Leah in the Bible had six sons who became the leaders of half of Israel’s tribes. Their names were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. In this article, we will gain a deeper understanding of Leah’s story with her husband, Jacob. It is an interesting story full of twists and turns that can stand up against any modern bestseller.
This story will be summarized first to set the family scene that Leah’s sons were born into. Each of the six sons will be introduced individually, along with their other brothers from Jacob’s second wife. That way, each of the twelve tribes of Israel, the twelve sons of Jacob, will be briefly mentioned. In the end, Leah’s message for modern believers will be given.
Understanding Leah’s story
To place Leah’s sons in the grander narrative of the Bible, we have to begin with Adam (see sons of Adam and Eve in the Bible) . His son Seth is the ancestor of Noah who built the Ark when the great flood came. Noah is the ancestor of Abraham who is known for receiving God’s promise and then fathering Isaac. Also see Sons of Noah in the Bible.
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Abraham is also known for placing his own son, Isaac, on the altar because God asked him to. Isaac is known for being tricked into blessing the wrong son, Jacob (See Sons of Jacob in the Bible) instead of his brother Esau. This is where our story today picks up… in the middle of Genesis.
Things did not go much better for Jacob himself when he got older.
In Genesis 29 we read about how Jacob went to work for Laban, an uncle of his, for seven years. The arrangement was so that he could have Laban’s younger daughter named Rachel’s hand in marriage when he had finished the work. Rachel was very beautiful and Jacob immediately fell in love with her.
“So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.” (Genesis 29:20)
You might be wondering, Where does Leah come into the story? Rachel (who Jacob loved) was Leah’s younger sister.
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After seven long years of service, it was time for the wedding. But Laban deceived Jacob! When it was dark on the wedding night, Laban sent Leah, the sister of Rachel, to Jacob and he consummated the marriage with her… instead of the younger daughter Rachel.
As the sun rose the next morning, Jacob realized what Laban had done and he was furious! He said: “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” (v. 25).
That is how it came to be that the oldest daughter of Laban, Leah, married Jacob. Laban convinced Jacob to work for him for another seven years in order to be allowed to marry Rachel as well. That is how it happened that both Leah and Rachel were married to Jacob.
Leah was the first wife of Jacob and she is known as his unloved wife.
Leah wanted nothing more than her husband’s affection.
The sons that Leah gave to Jacob became a way for her to be close to him.
Leah’s sons gave her something to be proud of.
Her sister, Rachel, continued to despise her and a long bitter quarrel was born between the two of them.
Our story about the sons that Leah bore for Jacob begins with this simple sentence: “When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.” (v. 31)
Leah’s sons and Jacob’s sons
In the first book of the Old Testament, in Genesis 29 verses 31 to 35, we read the account of Leah’s first four children. The Hebrew name for each child has something to do with the continually unfolding story between Leah and her husband Jacob, and his wife Rachel, who was also her sister.
Because of the terrible situation, Leah’s children became her one source of happiness and she kept hoping that each one of them would make Jacob love her. This can be seen in the names of her sons:
She chose to give the name Reuben to her firstborn son. She said: “Because the Lord has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” (v.32)
The second son was given the name Simeon. She said: “Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” (v. 33)
The third son was called Levi. She said: “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” (v. 34)
Leah named her fourth son Judah. She said: “This time I will praise the Lord.” (v.35)
It is evident from the naming of her boys that Leah changed by the time Judah was born. She went from pining for her husband’s affection and using her children as weapons against his hatred, to simply praising the Lord for giving her a child.
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After these four sons, Leah stopped bearing children.
Genesis 30 tells us about what happened next: “When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister.” Rachel decided to give her servant, Bilhah to Jacob so that she might have children that Rachel could claim as her own.
And Bilhah (Rachel’s servant) had: Dan. Rachel said: “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son.” (v. 6)
The second son of Bilah was named Naphtali. Rachel said: “With mighty wrestlings, I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed.” (v. 7)
Now, Rachel felt more satisfied. The tables have turned and she finally had the upper hand over her sister.
But the fued between the sisters did not end there.
Upon seeing what her sister had done, Jacob’s first wife, Leah, also brought her own servant to Jacob.
The second son of Zilpah was named Asher. Leah said: “Happy am I! For women have called me happy.” (v. 13)
The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s maid, were considered Leah’s as well, since they were part of her feud with her sister.
At this point, Jacob had eight sons, but the story was not over yet.
One day during the days of wheat harvest, Leah’s eldest son, Reuben, brought some fruit home from the field, called mandrakes. Rachel wanted some of the mandrakes so badly that she gave Leah permission to sleep with Jacob in exchange for them.
Then a fifth son was given to Leah and she gave him the name Issachar. She said: “God has given me my wages because I gave my servant to my husband.” (v. 18)
Leah conceived one more time, bearing Jacob one last son, called Zebulun. This was Leah’s sixth son. Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” (v. 20)
Later, Leah also had a daughter, named Dinah.
It is apparent that both women were seeking the approval of their husband continually. Sadly, their relationship with Jacob is not much better than their relationship was with their father, Laban, who sold them in turn for Jacob’s labor. At this point, Jacob had ten sons from Leah, Bilhah, and Zilpah but his true love, Rachel, was still infertile.
