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Commentary Critical and Explanatory

Genesis 29:17

Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.

Leah ... tender-eyed - i:e., soft blue eyes-thought a blemish; according to others, weak, dull, bleary eyes. [Septuagint, astheneis (G772); Vulgate, lippi.]

Rachel ... beautiful and well favoured, х yªpat (H3303) to'ar (H8389)] - i:e., comely, and х wiypat (H3303) mar'eh (H4758)] handsome in form (cf. 1 Samuel 16:18; 1 Samuel 17:42). The latter was Jacob's choice.

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See also Genesis 29:17 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Genesis 29:17. _LEAH WAS TENDER-EYED_] רכות _raccoth_, _soft,_ _delicate, lovely_. I believe the word means just the _reverse_ of the signification generally given to it. The design of the insp...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    - Jacob’s Marriage 6. רחל _rāchēl_, Rachel, “a ewe.” 16. לאה _lê'âh_, Leah, “wearied.” 24. זלפה _zı̂lpâh_, Zilpah, “drop?” 29. בלהה _bı̂lhâh_, Bilhah, “timidity.” 32. ראוּבן

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 29 JACOB WITH LABAN _ 1. Jacob's arrival at Padan-aram (Genesis 29:1)_ 2. His service for Rachel (Genesis 29:15) 3. Laban's deception (Genesis 29:21) 4. Jacob receives Rachel ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    JACOB SERVES SEVEN YEARS FOR RACHEL. LABAN SUBSTITUTES LEAH AND SECURES FOURTEEN YEARS'SERVICE IN EXCHANGE FOR THE TWO. Apart from bits of P (Genesis 29:24; Genesis 29:28_ b_, Genesis 29:29) the secti...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    TENDER. weak. BEAUTIFUL. comely in form. Compare Genesis 39:6. WELL FAVOURED. comely in countenance....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Leah's eyes were tender_ i.e. weak or soft, wanting in clearness and brilliancy. The eye was the chief feature of Oriental beauty. The versions rather exaggerate the sense. LXX ἀσθενεῖς = "weak," Lat...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Jacob's Marriage with Leah and Rachel 15. _Because … brother_ Lit. "art thou a brother, and shouldest thou serve me for nothing?" For "brother," see note on Genesis 29:12. Laban asks Jacob to state o...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    LEAH WAS TENDER-EYED— Leah had _tender_ eyes: the Hebrew word רכות (_racoth_) imports _soft, tender,_ and _delicate;_ and, in that sense, some of the ancient versions render it, _Leah had soft_ and be...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    2. _Jacob's Double Marriage_ (Genesis 29:13-30). _The Meeting with Laban._ When Laban heard of Jacob's presence, _he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house._ T...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    JACOB IN MESOPOTAMIA WITH LABAN The divine care and blessing promised to Jacob at Bethel (Genesis 28:15) are illustrated in the narrative of the sojourn of the patriarch at Haran, which apparently las...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    LEAH _was_ TENDEREYED] rather, 'weakeyed,' perhaps from ophthalmia, so common in the East. LEAH means 'gazelle,' RACHEL, 'ewe.'...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S ANCIENT PEOPLE GENESIS _ALUN OWEN_ CHAPTER 29 JACOB MEETS RACHEL V1 Then Jacob continued his journey. He came to the land where the people in the east lived. V2 As he looked, he saw a well...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Many Bibles say, ‘Leah’s eyes were weak.’ But the *Hebrew word probably means ‘gentle’ or ‘lovely’. It probably does not mean ‘weak’. Rachel was younger and she was beautiful. Leah was older and she w...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THE TÔLDÔTH ISAAC (Genesis 25:19 to Genesis 35:29). THE BIRTH OF ISAAC’S SONS. Abraham begat Isaac — The _Tôldôth_ in its original form gave probably a complete genealogy of Isaac, tracing up his des...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    LEAH WAS TENDER EYED. — Leah, whose name signifies _languor, weariness,_ had dull bleared eyes. Probably she suffered, as so many do in that hot sandy region, from some form of ophthalmia. Rachel (Heb...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וְ עֵינֵ֥י לֵאָ֖ה רַכֹּ֑ות וְ רָחֵל֙ הָֽיְתָ֔

