I feel so sorry for for Leah. The first night with Jacob he thought she was Rachel, and poured over her all the love he had stored up for 7 years. And then, when he realized the truth, he despised her, and she was so unhappy. She had experienced love, and knew what she was missing. But after Rachel’s death, things might have changed.
Ya I was thinking about this recently too in the context of Reuben and the other sons in their hatred of Joseph. We know Leah was anxious about winning Jacob’s love and I imagine she conveyed this anxiety and competitiveness to her sons. It had to be a huge emotional trigger to give Joseph that robe of many colors. There was a lot of drama in this family dynamic!
There's a powerful Rabbinic midrash that Jacob suspected Laban of trickery so he set up "passwords" with Rachel to confirm her identity on the wedding night. But Rachel shared them with her sister in an effort to keep her from shame.
Everett Fox (in The Schocken Bible) uses “delicate” and then sums it up nicely in a footnote: “Others use “weak.” Either the term is meant negatively or else Lea is being praised for one attribute but Rachel for total beauty.”
My study shows that it meant the eyes were a lighter color. Most women had the darker eyes then, and since she had lighter colored eyes, it was considered a blemish.
I am so grateful for this channel. I love the practical insights for teaching, and the humble, non-combative spirit in which it is delivered. Thank you again for setting such a good example for me as a younger preacher/teacher.
In the past I've always followed you because I feel you are a Wordsmith. And you do a very good job of it. Now that you are moving towards something new. I'm glad it is much more interesting what you're doing now. I can learn so much more from what you did in this video. Thank you
Paul Kretzmann said essentially the phrase was referring to the same thing that Wynham (sp?) said. I think I get that. You look at some people and they have what I call "tired eyes" like the person is bored or about ready to fall asleep while talking to you.
You’re right, it is an idiom. Actually it’s not about Leah’s looks, it’s about her personality: she has a negative outlook. Matthew 6:23 talks about weak/unhealthy eyes making one full of darkness. This is also evident in Leah’s behavior after being married off by her trickster father to a man who preferred her sister, and in how she speaks. But we can see her development from bitter and unloved in the names she gives her sons. She finally turns to God, and by the time she has Judah (which means Praise God), she’s come to accept and be thankful for her lot in life.
Leah not so good looking and Rachel pretty and nice head to toe. 2 Samuel 14:25kjv of course. Genesis 29:17 “Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.” It is a good biblical story Leah turning focus to God instead of man. Rachel was barren for while so it doesn't look like it was talking that kind of favor
The one way I heard it (I believe from one my Bible College Professors) was that the weak eyes was Leah's best feature. That she didn't look great other than her eyes.
Mark, wonderful job explaining this confusing passage! Years ago when I was teaching a children’s Sunday school class I had to learn the meaning of that phrase so I could accurately teach! Thankfully, with commentaries I was able to come up with the same Interpretation that Leah was less beautiful than Rachel! I appreciate your hard work and look forward to the next teaching! God bless, brother!
It's possible that it was a contrast that compared Leah's attractive eyes to Rachel's overall beauty. Like how you will sometimes hear someone emphasize that an overweight woman has a pretty face.
When I was in middle school, I read this and saw how God contrasts Rachel’s beauty with Leah. Initially, I was surprised, because we teach in our culture that beauty is subjective. But here I realized, beauty is objective. This eventually led me to learning of the transcendentals: truth, beauty, and goodness and how God is all 3 and how as Sovereign, He, not man, declares what is good, true, and beautiful.
Which, as a not-pretty woman, has always been hard to take. When I became a Christian at 18, I went through a short period where I thought maybe in Christianity, my looks won't matter! I soon learned I was wrong. Even Christian men want a beautiful woman. And the Bible often refers to women's looks, like it does here. It's important in this life, and I just have to accept it. One of the things I look forward to the most about heaven/the new creation is that I'll be perfected both inside and out. I will finally be beautiful. Although... at that point it won't matter because there's no marriage in heaven! Oh, well. That's life.
@Yesica1993 I empathize! Truly. I'm a "not pretty woman" too, and it IS hard to take. But thankfully, the Bible gives a much more well -rounded view than just the history of men who wanted pretty women. Read the Proverbs, and be encouraged. Wisdom, industriousness, kindness, cheerfulness, faithfulness, etc. are great beautifiers. And remember that God saw and honored Leah.
@Yesica1993 1 Pet. 3:1-5 shows that the focus (particularly for women) is not to be on your outward appearance, but in being gentle and quiet. The Puritans, who corrected Christian teaching on marriage that had gone so wrong in the medieval period, said that physical attraction between a man and woman is important, but of all of the things to consider, it is the least important. They even considered finances and social class as more important than physical attraction.
I've always taken it as a negative contrast with Rachel, but I happened to think it still could be a contrast that is still positive, saying that Leah had a beauty of her own, but there's was something lacking that Rachel possessed. The reference to "eyes" could refer to the common belief that the eyes are the window to the soul, saying that Leah was attractive, but didn't have that vitality of spirit that attracted Jacob to Rachel.
Speiser (Anchor Bible, 1964) takes it as a compliment (p. 225), and Westermann (Continental Commentary, 1981, 1995) takes it to mean "lustreless" (p. 463), whereas Alter (Genesis, 1996) says "there is no way of confidently deciding" between the positive and negative options (p. 153).
I was just reading this passage again the other day and and wondering about this phrase, as I do upon every reading. It's one of those places in the Bible where using multiple translations has actually made it more confusing for me, since there's several different interpretations. Thanks for your thoughtful approach and exploration of the options.
I agree with your position that the Scripture here is setting up a contrast, Leah being not as attractive as Rachel. And since God knows our own idolatrous and covetous hearts, He keeps things vague to keep us from using Rachel as some sort of ideal or model of beauty, or a source of pride for some and a source of sadness for others who do not measure up. Definitely a mysterious idiom. Thanks for your analysis. Blessings!🙂🙏📖
Great video and explanation! One interpretation I heard from someone I greatly respect (fun fact, he attended rabbinic school in Israel and has a lot of knowledge on Hebrew interpretations of the Old Testament) was that the reference to "weak eyes" possibly meant that she had blue eyes. As someone with blue eyes who has lived in Florida his whole life, It's painful for me to see when there's a lot of sunshine, and as a result I have worn sunglasses outside for most of my life. Imagine living in the desert where there is little to no shade outside of your tent and an overabundance of unadulterated sunshine. The idea being that blue-eyed people are "weaker in the eyes", and thus it may have been a more unattractive quality. Which is a really long speculation to tie into your point: Whatever the author is saying via idiom about Leah, it's meant to be understood in direct contrast to Rachel's attractive appearance. 💁♂
I see it as she was not as attractive. Not ugly but maybe not the good-looking one. That's also why she was still unmarried and her father was being kind to her.😊
Before watching, I'm going to assume it means weak as in, not noteworthy or noticeable, plain maybe, since he goes on to say the other sister is beautiful.
