Yawˇ yaˇ teˇ pawˆ kʼaw‸ hu la leh, yaˇ paˍ teˇ gʼaˇ kʼaw‸ paw la ve yoˬ. Oˇ htaˇ yawˇ kʼoˆ ve, Chi beu‸ ngaˬ lehˬ ngaˬ hpawˇ awˬ pon yaˇ paˍ shehˆ gʼaˇ paw la piˇ taˍ peuˬ ve pa taw, yawˇ ngaˬ hta‸ ha‸ maˇ la tuˬ yoˬ, teh‸ kʼoˆ ve yoˬ. Hkʼe te leh, yaˇ paˍ oˇ ve hta‸ Leˍviˆ teh‸ meh piˇ ve yoˬ.
What Does This Mean?
This verse is about Leah, who is the mother of the sons. After having her third son, she hopes that her husband Jacob will love her more because she gave him three children. She names her son Levi.
Explained for Children
Imagine you have a friend who keeps giving you presents hoping you'll be their best friend. In this story, Leah is like that friend. She gives Jacob three presents, which are her three sons, hoping that he'll love her a lot.
Historical Background
This part of Genesis was traditionally attributed to Moses, written around 1400 BC. It describes events in the lives of the patriarchs and matriarchs, including Jacob and his wives, in a time when families often had multiple wives and many children.
Living It Out Today
In modern life, we can see how people sometimes believe that giving more will make others value them more. However, the true value of a relationship is not measured by what you give but by mutual love and respect.
Leah believed that giving Jacob more children would make him love her more, reflecting a common belief in that time that fertility was a sign of God's favor and could increase marital love.
What does the name Levi mean?
Levi means 'joined' or 'attached,' reflecting Leah's hope that giving Jacob three sons would make him love and value her more.
How many sons did Leah have?
Leah had six sons in total, including Levi, as mentioned in Genesis.
Why is this verse important in the Bible?
This verse highlights the complex family dynamics in biblical times and the cultural significance placed on having children as a way to secure one's place in a family or tribe.