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Genesis 29:34

in Genesis 29

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

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

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

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.

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This verse in Genesis 29

Commentary

7 notes on this verse

A commentator

Jerome

Hebrew Questions on Genesis · Written before 420.

(Verse 34) And she conceived again, and bore a son, and said: Now my husband will be with me, because I have borne him three sons: therefore she called his name Levi. When we read, 'My husband will be with me,' Aquila interpreted it as, 'My husband will be attached to me,' which is the Hebrew word (), Illave.

This site's exposition

Now at last my husband will become attached to me

on Genesis 29:34-35

Levi carries the sound of joined, and Leah names him out of her hope of being joined to her husband. Numbers 18:2 joins Levi to the priests. With the fourth son she stops asking and says she will praise the LORD, and Judah carries the sound of praise.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

And she conceived again, and bare a son,.... A third time, as soon as she well could after the former birth: and said, now this time will my husband be joined to me; in greater affection and stronger ties of love, and cleave unto her: because I have born him three sons; which she considered as a threefold cord, binding his affections to her, which could not be easily broke: and therefore was his name called Levi; which signifies "joined"; from him the Levites sprung, and had their name.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

The affairs of princes and mighty nations that were then in being are not recorded in the book of God, but are left to be buried in oblivion; while these small domestic concerns of holy Jacob are particularly recorded with their minute circumstances, that they may be in everlasting remembrance. For "the memory of the just is blessed." Jacob's Arrival at Padan-aram.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Mutual affection is both the duty and comfort of that relation; and yoke-fellows should study to recommend themselves to each other, 1 Cor. vii.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

Therefore was his name called Levi - לוי levi, joined; because she supposed that, in consequence of all these children, Jacob would become joined to her in as strong affection, at least, as he was to Rachel. From Levi sprang the tribe of Levites, who instead of the first-born, were joined unto the priests in the service of the sanctuary. See Num 18:2, Num 18:4.

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

son . . . his name Reuben--Names were also significant; and those which Leah gave to her sons were expressive of her varying feelings of thankfulness or joy, or allusive to circumstances in the history of the family. There was piety and wisdom in attaching a signification to names, as it tended to keep the bearer in remembrance of his duty and the claims of God.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase

The words behind it

20 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • וַתַּ֣הַרand she conceived

    vataharH2029 →43 times

  • עוֹד֮again

    ʾodH5750 →490 times

  • וַתֵּ֣לֶדand she bore

    vateledH3205 →496 times

  • בֵּן֒a son

    benH1121 →4930 times

  • וַתֹּ֗אמֶרand she said

    vatomerH559 →5305 times

  • עַתָּ֤הnow

    ʾatahH6258 →433 times

  • הַפַּ֙עַם֙this time

    hapaamH6471 →118 times

  • יִלָּוֶ֤הhe will join himself

    yilavehH3867 →

  • אִישִׁי֙husband my

    ʾishiH376 →1663 times

  • אֵלַ֔יto me

    ʾelaiH413 →5510 times

  • כִּֽי־for

    ki-H3588 →4482 times

  • יָלַ֥דְתִּיI have borne

    yaladtiH3205 →496 times

  • ל֖וֹto <the> him

    lo

  • שְׁלֹשָׁ֣הthree

    sheloshahH7969 →432 times

  • בָנִ֑יםsons

    vanimH1121 →4930 times

  • עַל־there-

    ʾal-H5921 →5755 times

  • כֵּ֥ן-fore

    kenH3651 →771 times

  • קָרָֽא־he called

    kara'-H7121 →733 times

  • שְׁמ֖וֹname his

    shemoH8034 →864 times

  • לֵוִֽי׃Levi

    leviH3878 →59 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

10 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Exodus 32:26–29So Moses stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the LORD, come to me.” And all the Levites gathered around him.5 worksGenesis 49:5–7Simeon and Levi are brothers; their swords are weapons of violence.4 worksGenesis 46:11The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.3 worksDeuteronomy 33:8–10Concerning Levi he said: “Give Your Thummim to Levi and Your Urim to Your godly one, whom You tested at Massah and contested at the waters of Meribah.3 worksGenesis 35:23The sons of Leah were Reuben the firstborn of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.3 worksExodus 2:1Now a man of the house of Levi married a daughter of Levi,3 works
The other 4 cross-references, with their words ▾
Genesis 34:25Three days later, while they were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons (Dinah’s brothers Simeon and Levi) took their swords, went into the unsuspecting city, and slaughtered every male.3 worksNumbers 18:2–4But bring with you also your brothers from the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may join you and assist you and your sons before the Tent of the Testimony.3 worksRevelation 7:7from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000,3 worksGenesis 30:20“God has given me a good gift,” she said. “This time my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” And she named him Zebulun.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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 35:23

    The sons of Leah were Reuben the firstborn of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.

    it leads to

    • Genesis 30:18–20

      Then Leah said, “God has rewarded me for giving my maidservant to my husband.” So she named him Issachar.

    • Genesis 46:8–15

      Now these are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn.

    • Genesis 29:32–35

      And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.”

  • Through

    Genesis 46:11

    The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

    it leads to

Where this verse is studied

About Genesis

Jacob Tends Laban's Flocks and Meets Rachel — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
Jacob Tends Laban's Flocks and Meets Rachel — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
Genesis: the study guide →Read Genesis 29 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Hebrew Questions on Genesis; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Genesis 29 →