Genesis 29:34 kjv

And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.

Genesis 29:34 nkjv

She conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons." Therefore his name was called Levi.

Genesis 29:34 niv

Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons." So he was named Levi.

Genesis 29:34 esv

Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, "Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons." Therefore his name was called Levi.

Genesis 29:34 nlt

Then she became pregnant a third time and gave birth to another son. He was named Levi, for she said, "Surely this time my husband will feel affection for me, since I have given him three sons!"

Genesis 29 verses

Genesis 29 34 Meaning

Genesis 29:34 records the birth of Leah's third son, whom she names Levi. Leah's statement, "Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons," reveals her ongoing deep desire for Jacob's affection and love. She perceives this birth as a divine opportunity or means to finally secure her husband's heartfelt connection, hoping that three sons, especially a third successive one, would obligate or naturally draw Jacob's heart towards her, as her fruitfulness was a blessing from God amidst her husband's obvious preference for Rachel.

Genesis 29 34 Context

Genesis 29 details Jacob's arrival in Paddan-aram, his meeting with Rachel, and his service for Laban. Deceived by Laban, Jacob marries Leah first, followed by Rachel. The subsequent verses (29:31-35) introduce the theme of divine intervention in fertility. God "saw that Leah was hated" (Gen 29:31) and opened her womb while Rachel remained barren. This sets the stage for Leah's deep emotional journey expressed through the names of her first three sons: Reuben ("see a son" – reflecting her affliction), Simeon ("heard" – God heard her pain), and now Levi. Each name articulates Leah's inner yearning for acceptance and affection from Jacob, which she believes could be mediated by the gift of children from God. The historical and cultural context underscores the importance of progeny for status and identity in ancient Near Eastern society, particularly for women, where fertility was a sign of divine favor. A woman without sons was often considered disgraced, while one who bore many sons could hope for greater respect and affection from her husband. Leah’s hope here is primarily for Jacob’s affection, not merely for status.

Genesis 29 34 Word analysis

• And she conceived again: Highlights continued divine intervention and Leah's fruitfulness.
• and bore a son: Emphasizes the blessing of a male heir in a patriarchal society. Sons were essential for continuing the family line, inheritance, and tribal identity.
• and said: Denotes a direct, personal statement from Leah, revealing her thoughts and motivations behind the naming. This is an act of verbal expression reflecting inner longing.
• "Now this time": Implies a hopeful expectation, suggesting a turning point. After two sons, Leah feels she has perhaps reached a critical mass that will change Jacob's feelings. It shows her persistent hope despite previous disappointments.
• "my husband": Jacob. The direct address focuses on her primary desire—his personal affection, not just shared parenthood.
• "will be attached to me": (Hebrew: yilaveh יִלָּוֶה, from the root lavah לוה).
  • Lavah (לוה): This root carries the meaning of "to join," "to adhere," "to accompany," "to become entwined," or "to lend/borrow." Here, it primarily means to join or cleave to someone.
  • Significance: Leah desires more than cohabitation or formal marriage; she longs for emotional attachment, intimacy, and reciprocal love from Jacob. The use of "attached" (passive) rather than "will love" highlights her perception of how Jacob should naturally be drawn to her because of the children she bears him.
  • Polemics (Indirect): In a polygamist society where affection might be divided, Leah's cry for unique "attachment" from Jacob may implicitly critique the emotional inadequacies inherent in such family structures, especially for the less-favored wife. She appeals to an ideal of relational closeness that transcends mere obligation.
• "because I have borne him three sons": This gives the explicit reason for her hope.
  • "three sons": The number three often signifies completeness, intensity, or a significant achievement in biblical numerology. For Leah, three successive male heirs are seen as a powerful catalyst for gaining Jacob's affection, a strong indication of her divine favor and fruitfulness. It underlines her deep desire to establish her worth in Jacob's eyes through progeny.
  • Parental fulfillment: In ancient cultures, bearing children, particularly sons, was often the primary purpose and source of dignity for women within marriage.
• "Therefore his name was called Levi": (Hebrew: Levi לֵוִי).
  • Derivation: Directly connected to the Hebrew root lavah (לוה), "to be attached/joined." The name serves as a verbal symbol of Leah's aspiration.
  • Prophetic irony: While Leah desired Jacob to be "attached" to her, Levi's descendants, the Levites, would later be "attached" or devoted specifically to the service of the Lord and the care of the Tabernacle/Temple (Num 3:6-9; Mal 2:4-7). This subtle irony demonstrates how human intentions (Leah's longing for human attachment) can intersect with, and be transformed by, God's greater divine plan (the dedication of a tribe to sacred service). The name, rooted in a wife's human yearning, ultimately prefigures a divine attachment.

Genesis 29 34 Bonus Section

• Matriarchal Naming Power: This verse, like the previous two, highlights the mother's primary role in naming the child, reflecting her experience and hopes. This gives significant agency to Leah despite her marginalized position within the household.
• Spiritual Parallel: Leah's desire for Jacob to "be attached" to her serves as a powerful human metaphor for the spiritual desire for believers to "cling" or "be attached" to the Lord (Deut 4:4; Josh 23:8). Just as Leah yearned for Jacob's heart, true faith involves a wholehearted clinging to God.
• Divine Providence: Despite Leah's human-centric reasoning ("because I have borne him three sons"), the Bible repeatedly emphasizes that it is God who opens wombs and grants children (Gen 29:31; 30:22). Leah's hopeful claim indirectly attributes divine agency to her situation, as she clearly understands her fruitfulness as a gift from God addressing her affliction.
• Contrast with Rachel: Leah’s emotional journey stands in stark contrast to Rachel’s initial barrenness and later desperate cry for children (Gen 30:1), highlighting the competitive and emotionally fraught environment within Jacob’s household. Each child becomes a marker in this complex relational struggle.

Genesis 29 34 Commentary

Genesis 29:34 vividly portrays Leah's ongoing emotional struggle within her polygamous marriage. Despite bearing Jacob two sons, Reuben and Simeon, she still feels unloved and undervalued compared to Rachel, whom Jacob favors. This verse captures her persistent hope, bordering on a desperate plea, that this third son will finally turn Jacob's heart towards her. Her naming of Levi directly reflects this yearning: Levi echoing yilaveh, "he will be attached."

Leah’s naming practices are highly significant, as they tie divine actions to personal emotional states. Her previous names—Reuben ("see my affliction") and Simeon ("heard I am hated")—underscored her pain and God's recognition of it. With Levi, her hope shifts slightly from "being seen" or "heard" to achieving a relational outcome: Jacob's attachment. This indicates her continued belief in God's providence even amidst personal suffering and that fertility is the avenue through which she hopes to find her place in Jacob's heart.

This passage also sets the stage for the future tribal identity of Levi. While Leah's motivation for the name is profoundly personal—a longing for human love and recognition—the destiny of the tribe of Levi would surprisingly align with a different kind of "attachment." They would not be attached to land or inheritance like the other tribes but would be consecrated and "attached" to the Lord, serving as His priests and guardians of His sanctuary. Thus, a mother's deepest human yearning ironically gives birth to a tribe defined by its ultimate spiritual allegiance, hinting at God's capacity to transcend and reinterpret human intentions within His overarching divine narrative. The verse powerfully encapsulates a universal human longing for love and belonging, demonstrating God’s engagement with individual human suffering even in the mundane or desperate circumstances of family life.