I think it is most likely an idiom. But more needs to be taken into consideration here. Isaac, Jacob's father, had weak eyes. Rachel is described similarly to how Rebecca was described when Isaac first met her. I think that it is clear from the text that Leah was less desirable than Rachel. By desiring Rachel over Leah, I think that language of the text is alluding that Jacob preferred his mother over his father, something we saw earlier in Isaac and Rebecca's respective favoritism of Esau or Jacob.
It would be great to see you do a video using the logos word study tool and showing how to avoid exegetical fallacies with it. I think it's a great tool but it also looks like it could easily get people in trouble. I know I could benefit from it.
If comment duplicated somehow, I apologize but I was wondering what do you do when the KJV type translations seem to disagree with the other type of translations such as the NLT, ESV and CSB and the commentaries ( or at least the ones I have access to ) do not seem to agree either. I was reading in the KJV Exodus 22:28 which says do not revile the gods or curse the ruler of your people. In looking for the answer, I found different answers. Another commenter on another channel said that in that verse gods meant judges which seems to fit but several other translations say God. I was just wondering how to figure that out. Thanks for all the work you do. I appreciate it and I appreciate your channel.
This episode reminded me of when I used to read the dictionary as a kid. Maybe I should revive that practice. Endless hours in front of screens is turning my brain to mush. What I would love to learn is how languages came into existence (the actual mechanics of language, especially written) but incorporated within the biblical worldview. I'm not sure what that field of study even would be called. Though, I'm guessing this would be heavy on the science-y side and I don't know if my feeble brain would be up to it.
“Jacob he loved Rachel and Rachel she loved him and Leah was just there for dramatic effect/ Well its right there in the bible so it must not be a sin but it sure does seem like an awful dirty trick” From Rich Mullins song “Jacob and 2 Women”
I never thought about it as being her eyes. I thought it meant the person’s eyes who was looking at her. Like “she’s not easy on the eyes.” I don’t know. 🤷
Thanks for this series. I have always understood that Leah’s eyes were beautiful, and thats the only beautiful thing she had. As the lesser girl in a 5 siblings home I get that perfectly bc I was the only “ ugly” girl in my family. I was not that ugly but everyone makes me think I was. Thank God for His love and mercy, he took care of Leah and she was the ONLY wife to be honored in the macpela tomb. I guess in the end Jacob saw her real beauty.
I am at 2:03, and I am going to guess that "weak eyes" is an archaic way of saying "lazy eyes". **edit** I reached the end of the video, and I do think "weak eyes" means more than just unattractive. I think it takes it a step further.
@@wardonwords I think Leah must have had basically the same figure but just wasn't nearly as pretty. (esp if the 'eye thing' really did literally mean she had an 'eye thing'!). So veil her face and Jacob can't tell. Come the morning light and Jacob realizes he got got! Otherwise, yeah, super big fail on Jacob's part.
So I take for this that the comment on Leah's eyes is a colloquialism. I am reminded, though, listening to your talk, of the well worn phrase about a young lady "she has a pretty face." (Generally she also has a weight well over 200 pounds. Another phrase that means "fat" is "has pretty ankles.") So maybe Leah didn't have a great figure. We can assume that she did have good hips, though, because she had a number of children and didn't have everlasting-comment-worthy difficulty in the childbearing. Rachel, on the other hand, may have had difficulties with pregnancies as she only popped out two (?) that we know of. Presumably she was still well thought of when she finally joined the household. (Though the provision of several sons may have redeemed Leah in her husband's eyes.) Interesting subject. I note below the comment about odd eye color. Another good point.
Niceee 👍 I like using the LSB, NASB95, KJV, and the ESV. The e-sword “+” versions of translations are valuable as well. Understanding Hebrew parallelisms is very helpful.
That immediately brought me back to when my brother and I were taking latin class in high school. We cane home and started calling our little sister pulcra puella. She was fit to be tied think it was something derogatory especially since we would say it in a teasing way. I still don't think she has gotten over it 😂
So it seems to me that if the fruit in the garden and various women like Sarah are said to be "good of seeing", then "weak of sight/eyes" would be the opposite . Yeah?
While it certainly could pertain to physical beauty, with Leah perhaps being considered more of a "pretty" (more subtle) type of beautiful, and Rachel being considered a more "gorgeous" (more striking) type of beautiful, with neither one necessarily having more of less beauty than the other, but different types of beauty. But what I really think, and have seen others float around, is that it wasn't so much contrasting their appearances as it was contrasting their demeanors or vitalities. I certainly don't believe it had anything to do with Leah having poor eyesight or a lazy eye. I think it was instead saying she lacked that spark, that vigor in her. I believe Leah was someone that was considered demure, meek, timid, shy, or even introverted. Whereas Rachel was robust, vigorous, outgoing, and likely extraverted. Leah's eyes (eyes being the window to the soul) were described with the Hebrew "Rak (H7390)/Rakak (H7401)," meaning tender, soft, delicate, or weak, which can be used not just to describe appearance, but character traits. Following this idea, and further on in Jacob's saga with Leah and Rachel, I think it's safe to say Leah had the heart and Rachel had the body. We know our Creator (𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄/YaHUaH) has shown great favor to those who are meek and humble, and we also know that, while He did use both Leah and Rachel for creating the tribes of Israel (Yasharal), He certainly displayed favor towards Leah more than Rachel.
Thanks for your work Mark. I’ve been interested in this description of Leah for a while. I find the verse to be a contrast to the beauty of Rachel as you do. A possible further help might be Pharaoh’s dreams later on in Genesis. Both feature attractive and unattractive subjects (women and cows) while also being associated with seven years (work for the women, and the years of plenty/famine). Furthermore, according to HALOT Leah literally means “bull” or “cow”. I’ve struggled to come up with a suitable explanation to these parallels. At the moment I lean towards Moses creating a type of analogy to Jacob’s marriage to these women where Jacob’s marriage to Leah was miserable for him as famine was to the land and to Rachel is was enjoyable like the years of plenty. I’m not entirely satisfied with that idea though. Any thoughts? I appreciate your work and the new direction of the channel!
I don't think a contrast has to always be opposite things. I think a contrast can contrast few and many, or big and small. Like, Leah has nice eyes, but Rachel lookes good everywhere. The first servant had a talant, but the final servant had ten talants. Bob was cleaver, but Larry was a genious. No need to only contrast opposites. Also, side theory. I think Jacob got drunk at his wedding.
