verb indicating a state of being.
- יְפַת־תֹּאַר (yefat-to'ar): "beautiful in form/figure/shape." Yefat (beautiful of) and to'ar (form, figure, outline, physical frame). This refers to her overall physique or body shape, suggesting a pleasing figure.
- וִיפַת מַרְאֶה (vi'yefat mar'eh): "and beautiful in appearance/look/countenance." Yefat (beautiful of) and mar'eh (sight, appearance, aspect, vision, countenance). This often refers to the face or overall visage, how one is seen, implying radiant good looks. The repetition of "beautiful of" emphasizes her striking attractiveness in both body and face.
Words-group Analysis:
- Contrastive Juxtaposition: The verse explicitly places Leah and Rachel side-by-side using a strong "but" (Hebrew vav with disjunctive accent) to highlight their distinct physical attributes. This immediately sets up the internal tension that will drive much of the family drama in subsequent chapters.
- "Weak eyes" vs. "Beautiful in form and appearance": This dichotomy illustrates Jacob's primary motivation for choosing Rachel: external beauty. It foreshadows the marital strife and favoritism because Jacob's love is established on a superficial basis. It subtly hints at the struggle for acceptance and affection that Leah will face.
- Cultural Significance: In ancient societies, physical beauty, especially of women, was often highly valued and openly noted. However, biblical narratives often contrast such outward appearance with deeper character or divine favor, as seen in Leah's later experience of having many children due to God's compassion for her "hatred" (Gen 29:31-35).
Genesis 29 17 Bonus Section
The Hebrew term rakkot for Leah's eyes, while translated as "weak" or "tender," has led to various interpretations beyond just poor vision. Some ancient interpretations, particularly in rabbinic literature, suggest Leah may have cried excessively due to the common expectation that she would marry Esau (Jacob's brother), making her eyes inflamed or red. However, the simple juxtaposition with Rachel's radiant appearance most directly suggests a lack of visual attractiveness. This distinction between outer beauty and inner or divinely-favored fruitfulness is a recurring theme in the Bible, exemplified also by King David (1 Sam 16:7). Despite Jacob's favoritism based on sight, it is Leah through whom most of the twelve tribes and the lineage of Christ (Judah) descend, showcasing God's often-unexpected choice and a purpose that transcends human preferences for mere physical appeal.
Genesis 29 17 Commentary
Genesis 29:17 is a remarkably concise verse that carries profound narrative weight. It starkly presents the contrasting physical attributes of Leah and Rachel, defining Jacob's initial preference and thereby establishing the bedrock of future domestic discord. The description of Leah's "weak" eyes (rakkôt) does not necessarily imply poor eyesight but rather suggests an absence of sparkle or an attractive quality when juxtaposed with Rachel's undisputed, striking beauty (yefat-to'ar vi'yefat mar'eh). This immediate physical comparison becomes the human basis for Jacob's uneven love, setting in motion a series of choices with long-lasting consequences for his family and the nascent nation of Israel. It serves as a narrative explanation for Laban's deception in presenting Leah as Rachel for marriage, knowing Jacob's desires. More broadly, the verse foreshadows God's counter-cultural justice and compassion, as Leah, the less favored sister, is the one to whom the Lord opens her womb, demonstrating divine favor for the unloved, reminding that God sees beyond superficialities. This situation highlights that human preferences, often based on external appearances, frequently lead to complicated and painful outcomes, yet God can work through these messy situations to accomplish His greater purposes.