Genesis 29:35 (KJV)

What does Genesis 29:35 mean?

Genesis 29:35 describes how Leah gave birth to another son and named him Judah, saying that now she would praise the LORD. After this, she stopped having children for a time. The verse highlights Leah’s response of gratitude and worship toward God at the birth of Judah.

In this scene, Leah is speaking after giving birth to her fourth son with Jacob. Feeling overlooked by her husband, Leah expresses a turning point by focusing on praising the LORD (the personal name for God in the Hebrew Bible) rather than seeking her husband’s affection. The name Judah is linked to the Hebrew word for “praise,” showing that Leah’s choice of name reflects her thankfulness to God.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 29:35

• The word for “praise” is יָדָה (yadah), which means to give thanks or confess praise. Leah’s statement, “Now will I praise the LORD,” uses this word, and it directly connects to the name Judah (יְהוּדָה, Yehudah), making the naming deeply meaningful.
• The word for “LORD” is יְהוָה (YHWH, often pronounced Yahweh), the personal name of God in the Hebrew Bible. Leah’s use of this name shows a personal relationship and recognition of God’s involvement in her life.
• The phrase “left bearing” uses the word עָמַד (amad), often understood as “to stand” or “to stop.” Here, it means Leah ceased having children for a period, marking a pause in her story.

Why Genesis 29:35 matters

• This verse shows a shift in Leah’s focus from seeking approval from others to finding her value in praising God, which is a key moment in her story.
• The naming of Judah is significant because Judah becomes the ancestor of the tribe from which King David and, according to Christian tradition, Jesus come.
• The verse highlights how personal experiences and emotions shaped the names and stories of the tribes of Israel, connecting individual lives to the larger biblical narrative.