My gut feeling was that Leah was kind and tender while being plain and Rachel was beautiful. But it's easy to see if they were contrasting having a spark. As husbands know full well, our favorite thing to do is to tease our wives till we get that flash in their eyes. That's when they are the most beautiful 😁
Tender TEND'ER, n. from tend. One that attends or takes care of a nurse. 1. A small vessel employed to attend a larger one for supplying her with provisions and other stores, or to convey intelligence and the like. 2. In law, an offer, either of money to pay a debt, or of service to be performed, in order to save a penalty or forfeiture which would be incurred by non-payment or non-performance as the tender of rent due, or of the amount of a note or bond with interest. To constitute a legal tender, such money must be offered as the law prescribes the offer of bank notes is not a legal tender. So also the tender must be at the time and place where the rent or debt ought to be paid, and it must be to the full amount due. There is also a tender of issue in pleadings, a tender of an oath, &c. 3. Any offer for acceptance. The gentleman made me a tender of his services. 4. The thing offered. This money is not a legal tender. 5. Regard kind concern. Not in use. TEND'ER, L. tendo. 1. To offer in words or to exhibit or present for acceptance. All conditions, all minds tender down Their service to lord Timon. 2. To hold to esteem. Tender yourself more dearly. Not in use. 3. To offer in payment or satisfaction of a demand, for saving a penalty or forfeiture as, to tender the amount of rent or debt.
Happy New Year brother! This is off topic of the video, but I am looking at different viewpoints of textual positions people hold ex. TR, Majority text position Etc. who would you recommend listening to for presenting a case for the critical text? Thank you! God Bless!
Can you do a video on "Love of money"? I read one writer who said that it was a compound word that together meant "covetousness." Life perhaps straw and berries meaning two things but strawberries meaning another. And also discuss the women going up to mourn for or weep with Jephthah's daughter? I always preferred the idea of "to mourn with" because not only does it imply that Jephthah didn't kill his daughter but it gives us the idea of a "living sacrifice" in that Jephthah's daughter will forever not have children. And also could you do the Lot's wife turning into a pillar of salt. I read another writer who talked about turning into a pillar of salt being like to be petrified and turning to stone. That Lot's wife died of a heart attack seems so much better because people often use the turning to stone thing to make God look petty and evil. Also, while we're at Lot's story, the angels command to Lot to "bring your unmarried daughters who are with you in this house." And Lot's sons-in-law. I always feel as if there were four daughters. That's why Abraham bargained to ten people. And it gives a compassionate reason for Mrs Lot looking back. So many Christians often say that she turned back because she would miss the lust but that's just nowhere in the text. And also in Job, could you do a video on "Curse God and die or Renounce God and die or bless God and die?" The fact that the word for bless and the word for curse are the same word. Like our word cleave. Again, this gives a lot of people a chance to judge Mrs Job. As for Leah, I heard a middle-eastern person Christian writer that the phrase is very typical of the way Middle Eastern people compliment and compare. So you say one good thing about one person in order not to fully insult or hurt her before you praise the other one. So, Leah had pale beautifui eyes, but Rachel was beautiful in every way.
"Love of money" is indeed a compound word, φιλαργυρία (philarguria), which you could translate very literally as Silver-Lover. In this case, "silver" more broadly refers to money and wealth in general. The same term (in noun form) is used to describe the Pharisees in Luke 16.14 and the people of the last days in 2 Timothy 3.2.
The passage in 1st Corinthians on head coverings is not in the least difficult. We just don't like what it plainly says, so we have to expend a lot of effort in explaining it away.
I will throw this out for consideration- a Bible study technique not too often heard of or used..... When there is an Old Testament question, is there a New Testament answer? (and vice versa) Therefore, we would have to look through the NT, searching for 2 sisters, who were somehow contrasted with each other. Possibly one favoring physical characteristics (like Rachel) and the other with more noticeable spiritual aspects (Leah?). Jacob, prior to becoming Israel, was preoccupied with the physical, hence his attraction to Rachel. However, through Leah is where Judah, and the line of Christ came. Leah was "not loved as much" (hated), yet she bore children, while Rachel was barren. Yet, Rachel is the one who had the family idols, but Leah is the one who quietly performed the duties of a wife to Jacob. If we can make a NT connection, perhaps one will help explain the other. Last note: The Bible has many authors, but only one Writer. Surely, the Holy Spirit, in recording actual people and events, did it for the purpose of a unified Word, one that its all about the One Who is the Word. (John 5:39). As a great man stated: If you think anything in the Bible is simple, you better go back and look again. It is an infinite Book, and we are finite beings.
Hi Mark, in a recent talk with Daniel Haifley I believe you said that Hebrews 10:23 in the KJV says faith instead of hope, unlike most other Bibles do, even archaic ones, because they translate the word for faith instead of hope. I looked into this and can't seem to find any evidence that this is the case. I seem to find that they translate hope as faith because it's along the same idea. If you are correct then you've given an example where the scrivner does not capture the decisions of the KJV translators. But I can't seem to find the evidence to make that case. If you are wrong can you give me an example of an instance where the scrivner does not correctly reflect the KJV translators decisions.
Using Blue Letter Bible, the tools for that verse show the Greek says "elpis", which is G1680. Clicking on that, the translation count says it was found 54 times, and the KJV translated it 53 times as "hope", and only once as "faith". Is that what you're looking for?
@losthylian I believe I understand that. The KJV translates this same word consistently every time except for in Hebrew 10:23. Mark stated that the reason for this is because the translators actually didn't translate the same word but actually translated ελπις which is faith (He may have said it in different words). This would mean that the Scrivner text does not accurately represent the KJV translators decision in this case. The thing is I can't find a textual variant where the the Greek word for faith is used instead of the Greek word for hope.
@@ibuythose4309 I don't remember his exact wording, but I think I understand the issue. I don't think there is a textual variant here. So Scrivener has ελπις (elpis) at this location, just as the Greek texts the KJV translators had did. However, that word simply means hope. So the KJV and Scrivener say different things.
"Hey there, I was wondering if you have a video (or if you could make one,) on why the KJV has so many unique numerological aspects and if other versions do to. The youtube channel Truth is Christ explains that stuff, I'm sure you've seen it, but it would really support the idea that all Bibles translations are inspired, so to speak. God bless ya friend!"
For what it’s worth, the ancient Rabbis thought Leah’s tender eyes meant she cried a lot (both before marriage and after because Jacob did not love her). But, while Leah was rejected, God blessed her with children and Leah ultimately found the acceptance she so desired in God (which can be seen in how she named her children, see Genesis 29:31-35).
This has never been a serious issue for me. First off it is absolutely inconsequential. It seems to me that you take Leah home to mommy, and show Racheal off to your buddies.
Contrasting Leah having single advantages over Rachel does seem how comparisons work in the bible. Saying a person is rich and another person is intelligent and hardworker. It's not stated but implied that it's an inclusive list.
