Genesis 29:17
in Genesis 29Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Leah’s eyes were tender; but Rachel was beautiful and well favored.
KJV
Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.
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This verse in Genesis 29
Commentary
5 notes on this verseLeah was tender eyed,.... Blear eyed, had a moisture in them, which made them red, and so she was not so agreeable to look at; though Onkelos renders the words,"the eyes of Leah were beautiful,''as if her beauty lay in her eyes, and nowhere else: but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured; in all parts, in the form of her countenance, in her shape and stature, and in her complexion, her hair black, her flesh white and ruddy, as Ben Melech observes.
This site's exposition
should you work for nothing
on Genesis 29:15-17
Laban calls Jacob his relative and then asks him to name his own wages. The next verses give the two daughters in birth order, Leah the older with weak eyes, Rachel the younger and beautiful. Birth order decides the rest of the chapter.
The record, by era
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Leah was tender-eyed - רכות raccoth, soft, delicate, lovely. I believe the word means just the reverse of the signification generally given to it. The design of the inspired writer is to compare both the sisters together, that the balance may appear to be greatly in favor of Rachel. The chief recommendation of Leah was her soft and beautiful eyes; but Rachel was יפת תאר yephath toar, beautiful in her shape, person, mien, and gait, and יפת מראה yephath mareh, beautiful in her countenance.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Leah tender-eyed--that is, soft blue eyes--thought a blemish. Rachel beautiful and well-favored--that is, comely and handsome in form. The latter was Jacob's choice.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
he abode a month--Among pastoral people a stranger is freely entertained for three days; on the fourth day he is expected to tell his name and errand; and if he prolongs his stay after that time, he must set his hand to work in some way, as may be agreed upon.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
9 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְעֵינֵ֥י | veeinei | and [the] eyes of | H5869 → | 887 times |
| לֵאָ֖ה | leah | Leah | H3812 → | 34 times |
| רַכּ֑וֹת | rakot | [were] weak | H7390 → | 16 times |
| וְרָחֵל֙ | verachel | and Rachel | H7354 → | 47 times |
| הָֽיְתָ֔ה | hayetah | she was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| יְפַת־ | yefat- | beautiful of | H3303 → | 42 times |
| תֹּ֖אַר | toar | form | H8389 → | 15 times |
| וִיפַ֥ת | vifat | and beautiful of | H3303 → | 42 times |
| מַרְאֶֽה׃ | mareh | appearance | H4758 → | 103 times |
וְעֵינֵ֥יand [the] eyes of
veeineiH5869 →887 times
לֵאָ֖הLeah
leahH3812 →34 times
רַכּ֑וֹת[were] weak
rakotH7390 →16 times
וְרָחֵל֙and Rachel
verachelH7354 →47 times
הָֽיְתָ֔הshe was
hayetahH1961 →3559 times
יְפַת־beautiful of
yefat-H3303 →42 times
תֹּ֖אַרform
toarH8389 →15 times
וִיפַ֥תand beautiful of
vifatH3303 →42 times
מַרְאֶֽה׃appearance
marehH4758 →103 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Jeremiah 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.”
it leads to
- Matthew 2:16–18
When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years…
- Psalms 77:2
In the day of trouble I sought the Lord; through the night my outstretched hands did not grow weary; my soul refused to be comforted.
- Jeremiah 40:1
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD after Nebuzaradan captain of the guard had released him at Ramah, having found him bound in chains among all the captives of Jerusalem…
- Isaiah 22:4
Therefore I said, “Turn away from me, let me weep bitterly! Do not try to console me over the destruction of the daughter of my people.”
- Genesis 35:19
So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).
- Matthew 2:16–18
Through
Genesis 12:11As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I know that you are a beautiful woman,
it leads to
- Genesis 26:7
But when the men of that place asked about his wife, he said, “She is my sister.” For he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” since he thought to himself, “The men…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 21:30
There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.
- Genesis 12:14
So when Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.
- Genesis 26:7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
On this verse
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About Genesis
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonPatriarchsLeahJacob's unloved first wife, on whom the LORD's eye fell — the mother of Judah, the messianic tribe, and of Levi, the priestly trib…
- PersonPatriarchsRachelJacob's beloved wife; mother of Joseph and Benjamin, who dies on the road to Bethlehem — later wept for in the prophets (Jer 31:15…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on Genesis; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament.