Leah was hated— The words in the foregoing verse explain this seemingly harsh expression, He loved Rachel more than Leah; this is agreeable to the Hebrew idiom; see Malachi 1:2-3.Luke 14:26. The word hate, in the New Testament, is frequently to be understood in this sense, of loving less. Considering the part Leah acted, nobody can wonder she was hated, that is, less beloved than Rachel; while hence we have an argument against polygamy, it bring morally impossible for a man so to divide his affections, as to preserve mutual harmony, and to prevent domestic feuds and discord.
He opened her womb, &c.— We may note in this instance the goodness of that Providence who is ever watchful over the welfare of his creatures. To sooth the affliction of Leah, for the want of her husband's love, he blesses her with children. All states in life have their comforts and their evils: it is our wisdom to be thankful for the former, and to bear the latter with all possible fortitude and resignation. The names which Leah gave her four sons are derived from the Hebrew: the interpretation of the names is given in the margin of our Bibles; and it affords a proof, as Bishop Patrick remarks, that Laban's family spake the same language with Abraham's, with some little variation; see note on Luke 14:4.