Tender in the old dictionary means of a nurse willing to help (one that tends) Therefore Leah had a tender (caring) eyes (looking to help) and her sister was more attractive. Two qualities for two sisters. Mark Ward is giving y'all a false friend. Tender TEND'ER, n. from tend. One that attends or takes care of a nurse. 1. A small vessel employed to attend a larger one for supplying her with provisions and other stores, or to convey intelligence and the like. 2. In law, an offer, either of money to pay a debt, or of service to be performed, in order to save a penalty or forfeiture which would be incurred by non-payment or non-performance as the tender of rent due, or of the amount of a note or bond with interest. To constitute a legal tender, such money must be offered as the law prescribes the offer of bank notes is not a legal tender. So also the tender must be at the time and place where the rent or debt ought to be paid, and it must be to the full amount due. There is also a tender of issue in pleadings, a tender of an oath, &c. 3. Any offer for acceptance. The gentleman made me a tender of his services. 4. The thing offered. This money is not a legal tender. 5. Regard kind concern. Not in use. TEND'ER, L. tendo. 1. To offer in words or to exhibit or present for acceptance. All conditions, all minds tender down Their service to lord Timon. 2. To hold to esteem. Tender yourself more dearly. Not in use. 3. To offer in payment or satisfaction of a demand, for saving a penalty or forfeiture as, to tender the amount of rent or debt.
Yes, I always thought it meant she was plain-looking. But it could mean she was nice or sweet. Because later we find out her sister is a little mean-spirited compared to her and God felt sorry for her and blessed her with children.
I don’t believe 1 Corinthians 11 has anything to do with wearing head coverings per se. The head and the head covering were cultural symbols, particularly amongst the Jews. The head is the symbol of leadership and the head covering is a symbol of submission. A husband is the head and is his wife’s covering. A husband who submits his authority (covers his head) under another man’s authority in praying or prophesying dishonors his head (Messiah) while a woman who uncovers her head (steps out of her husband’s covering and, hence, authority) dishonors her head (her husband). The reference to long hair is that it is natural for a wife to be covered (under her husband’s spiritual authority) just as it is natural for a woman to have long hair. Culturally, it would be inappropriate for a man to proceed to assert any spiritual authority over a woman without her husband (cf. John 4:16). Indeed, a woman has to be symbolically taken out from under her husband’s spiritual authority while going through the Ordeal of the Law of Jealousy (Numbers 5:18) (which, believe it or not, is intended to save the marriage, which God values so highly that He would wash out His own Name into the waters of bitterness to establish the woman’s innocence, Numbers 5:21-23)
Acts 19:2… 89 times in the Bible the Holy Ghost is mentioned, never in any of your discussions and linguistic gymnastics have you ever mentioned the ministry of the Holy Ghost, at least of the ones I have listened too. If there is one please let me know. I would love to hear what you have to say about this member of the Godhead.
Hmm. Broadened my vision. BUT, I still take "weak eyes" literally. In a shepherd society, keen eyesight would be very important. However, Jacob's own father, Isaac, went blind in his old age. Jacob was in exile for deceiving him by exploiting this handicap. It would be distasteful to him. Also, as a sheep breeder, Jacob would not want to introduce more genes for myopia, into the family.
'Jacob' in all prophets represents "believers" especially in the endtime . Jacob will go through the Tribulation - before his soul will be saved , and "marrying the wrong one" here represents "because of this evil corrupt KJV" which leads them into the trib . and *yes* it is similar Trickery !
The New World Translation isn’t a true translation. It’s a sectarian translation. You need to stop reading it and read a true Bible. Personally, I use the ESV, but there are many great translations out there that do not corrupt the word of God (as Mark Ward demonstrates).
@@KenyonBowers I disagree. Theologically biased - guilty as charged. However, the renderings are surprisingly good, especially when it comes to Hebrew verb tenses.
A lot of metatalk instead of grappling with the text. Are U advocating "repecting persons" -- stay with the reading which many of your audience have in their Bible translations?
@@wardonwords yes i said so. before. we are live actually on the King James Bible codes are your familiar with this. and the study of the codes in the greek and hebrew?
@ I work with the King James Bible museum and have a long format live stream in 1 hour with Howard ELSETH. Maybe you can watch it. And see if we know what we’re talking about. After all the apostles were mostly under 20 and un lettered. I think my handling of the text would address you concerned when watching any of my material
Sir, you are fighting God's chosen words in his chosen language English . May God have mercy on you, i pray the rapture comes quickly to call his church out so you can be stopped from this evil ack you have chosen to do. Against God's perfect pure words. Romans 13:11-14 (KJV) 11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
If Leah had not had a defect, I doubt her Father would have had to marry her away in a devious fashion.
That is an interesting point!
Yeah. I figure it was an idiom meaning she was difficult to look at.
Something similar to "hard on the eyes" and "easy on the eyes"
That's what I assumed.
I feel so sorry for for Leah. The first night with Jacob he thought she was Rachel, and poured over her all the love he had stored up for 7 years. And then, when he realized the truth, he despised her, and she was so unhappy. She had experienced love, and knew what she was missing. But after Rachel’s death, things might have changed.
Ya I was thinking about this recently too in the context of Reuben and the other sons in their hatred of Joseph. We know Leah was anxious about winning Jacob’s love and I imagine she conveyed this anxiety and competitiveness to her sons. It had to be a huge emotional trigger to give Joseph that robe of many colors. There was a lot of drama in this family dynamic!
There's a powerful Rabbinic midrash that Jacob suspected Laban of trickery so he set up "passwords" with Rachel to confirm her identity on the wedding night. But Rachel shared them with her sister in an effort to keep her from shame.
He can't have "loved" Rachel so much if he didn't even know who he was sleeping with.
@Yesica1993 You're making a lot of assumptions about how the sexes interacted prior to marriage.
This looks like it’s going to be a great series! This video was excellent! I look forward to many more just like it!! Thank you!!
I never looked into it but always just assumed Leah was “hard on the eyes” while Rachel was “easy on the eyes”
I have thought she could have had a squint...
Everett Fox (in The Schocken Bible) uses “delicate” and then sums it up nicely in a footnote: “Others use “weak.” Either the term is meant negatively or else Lea is being praised for one attribute but Rachel for total beauty.”
My study shows that it meant the eyes were a lighter color. Most women had the darker eyes then, and since she had lighter colored eyes, it was considered a blemish.
Yes. This will do nicely. I just read this passage yesterday in my Bible in a year plan, so this series is already helping!
I think I will definitely like this series
More to come!
I am so grateful for this channel. I love the practical insights for teaching, and the humble, non-combative spirit in which it is delivered. Thank you again for setting such a good example for me as a younger preacher/teacher.
Thank you Mark for making us dig deeper into our Bible studies.
In the past I've always followed you because I feel you are a Wordsmith. And you do a very good job of it. Now that you are moving towards something new. I'm glad it is much more interesting what you're doing now. I can learn so much more from what you did in this video. Thank you
Many thanks! I need this kind of comment right now as I change tacks.
