The Meaning of Genesis 29:32 Explained

Genesis 29:32

KJV: And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.

YLT: and Leah conceiveth, and beareth a son, and calleth his name Reuben, for she said, 'Because Jehovah hath looked on mine affliction; because now doth my husband love me.'

Darby: And Leah conceived, and bore a son, and called his name Reuben; for she said, Because Jehovah has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.

ASV: And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben. For she said, Because Jehovah hath looked upon my affliction. For now my husband will love me.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Leah  conceived,  and bare  a son,  and she called  his name  Reuben:  for  she said,  Surely  the LORD  hath looked  upon my affliction;  now therefore  my husband  will love  me. 

What does Genesis 29:32 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 29:21-35 - Jacob Marries Leah And Rachel
The chief lesson of this paragraph is its illustration of the awful nemesis which accompanies wrongdoing. No thoughtful person can watch the events of history or experience without realizing that we are already standing before the judgment-seat of God, and that His sentences are in process of being executed. Jacob deceived his father, and was himself deceived. "With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again." What disappointments there are in life! We think that we are to be dowered with Rachel, and lo! Leah is substituted; but in after-days Jacob spoke of Reuben as his might, the beginning of his dignity and excellency. The names of Leah's sons suggest the blessings that accrue through heartbreak. For the Leahs of the world there are great compensations. God remembers and hears them. Brokenhearted and forsaken, they live again in the lives of those whom they have borne either naturally or spiritually. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 29

1  Jacob comes to the well of Haran
9  He becomes acquainted with Rachel
13  Laban entertains him
18  Jacob covenants for Rachel
23  He is deceived by Laban with Leah
28  He marries also Rachel, and serves for her seven years more
32  Leah bears Reuben;
33  Simeon;
34  Levi;
35  and Judah

What do the individual words in Genesis 29:32 mean?

So conceived Leah and bore a son and she called his name Reuben for she said surely has looked Yahweh on my affliction therefore now will love me my husband
וַתַּ֤הַר לֵאָה֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֔ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ רְאוּבֵ֑ן כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֗ה כִּֽי־ רָאָ֤ה יְהוָה֙ בְּעָנְיִ֔י כִּ֥י עַתָּ֖ה יֶאֱהָבַ֥נִי אִישִֽׁי

וַתַּ֤הַר  So  conceived 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: הֹור 
Sense: to conceive, become pregnant, bear, be with child, be conceived, progenitor.
לֵאָה֙  Leah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: לֵאָה  
Sense: daughter of Laban, first wife of Jacob, and mother of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah.
וַתֵּ֣לֶד  and  bore 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.
בֵּ֔ן  a  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
וַתִּקְרָ֥א  and  she  called 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
שְׁמ֖וֹ  his  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
רְאוּבֵ֑ן  Reuben 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: רְאוּבֵן  
Sense: the eldest son of Jacob by Leah.
אָֽמְרָ֗ה  she  said 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
כִּֽי־  surely 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
רָאָ֤ה  has  looked 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בְּעָנְיִ֔י  on  my  affliction 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עֳנִי  
Sense: affliction, poverty, misery.
עַתָּ֖ה  now 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
יֶאֱהָבַ֥נִי  will  love  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: אָהַב  
Sense: to love.
אִישִֽׁי  my  husband 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.