Woman of God: Leah

One of the saddest love stories in the Bible is Leah’s story. When I read Leah’s story, I felt bad for her. I could feel what Leah had been through—being less wanted by her husband, and how her husband loved her sister more than her.

Disobeying Parents’ Command

It all started when Jacob disobeyed Isaac’s command. When Jacob and Esau quarreled, his parents sent him to Laban’s house. As mentioned in Genesis 28:2, Isaac told Jacob to marry one of Laban’s daughters.

2 Go at once to Paddan-aram, to the house of Bethuel, your mother’s father. Marry one of the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother.

Jacob’s greed didn’t stop when he had Esau’s firstborn birthright and blessing. He wanted Rachel and wouldn’t stop until he had Rachel because Laban tricked him into marrying Leah instead of Rachel. Leah’s sorrow started from Jacob’s greed.

So, who is Leah?

Laban had two daughters: Leah and Rachel. Jacob fell in love with Rachel at first sight, but Laban tricked Jacob into marrying Leah. Jacob didn’t even love Leah and wants to marry Rachel (Leah’s younger sister).

Favoritism was a habit in Abraham’s big family. Rebekah’s favoritism towards Jacob led to conflicts, and Jacob’s favoritism towards Rachel led to more trouble. Despite being less wanted by her husband, God saw her pain and blessed her more than her sister.

We should know that Leah and Rachel both came from a family that worshipped pagan Gods. But Rachel was the only one who stole Laban’s household gods, and it was detestable in the Lord’s sight.

God Sees and Responds to Pain

God saw Leah’s pain and responded with a blessing. Leah was blessed with more children than Rachel. Jesus, the Messiah, came from the line of Judah, Leah’s son. Though her husband rejected her because she was less pretty than her younger sister, God chose her for a foundational role in salvation history.

At the end of her life, Jacob buried Leah at the Cave of Machpelah, the same burial site as Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, and Jacob (Genesis 49:31). Meanwhile, Rachel was buried on the way to Bethlehem (Genesis 35:19).

From Leah’s story, we can learn that your worth comes from how God sees you, and not from how others treat you.

You might have the same experience with Leah, and this story is a reminder that God sees and responds to pain.