Good video and analysis. I'm looking forward to the series!
Thanks!
“That’s not what my Bible says”. 😂 I admit I may have laughed a little too hard at that. Love it!!! Thanks, Mark
😁
Paul Kretzmann said essentially the phrase was referring to the same thing that Wynham (sp?) said. I think I get that. You look at some people and they have what I call "tired eyes" like the person is bored or about ready to fall asleep while talking to you.
Great vid. Mark, I like how you took an obvious verse to make a complex point. Headcoverings is a whole different thing though.
Yet another great video! I appreciate your thoughtful and considered carefulness.
This is fantastic, Mark! I'm excited for this new direction.
Praise God.
I was meditating on this scripture just yesterday
You’re right, it is an idiom.
Actually it’s not about Leah’s looks, it’s about her personality: she has a negative outlook.
Matthew 6:23 talks about weak/unhealthy eyes making one full of darkness. This is also evident in Leah’s behavior after being married off by her trickster father to a man who preferred her sister, and in how she speaks. But we can see her development from bitter and unloved in the names she gives her sons. She finally turns to God, and by the time she has Judah (which means Praise God), she’s come to accept and be thankful for her lot in life.
Leah not so good looking and Rachel pretty and nice head to toe. 2 Samuel 14:25kjv of course.
Genesis 29:17 “Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.”
It is a good biblical story Leah turning focus to God instead of man. Rachel was barren for while so it doesn't look like it was talking that kind of favor
The one way I heard it (I believe from one my Bible College Professors) was that the weak eyes was Leah's best feature. That she didn't look great other than her eyes.
A worthy guess!
As usual, I think you nailed it!
Many thanks!
Mark, wonderful job explaining this confusing passage! Years ago when I was teaching a children’s Sunday school class I had to learn the meaning of that phrase so I could accurately teach! Thankfully, with commentaries I was able to come up with the same Interpretation that Leah was less beautiful than Rachel! I appreciate your hard work and look forward to the next teaching! God bless, brother!
It's possible that it was a contrast that compared Leah's attractive eyes to Rachel's overall beauty. Like how you will sometimes hear someone emphasize that an overweight woman has a pretty face.
Absolutely, some of the translations and commentaries do support this idea.
Excited for more in this series!
When I was in middle school, I read this and saw how God contrasts Rachel’s beauty with Leah. Initially, I was surprised, because we teach in our culture that beauty is subjective. But here I realized, beauty is objective. This eventually led me to learning of the transcendentals: truth, beauty, and goodness and how God is all 3 and how as Sovereign, He, not man, declares what is good, true, and beautiful.
Yes! So important!
Which, as a not-pretty woman, has always been hard to take. When I became a Christian at 18, I went through a short period where I thought maybe in Christianity, my looks won't matter! I soon learned I was wrong. Even Christian men want a beautiful woman. And the Bible often refers to women's looks, like it does here. It's important in this life, and I just have to accept it. One of the things I look forward to the most about heaven/the new creation is that I'll be perfected both inside and out. I will finally be beautiful. Although... at that point it won't matter because there's no marriage in heaven! Oh, well. That's life.
@Yesica1993 I empathize! Truly. I'm a "not pretty woman" too, and it IS hard to take. But thankfully, the Bible gives a much more well -rounded view than just the history of men who wanted pretty women. Read the Proverbs, and be encouraged. Wisdom, industriousness, kindness, cheerfulness, faithfulness, etc. are great beautifiers. And remember that God saw and honored Leah.
@Yesica1993 1 Pet. 3:1-5 shows that the focus (particularly for women) is not to be on your outward appearance, but in being gentle and quiet.
The Puritans, who corrected Christian teaching on marriage that had gone so wrong in the medieval period, said that physical attraction between a man and woman is important, but of all of the things to consider, it is the least important. They even considered finances and social class as more important than physical attraction.
I've always taken it as a negative contrast with Rachel, but I happened to think it still could be a contrast that is still positive, saying that Leah had a beauty of her own, but there's was something lacking that Rachel possessed. The reference to "eyes" could refer to the common belief that the eyes are the window to the soul, saying that Leah was attractive, but didn't have that vitality of spirit that attracted Jacob to Rachel.
I think the meaning clarifies as we get to know Leah and Rachel in the rest of the story.
Elaborate! This is a worthy idea.
Speiser (Anchor Bible, 1964) takes it as a compliment (p. 225), and Westermann (Continental Commentary, 1981, 1995) takes it to mean "lustreless" (p. 463), whereas Alter (Genesis, 1996) says "there is no way of confidently deciding" between the positive and negative options (p. 153).
I really wish I had Alter in Logos. He's in a box in my garage until I can get an office. =|
Great video! Very edifying!
Much wisdom!! Thank ya Sir!
Many thanks!
I was just reading this passage again the other day and and wondering about this phrase, as I do upon every reading. It's one of those places in the Bible where using multiple translations has actually made it more confusing for me, since there's several different interpretations. Thanks for your thoughtful approach and exploration of the options.
I agree with your position that the Scripture here is setting up a contrast, Leah being not as attractive as Rachel. And since God knows our own idolatrous and covetous hearts, He keeps things vague to keep us from using Rachel as some sort of ideal or model of beauty, or a source of pride for some and a source of sadness for others who do not measure up. Definitely a mysterious idiom. Thanks for your analysis. Blessings!🙂🙏📖
I am very much looking forward to this series 👏
Great video and explanation! One interpretation I heard from someone I greatly respect (fun fact, he attended rabbinic school in Israel and has a lot of knowledge on Hebrew interpretations of the Old Testament) was that the reference to "weak eyes" possibly meant that she had blue eyes. As someone with blue eyes who has lived in Florida his whole life, It's painful for me to see when there's a lot of sunshine, and as a result I have worn sunglasses outside for most of my life. Imagine living in the desert where there is little to no shade outside of your tent and an overabundance of unadulterated sunshine. The idea being that blue-eyed people are "weaker in the eyes", and thus it may have been a more unattractive quality. Which is a really long speculation to tie into your point: Whatever the author is saying via idiom about Leah, it's meant to be understood in direct contrast to Rachel's attractive appearance. 💁♂
Could be! It seems that the KJV translators were right to say that even the Jews aren't always sure what a given bit of OT Hebrew means!
@@wardonwords 🤣
My Sunday School teacher told me when I was little and we were studying Genesis that it meant Leah had a lazy eye.
Excellent breakdown on the passage.
The NRSVue went back to “weak”.
I see it as she was not as attractive. Not ugly but maybe not the good-looking one.
That's also why she was still unmarried and her father was being kind to her.😊
That's basically my perspective, yes!
Before watching, I'm going to assume it means weak as in, not noteworthy or noticeable, plain maybe, since he goes on to say the other sister is beautiful.