After all of this, there was one more plot twist.
In Genesis 30 we read: “Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.
She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.”And she called his name Joseph, saying, “May the Lord add to me another son!” (vv. 22-23)
A while later, in Genesis 35 verses 16 to 18, we read, “Rachel went into labor, and she had hard labor. And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for you have another son.” And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin.” So Rachel said “son of my sorrow” but Jacob chose to call him “son of the right hand”.
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In summary, there were twelve sons (written about between Genesis 29 to 35).
Eight were considered Leah’s (six were her own and two were Zilpah’s) and four were considered Rachel’s (two were her own and two were Bilhah’s). Leah’s sons that she bore herself were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. The rivalry between the sisters is sometimes forgotten today, even though the tribes of Israel were named after the children born as the effect of it.
How did the sons of Jacob come to be the tribes of Israel?
Jacob’s name was later changed to Israel, and so his bloodline was the House of Israel, also known as the Israelites. There were also other individuals who led tribes when some of the brothers sinned and lost their birthright. That is how the sons of Leah in the Bible were prominent leaders in God’s story.
God is still busy writing the same big story that started in Genesis and you are part of that story too. Even if you feel like Leah did, overlooked and forgotten. Leah’s sons went on to carry forth the tribe of Judah, from whom King David and even Jesus Christ himself were descended.
Leah’s sons: The main message for modern believers
The story of Leah’s life is so sad. Most of us can relate to wanting to find our happiness in external circumstances or other people, whatever that looks like. It might be: “If only I can find my significant other… then I’ll be happy”, but it can also take on different shapes and forms. We put our hope in all kinds of things like careers, achievements, possessions, and, like Leah, our children too.
Bonnie Blaylock describes how Leah went from placing her worth in her husband, and then her children, until eventually, she realized that it was God who determined her value. This can be seen in the names that she gave her sons. In the naming of her children, Leah hints at her growing and developing personal relationship with God.
There is much more to the story of Leah’s sons: Leah also had a daughter, named Dinah, who is protected by her brothers in serious revenge when she is taken advantage of by a man. Leah’s first son, Reuben, commits an awful sin and sleeps with Rachel’s servant, Bilhah. The book of Genesis continues the stories of the future generations following Leah, so you can read much more there.
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Conclusion of Leah’s sons in the Bible
The purpose of this post was to answer the question: Who were the sons of Leah in the Bible? We did so by looking at Leah’s marriage dynamic, sharing a husband with her younger sister, and how that influenced the children that were born.
In the end, Jacob had twelve sons whose birthright was to be the tribes of Israel. There is much that we can take away from the story of Leah and Rachel, but perhaps the most important lesson is evident in the names of her sons.
What is the equivalent of Leah’s sons in your life?
Are there situations that feel unfair and hopeless?
What are you placing your bets on?
Is it that God is good and has your back or are you trying to make your own little plans to make things work out?
Take courage today by reading about Leah’s sons in the Bible and learn that nothing satisfies as the Father does.
Eljoh Hartzer is combining theology and art to nurture faith journeys across generations. She is a Masters-level Practical Theologian with the University of Stellenbosch. She is also a writer and editor in the niche of Christianity and children's content and she illustrates children's books. Eljoh resides in the Swartland area in the Western Cape province of South Africa.
You can follow Eljoh on LinkedIn or Instagram.
Except it never told me who Kohath was. It was said Jochebed married her husband’s father’s(Jacob & Leah) brother Kohath sister. Was Kohath one of the 12 tribes by another mother?
This post focused on the sons of Leah, but Kohath was one of Leah’s grandchildren. In this post, I mentioned “The third son was called Levi. She said: “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” (v. 34)”.
Genesis 46:11 tells us that Levi had 3 sons Gershon, Kohath and Merari. Kohath was part of the Levitical tribe who had responsibilities in the Temple. So, to answer your question, Kohath was not its own tribe.
There were no circumcisions of the Hebrews
for 440 years. The 1st 400 years during bondage
in Egypt the last 40 years during time spent in Sinai desert
after being given the 10 commandments.
Except it never told me who Kohath was. It was said Jochebed married her husband’s father’s(Jacob & Leah) brother Kohath sister. Was Kohath one of the 12 tribes by another mother?
Hi Charles, that’s a good question!
This post focused on the sons of Leah, but Kohath was one of Leah’s grandchildren. In this post, I mentioned “The third son was called Levi. She said: “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” (v. 34)”.
Genesis 46:11 tells us that Levi had 3 sons Gershon, Kohath and Merari. Kohath was part of the Levitical tribe who had responsibilities in the Temple. So, to answer your question, Kohath was not its own tribe.
Jochebed (Moses’ mother) married Amram (who was also related to her, yes). Here’s a great image that shows the family tree of Moses: https://www.jesuswalk.com/moses/images/geneology-of-moses-1200x1190x300.jpg
I hope this clarifies it a bit!
Thanks for reading our article and engaging with us in this endeavor to understand more of the Bible.
There were no circumcisions of the Hebrews
for 440 years. The 1st 400 years during bondage
in Egypt the last 40 years during time spent in Sinai desert
after being given the 10 commandments.