Genesis 35:23
in Genesis 35The sons of Leah were Reuben the firstborn of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
the sons of Leah: Reuben, Jacob’s first-born, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun;
KJV
The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun:
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This verse in Genesis 35
Commentary
4 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Reuben the firstborn of Jacob
on Genesis 35:23-26
Reuben still carries the title firstborn of Jacob. That stands one verse after verse 22, so the list keeps the rank while the birthright has gone. The closing line says they were born in Paddan-aram, which holds for eleven, since Benjamin was born on the road.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
2 Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: 3 And let us arise, and go up to Beth-el; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
The sons of Leah,.... Jacob's first wife, which are six, and are reckoned in order, according to their birth, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The sons of Leah - The children are arranged under their respective mothers, and not in order of their birth.
The words behind it
10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] sons of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| לֵאָ֔ה | leah | Leah | H3812 → | 34 times |
| בְּכ֥וֹר | bekhor | [the] firstborn of | H1060 → | 122 times |
| יַעֲקֹ֖ב | yaako | Jacob | H3290 → | 350 times |
| רְאוּבֵ֑ן | reuven | Reuben | H7205 → | 72 times |
| וְשִׁמְעוֹן֙ | veshimon | and Simeon | H8095 → | 44 times |
| וְלֵוִ֣י | velevi | and Levi | H3878 → | 59 times |
| וִֽיהוּדָ֔ה | vihudah | and Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| וְיִשָּׂשכָ֖ר | veyisoshkhar | and Issachar | H3485 → | 43 times |
| וּזְבוּלֻֽן׃ | uzevulun | and Zebulun | H2074 → | 45 times |
בְּנֵ֣י[the] sons of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
לֵאָ֔הLeah
leahH3812 →34 times
בְּכ֥וֹר[the] firstborn of
bekhorH1060 →122 times
יַעֲקֹ֖בJacob
yaakoH3290 →350 times
רְאוּבֵ֑ןReuben
reuvenH7205 →72 times
וְשִׁמְעוֹן֙and Simeon
veshimonH8095 →44 times
וְלֵוִ֣יand Levi
veleviH3878 →59 times
וִֽיהוּדָ֔הand Judah
vihudahH3063 →819 times
וְיִשָּׂשכָ֖רand Issachar
veyisoshkharH3485 →43 times
וּזְבוּלֻֽן׃and Zebulun
uzevulunH2074 →45 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
4 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
Genesis 33:2He put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear.
it leads to
- Genesis 37:3
Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons, because Joseph had been born to him in his old age; so he made him a robe of many colors.
- Malachi 3:17
“They will be Mine,” says the LORD of Hosts, “on the day when I prepare My treasured possession. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.
- Genesis 29:30
Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years.
- Genesis 30:22–24
Then God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb,
- Genesis 37:3
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Genesis

Who and where
4 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…
- PersonPatriarchsJudahJacob's fourth son who pledges himself for Benjamin; the tribe that carries the scepter to Shiloh (49:10) and the line to Christ (…
- PersonPatriarchsJacobThe heel-grasping supplanter reshaped at Peniel into 'Israel, he who strives with God' — father of the twelve tribes.
- PersonNew TestamentSimeonA righteous and devout man of Jerusalem on whom the Holy Spirit rested, promised he would not die before seeing the Lord's Christ.…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