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    JACOB IN LABAN'S HOME Genesis 29:1 Well might Jacob lift up his feet! See margin. When we are sure of God we receive strength that enables us to _run_ with patience the race that is set before us. Th...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Pursuing his journey after his experience at Luz, now called Beth-el, Jacob came into "the land of the children of the east." Here the next twenty years of his life were to be spent, during which he a...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    THE DECEIVER IS DECEIVED When Jacob came to a well in a field in northern Mesopotamia, he inquired where he was. He learned he was near Haran and soon met Rachel, his uncle Laban's daughter, who was c...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Blear-eyed. Hebrew, racoth. Watery and tender, unable to look steadfastly at any object, but at the same time very beautiful. (Onkelos; &c.) --- The beauty of Rachel was perfect; not confined to one...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    How striking is that scripture, in which the Holy Ghost takes notice of this event: Hosea 12:12. Reader! do not overlook in this precious lesson, what interest a covenant God takes, in even the seemin...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    Having already shown the position of Isaac, I resume briefly with the remark that he stands before us clearly as the representative of the Son, and this too as dead, risen, and in heaven. All will und...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 29 THROUGH 35. I have no doubt that in the two wives, as I have said, we have the Gentiles and Israel: Rachel first loved on the earth, but not possessed; but...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    LEAH [WAS] TENDER EYED,.... Blear eyed, had a moisture in them, which made them red, and so she was not so agreeable to look at; though Onkelos renders the words, "the eyes of Leah were beautiful,''...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Leah [was] tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. Ver. 17. _Leah was tender-eyed._] Purblind or squint, as one _a_ interprets it. Now, a froward look and squint eyes, saith the hist...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Iacob commeth to the well of Haran. 9 He taketh acquaintance of Rachel. 13 Laban enterteineth him. 18 Iacob couenanteth for Rachel. 23 He is deceiued with Leah. 28 He marrieth also Rachel, and...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Leah was tender-eyed, that is, her eyes were weak and dull, she was no beauty in the sense of the Orient; BUT RACHEL WAS BEAUTIFUL AND WELL FAVORED, she had beauty of form and beauty of face, her eyes...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Jacob Serves Laban for Rachel...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    SECOND SECTION _Jacob’s wives and children. Jacob and Rachel, Laban’s youngest daughter. First and second treaty with Laban. His involuntary consummation of marriage with Leah. The double marriage. L...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    JACOB MEETS RACHEL AND LABAN After many days of travel Jacob came to the land of his relatives. He could not phone to find his directions to their home, nor did he have any street and house number, bu...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    15-30 During the month that Jacob spent as a guest, he was not idle. Wherever we are, it is good to employ ourselves in some useful business. Laban was desirous that Jacob should continue with him. I...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    So called either upon this occasion of the meeting of divers kings here; or because king Melchizedek either had his habitation, or was much delighted with it, and conversant in it. See 2 SAMUEL 18:18....

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    These Chapter s present to us the history of Jacob at least, the principal scenes in that history. The Spirit of God here sets before us the deepest instruction, first, as to God's purpose of infinite...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Genesis 29:17 Leahs H3812 eyes H5869 delicate H7390 Rachel H7354 beautiful H3303 form H8389 appearance H3303 H4758

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘And Laban had two daughters, the name of the elder was Leah and the name of the younger was Rachel. And Leah's eyes were tender, but Rachel was beautiful and well-favoured.' The word for ‘tender' can...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Jacob and Laban, two bargain makers, meet. CHARACTERS: Jacob, Laban, Rachael, Leah, Reuben, Levi, Judah. CONCLUSION: The believer who has erred may not be forsaken of God, but he is permit...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Genesis 29:1. _Jacob went on his journey._ Our version fails here to express the lively sense of the Hebrew, as in most versions. _Levabit pedes;_ he tripped along with light feet, being now assured t...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Jacob served seven years for Rachel_ JACOB’S LOWLY ESTATE I. ITS EVIDENCE. 1. He is obliged to accept a position of servitude. 2. He is obliged to prostitute the most sacred affections by consent...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— Genesis 29:15. Because thou art my brother.] That is, my kinsman. This word, like “sister,” “son,” etc., is used with great latitude in the sacred writings. GENESIS 29:17. LEAH WAS T...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION GENESIS 29:15 AND LABAN SAID UNTO JACOB (probably at the month's end), BECAUSE THOU ART—literally, _is it not that_._ thou art _(cf. Genesis 27:36;...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the people of the east. And he looked, behold there was a well in the field, and, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Rachel. Genesis 29:6 Genesis 29:18 Genesis 30:1 Genesis 30:2 Genesis 30:

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