Genesis 29:32-34

‘And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because Yahweh has looked on my affliction (raah beonyi), for now my husband will love me.” And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because Yahweh has heard (shama) that I am unloved he has therefore given me this son as well.” And she called his name Simeon (Shimeon). And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be joined (lavah) to me because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.'

The names given by Leah are used to express the pain in her heart by a play on words. She is afflicted, Yahweh has heard that she is unloved, and she feels that her husband is not really one with her. But now that she has borne a full complement of sons - three is the number of completeness - she is confident that he will now regard her. She knows how important sons will be to him and is aware that she has fulfilled her responsibility.

“Reuben”. As vocalised in the text it means ‘behold, a son'. But Leah also, by a play on words, reads a more bitter meaning into it. ‘Shimeon' means ‘heard', that is ‘God has heard.' It initially celebrates the fact that Yahweh has heard in the giving of a son, but again Leah interprets it somewhat bitterly. The name Levi is associated with the verb ‘lavah', to be joined. Possibly it indicated that Leah now felt joined with her husband's God, Yahweh, but again she gives it her own bitter interpretation.

Note the reference to Yahweh. She now worships her husband's God, for Yahweh can be worshipped anywhere.

It is possible that we are to see these three sons as triplets, born at the same time. This would explain why they are treated together and help to explain how Jacob had so many sons in seven years. But if so it is not made clear in the text. (‘Conceived and bore' three times in succession does not exclude the possibility. Chronology was only secondary in Hebrew tenses). More probably we may see Simeon and Levi as twins. Note how they are coupled in Jacob's blessing (Genesis 49:5).