I think it is most likely an idiom. But more needs to be taken into consideration here. Isaac, Jacob's father, had weak eyes. Rachel is described similarly to how Rebecca was described when Isaac first met her. I think that it is clear from the text that Leah was less desirable than Rachel. By desiring Rachel over Leah, I think that language of the text is alluding that Jacob preferred his mother over his father, something we saw earlier in Isaac and Rebecca's respective favoritism of Esau or Jacob.
It would be great to see you do a video using the logos word study tool and showing how to avoid exegetical fallacies with it. I think it's a great tool but it also looks like it could easily get people in trouble. I know I could benefit from it.
If comment duplicated somehow, I apologize but I was wondering what do you do when the KJV type translations seem to disagree with the other type of translations such as the NLT, ESV and CSB and the commentaries ( or at least the ones I have access to ) do not seem to agree either. I was reading in the KJV Exodus 22:28 which says do not revile the gods or curse the ruler of your people. In looking for the answer, I found different answers. Another commenter on another channel said that in that verse gods meant judges which seems to fit but several other translations say God. I was just wondering how to figure that out. Thanks for all the work you do. I appreciate it and I appreciate your channel.
Your phrase toward the end might be a possible rendering that kind of overlaps with English idiom: Leah wasn't a great "looker."
Yeah, maybe!
This episode reminded me of when I used to read the dictionary as a kid. Maybe I should revive that practice. Endless hours in front of screens is turning my brain to mush.
What I would love to learn is how languages came into existence (the actual mechanics of language, especially written) but incorporated within the biblical worldview. I'm not sure what that field of study even would be called. Though, I'm guessing this would be heavy on the science-y side and I don't know if my feeble brain would be up to it.
“Jacob he loved Rachel and Rachel she loved him and Leah was just there for dramatic effect/ Well its right there in the bible so it must not be a sin but it sure does seem like an awful dirty trick”
From Rich Mullins song “Jacob and 2 Women”
I never thought about it as being her eyes. I thought it meant the person’s eyes who was looking at her. Like “she’s not easy on the eyes.” I don’t know. 🤷
Thanks for this series. I have always understood that Leah’s eyes were beautiful, and thats the only beautiful thing she had. As the lesser girl in a 5 siblings home I get that perfectly bc I was the only “ ugly” girl in my family. I was not that ugly but everyone makes me think I was. Thank God for His love and mercy, he took care of Leah and she was the ONLY wife to be honored in the macpela tomb. I guess in the end Jacob saw her real beauty.
I am at 2:03, and I am going to guess that "weak eyes" is an archaic way of saying "lazy eyes".
**edit** I reached the end of the video, and I do think "weak eyes" means more than just unattractive. I think it takes it a step further.
Why did Leah and Rachel go along with it? Neither of them said anything!
I've wondered that, too! And how, practically, do you sleep with your new bride and not know who she is?
@@wardonwords I think Leah must have had basically the same figure but just wasn't nearly as pretty.
(esp if the 'eye thing' really did literally mean she had an 'eye thing'!).
So veil her face and Jacob can't tell. Come the morning light and Jacob realizes he got got!
Otherwise, yeah, super big fail on Jacob's part.
Do you think they had a choice? Women were basically property.
My take is that the only thing that was attractive about Leah was her eyes, while Rachel had multiple points of beauty.
Could be!
So I take for this that the comment on Leah's eyes is a colloquialism. I am reminded, though, listening to your talk, of the well worn phrase about a young lady "she has a pretty face." (Generally she also has a weight well over 200 pounds. Another phrase that means "fat" is "has pretty ankles.") So maybe Leah didn't have a great figure. We can assume that she did have good hips, though, because she had a number of children and didn't have everlasting-comment-worthy difficulty in the childbearing. Rachel, on the other hand, may have had difficulties with pregnancies as she only popped out two (?) that we know of. Presumably she was still well thought of when she finally joined the household. (Though the provision of several sons may have redeemed Leah in her husband's eyes.)
Interesting subject. I note below the comment about odd eye color. Another good point.
Niceee 👍 I like using the LSB, NASB95, KJV, and the ESV. The e-sword “+” versions of translations are valuable as well.
Understanding Hebrew parallelisms is very helpful.
I always thought “weak eyes” meant she was cross-eyed.
You had me at revivifying (pulchritude and desultory were a bonus).
That immediately brought me back to when my brother and I were taking latin class in high school. We cane home and started calling our little sister pulcra puella. She was fit to be tied think it was something derogatory especially since we would say it in a teasing way. I still don't think she has gotten over it 😂
@ When word nerds go crazy. 😂
This is interesting. I wonder if Bullinger might have some insight to this.
I wonder if it’s intentionally vague in order to not be offensive. Therefore, if we were to unveil its vagueness, we would actually create an offense.
Exactly right. That’s my best guess.
So it seems to me that if the fruit in the garden and various women like Sarah are said to be "good of seeing", then "weak of sight/eyes" would be the opposite . Yeah?
While it certainly could pertain to physical beauty, with Leah perhaps being considered more of a "pretty" (more subtle) type of beautiful, and Rachel being considered a more "gorgeous" (more striking) type of beautiful, with neither one necessarily having more of less beauty than the other, but different types of beauty. But what I really think, and have seen others float around, is that it wasn't so much contrasting their appearances as it was contrasting their demeanors or vitalities. I certainly don't believe it had anything to do with Leah having poor eyesight or a lazy eye. I think it was instead saying she lacked that spark, that vigor in her. I believe Leah was someone that was considered demure, meek, timid, shy, or even introverted. Whereas Rachel was robust, vigorous, outgoing, and likely extraverted. Leah's eyes (eyes being the window to the soul) were described with the Hebrew "Rak (H7390)/Rakak (H7401)," meaning tender, soft, delicate, or weak, which can be used not just to describe appearance, but character traits. Following this idea, and further on in Jacob's saga with Leah and Rachel, I think it's safe to say Leah had the heart and Rachel had the body. We know our Creator (𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄/YaHUaH) has shown great favor to those who are meek and humble, and we also know that, while He did use both Leah and Rachel for creating the tribes of Israel (Yasharal), He certainly displayed favor towards Leah more than Rachel.
Thanks for your work Mark. I’ve been interested in this description of Leah for a while. I find the verse to be a contrast to the beauty of Rachel as you do. A possible further help might be Pharaoh’s dreams later on in Genesis. Both feature attractive and unattractive subjects (women and cows) while also being associated with seven years (work for the women, and the years of plenty/famine). Furthermore, according to HALOT Leah literally means “bull” or “cow”. I’ve struggled to come up with a suitable explanation to these parallels. At the moment I lean towards Moses creating a type of analogy to Jacob’s marriage to these women where Jacob’s marriage to Leah was miserable for him as famine was to the land and to Rachel is was enjoyable like the years of plenty. I’m not entirely satisfied with that idea though. Any thoughts? I appreciate your work and the new direction of the channel!
