The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun:
Sons of Jacob ... born ... in Padan-aram. It is a common practice of the sacred historian to say of a company or body of men that which, though true of the majority, may not be applicable to every individual. (See Matthew 19:28; John 20:24; Hebrews 11:13.) Here is an example-for Benjamin was born in Canaan. The reason for inserting the names of Jacob's sons in this part of the history is to show, on his return to his father, that Isaac's prayer for him, pronounced at his departure to Padan-aram (Genesis 28:3), had been graciously answered.