I don't think a contrast has to always be opposite things. I think a contrast can contrast few and many, or big and small. Like, Leah has nice eyes, but Rachel lookes good everywhere.
The first servant had a talant, but the final servant had ten talants.
Bob was cleaver, but Larry was a genious.
No need to only contrast opposites.
Also, side theory. I think Jacob got drunk at his wedding.
I always took it to mean she had circles under her eyes.
A good guess!
I enjoyed the video. I would love to hear you do a video on 1 Corinthians 11 and discuss your thoughts on a woman’s covering.
It's possible!
My gut feeling was that Leah was kind and tender while being plain and Rachel was beautiful. But it's easy to see if they were contrasting having a spark. As husbands know full well, our favorite thing to do is to tease our wives till we get that flash in their eyes. That's when they are the most beautiful 😁
@@TgWags69 Leah wasn’t kind and tender when she accused her sister for taking her, Lea’s, husband. I think it was the other way around.
Tender
TEND'ER, n. from tend. One that attends or takes care of a nurse. 1. A small vessel employed to attend a larger one for supplying her with provisions and other stores, or to convey intelligence and the like. 2. In law, an offer, either of money to pay a debt, or of service to be performed, in order to save a penalty or forfeiture which would be incurred by non-payment or non-performance as the tender of rent due, or of the amount of a note or bond with interest. To constitute a legal tender, such money must be offered as the law prescribes the offer of bank notes is not a legal tender. So also the tender must be at the time and place where the rent or debt ought to be paid, and it must be to the full amount due. There is also a tender of issue in pleadings, a tender of an oath, &c. 3. Any offer for acceptance. The gentleman made me a tender of his services. 4. The thing offered. This money is not a legal tender. 5. Regard kind concern. Not in use. TEND'ER, L. tendo. 1. To offer in words or to exhibit or present for acceptance. All conditions, all minds tender down Their service to lord Timon. 2. To hold to esteem. Tender yourself more dearly. Not in use. 3. To offer in payment or satisfaction of a demand, for saving a penalty or forfeiture as, to tender the amount of rent or debt.
Happy New Year brother! This is off topic of the video, but I am looking at different viewpoints of textual positions people hold ex. TR, Majority text position
Etc. who would you recommend listening to for presenting a case for the critical text? Thank you! God Bless!
Definitely I'd start with this book: www.amazon.com/dp/1433564092?tag=3755-20
Could you go more indepth with the hebrew to contrast the translations?
Or would that be a separate series?
That's what I thought it would be!
Can you do a video on "Love of money"? I read one writer who said that it was a compound word that together meant "covetousness." Life perhaps straw and berries meaning two things but strawberries meaning another. And also discuss the women going up to mourn for or weep with Jephthah's daughter? I always preferred the idea of "to mourn with" because not only does it imply that Jephthah didn't kill his daughter but it gives us the idea of a "living sacrifice" in that Jephthah's daughter will forever not have children. And also could you do the Lot's wife turning into a pillar of salt. I read another writer who talked about turning into a pillar of salt being like to be petrified and turning to stone. That Lot's wife died of a heart attack seems so much better because people often use the turning to stone thing to make God look petty and evil. Also, while we're at Lot's story, the angels command to Lot to "bring your unmarried daughters who are with you in this house." And Lot's sons-in-law. I always feel as if there were four daughters. That's why Abraham bargained to ten people. And it gives a compassionate reason for Mrs Lot looking back. So many Christians often say that she turned back because she would miss the lust but that's just nowhere in the text. And also in Job, could you do a video on "Curse God and die or Renounce God and die or bless God and die?" The fact that the word for bless and the word for curse are the same word. Like our word cleave. Again, this gives a lot of people a chance to judge Mrs Job. As for Leah, I heard a middle-eastern person Christian writer that the phrase is very typical of the way Middle Eastern people compliment and compare. So you say one good thing about one person in order not to fully insult or hurt her before you praise the other one. So, Leah had pale beautifui eyes, but Rachel was beautiful in every way.
"Love of money" is indeed a compound word, φιλαργυρία (philarguria), which you could translate very literally as Silver-Lover. In this case, "silver" more broadly refers to money and wealth in general. The same term (in noun form) is used to describe the Pharisees in Luke 16.14 and the people of the last days in 2 Timothy 3.2.
The passage in 1st Corinthians on head coverings is not in the least difficult. We just don't like what it plainly says, so we have to expend a lot of effort in explaining it away.
I have spent years on this. I disagree. But I do so respectfully. I can see why you would conclude this.
I will throw this out for consideration- a Bible study technique not too often heard of or used..... When there is an Old Testament question, is there a New Testament answer? (and vice versa)
Therefore, we would have to look through the NT, searching for 2 sisters, who were somehow contrasted with each other. Possibly one favoring physical characteristics (like Rachel) and the other with more noticeable spiritual aspects (Leah?).
Jacob, prior to becoming Israel, was preoccupied with the physical, hence his attraction to Rachel. However, through Leah is where Judah, and the line of Christ came. Leah was "not loved as much" (hated), yet she bore children, while Rachel was barren. Yet, Rachel is the one who had the family idols, but Leah is the one who quietly performed the duties of a wife to Jacob.
If we can make a NT connection, perhaps one will help explain the other.
Last note: The Bible has many authors, but only one Writer. Surely, the Holy Spirit, in recording actual people and events, did it for the purpose of a unified Word, one that its all about the One Who is the Word. (John 5:39). As a great man stated: If you think anything in the Bible is simple, you better go back and look again. It is an infinite Book, and we are finite beings.
Hi Mark, in a recent talk with Daniel Haifley I believe you said that Hebrews 10:23 in the KJV says faith instead of hope, unlike most other Bibles do, even archaic ones, because they translate the word for faith instead of hope. I looked into this and can't seem to find any evidence that this is the case. I seem to find that they translate hope as faith because it's along the same idea. If you are correct then you've given an example where the scrivner does not capture the decisions of the KJV translators. But I can't seem to find the evidence to make that case. If you are wrong can you give me an example of an instance where the scrivner does not correctly reflect the KJV translators decisions.
Using Blue Letter Bible, the tools for that verse show the Greek says "elpis", which is G1680. Clicking on that, the translation count says it was found 54 times, and the KJV translated it 53 times as "hope", and only once as "faith". Is that what you're looking for?
@losthylian I believe I understand that. The KJV translates this same word consistently every time except for in Hebrew 10:23. Mark stated that the reason for this is because the translators actually didn't translate the same word but actually translated ελπις which is faith (He may have said it in different words). This would mean that the Scrivner text does not accurately represent the KJV translators decision in this case. The thing is I can't find a textual variant where the the Greek word for faith is used instead of the Greek word for hope.
@@ibuythose4309 I don't remember his exact wording, but I think I understand the issue. I don't think there is a textual variant here. So Scrivener has ελπις (elpis) at this location, just as the Greek texts the KJV translators had did. However, that word simply means hope. So the KJV and Scrivener say different things.
I'm not really following … But I can confirm that this is not a textual issue.
I always took it as she was plain. Not ugly or pretty but somewhere in between. Take care
"Hey there, I was wondering if you have a video (or if you could make one,) on why the KJV has so many unique numerological aspects and if other versions do to. The youtube channel Truth is Christ explains that stuff, I'm sure you've seen it, but it would really support the idea that all Bibles translations are inspired, so to speak.
God bless ya friend!"
I do not believe the KJV has unique numerological features. Here's my video on that topic: ruclips.net/video/VVW_f88qslA/видео.html
For what it’s worth, the ancient Rabbis thought Leah’s tender eyes meant she cried a lot (both before marriage and after because Jacob did not love her). But, while Leah was rejected, God blessed her with children and Leah ultimately found the acceptance she so desired in God (which can be seen in how she named her children, see Genesis 29:31-35).
This has never been a serious issue for me. First off it is absolutely inconsequential. It seems to me that you take Leah home to mommy, and show Racheal off to your buddies.
Contrasting Leah having single advantages over Rachel does seem how comparisons work in the bible.
Saying a person is rich and another person is intelligent and hardworker.
It's not stated but implied that it's an inclusive list.
Tender in the old dictionary means of a nurse willing to help (one that tends) Therefore Leah had a tender (caring) eyes (looking to help) and her sister was more attractive. Two qualities for two sisters. Mark Ward is giving y'all a false friend.
Tender
TEND'ER, n. from tend. One that attends or takes care of a nurse. 1. A small vessel employed to attend a larger one for supplying her with provisions and other stores, or to convey intelligence and the like. 2. In law, an offer, either of money to pay a debt, or of service to be performed, in order to save a penalty or forfeiture which would be incurred by non-payment or non-performance as the tender of rent due, or of the amount of a note or bond with interest. To constitute a legal tender, such money must be offered as the law prescribes the offer of bank notes is not a legal tender. So also the tender must be at the time and place where the rent or debt ought to be paid, and it must be to the full amount due. There is also a tender of issue in pleadings, a tender of an oath, &c. 3. Any offer for acceptance. The gentleman made me a tender of his services. 4. The thing offered. This money is not a legal tender. 5. Regard kind concern. Not in use. TEND'ER, L. tendo. 1. To offer in words or to exhibit or present for acceptance. All conditions, all minds tender down Their service to lord Timon. 2. To hold to esteem. Tender yourself more dearly. Not in use. 3. To offer in payment or satisfaction of a demand, for saving a penalty or forfeiture as, to tender the amount of rent or debt.
Yes, I always thought it meant she was plain-looking. But it could mean she was nice or sweet. Because later we find out her sister is a little mean-spirited compared to her and God felt sorry for her and blessed her with children.
I don’t believe 1 Corinthians 11 has anything to do with wearing head coverings per se. The head and the head covering were cultural symbols, particularly amongst the Jews. The head is the symbol of leadership and the head covering is a symbol of submission. A husband is the head and is his wife’s covering. A husband who submits his authority (covers his head) under another man’s authority in praying or prophesying dishonors his head (Messiah) while a woman who uncovers her head (steps out of her husband’s covering and, hence, authority) dishonors her head (her husband). The reference to long hair is that it is natural for a wife to be covered (under her husband’s spiritual authority) just as it is natural for a woman to have long hair.
Culturally, it would be inappropriate for a man to proceed to assert any spiritual authority over a woman without her husband (cf. John 4:16). Indeed, a woman has to be symbolically taken out from under her husband’s spiritual authority while going through the Ordeal of the Law of Jealousy (Numbers 5:18) (which, believe it or not, is intended to save the marriage, which God values so highly that He would wash out His own Name into the waters of bitterness to establish the woman’s innocence, Numbers 5:21-23)
Acts 19:2… 89 times in the Bible the Holy Ghost is mentioned, never in any of your discussions and linguistic gymnastics have you ever mentioned the ministry of the Holy Ghost, at least of the ones I have listened too. If there is one please let me know. I would love to hear what you have to say about this member of the Godhead.
Hmm. Broadened my vision.
BUT, I still take "weak eyes" literally. In a shepherd society, keen eyesight would be very important.
However, Jacob's own father, Isaac, went blind in his old age. Jacob was in exile for deceiving him by exploiting this handicap. It would be distasteful to him.
Also, as a sheep breeder, Jacob would not want to introduce more genes for myopia, into the family.
TWITTERPATED!
LAAAAZZZY EYEEEEZZZZ
Could be!
'Jacob' in all prophets represents "believers" especially in the endtime . Jacob will go through the Tribulation - before his soul will be saved , and "marrying the wrong one" here represents "because of this evil corrupt KJV" which leads them into the trib .
and *yes* it is similar Trickery !
YEAH BUT... in all of Torah and the Gospels... what is it a Type of, where else in the Bible is the "tip of the hat?" Types will do this.
My translation says "the eyes of Leah had no luster, whereas Rachel had become a very attractive and beautiful woman." NWT
Isn't NWT the heretical text of the Jehovah's Witness cult?
The New World Translation isn’t a true translation. It’s a sectarian translation. You need to stop reading it and read a true Bible. Personally, I use the ESV, but there are many great translations out there that do not corrupt the word of God (as Mark Ward demonstrates).
The New World Translation is a bad translation.
@@KenyonBowers I disagree. Theologically biased - guilty as charged. However, the renderings are surprisingly good, especially when it comes to Hebrew verb tenses.
@@perfidious333 Yes.
A lot of metatalk instead of grappling with the text. Are U advocating "repecting persons" -- stay with the reading which many of your audience have in their Bible translations?
No; I'm saying that when God inspired ambiguities and difficulties, it's often best to stick with the majority report in your context.
lest debate on KJV
Can you meet the three criteria I gave in my "done" video? ruclips.net/video/g6aACgeigtA/видео.html
@@wardonwords yes i said so. before. we are live actually on the King James Bible codes are your familiar with this. and the study of the codes in the greek and hebrew?
@@thetruthisnotsubjective Please tell me how you intend to fulfill the criteria. Which KJV-Only college do you have in mind?
@ I work with the King James Bible museum and have a long format live stream in 1 hour with Howard ELSETH. Maybe you can watch it. And see if we know what we’re talking about. After all the apostles were mostly under 20 and un lettered. I think my handling of the text would address you concerned when watching any of my material
@@thetruthisnotsubjective But can you meet the criteria?
Sir, you are fighting God's chosen words in his chosen language English . May God have mercy on you, i pray the rapture comes quickly to call his church out so you can be stopped from this evil ack you have chosen to do. Against God's perfect pure words.
Romans 13:11-14 (KJV)
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.