She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "Because the LORD heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too." So she named him Simeon."
Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons." So she named him Levi.
She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "This time I will praise the LORD." So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.
My heart goes out to Leah. Jacob had never really wanted to marry her. He had asked for her younger sister, Rachel's, hand. But her father hid Leah under a heavy veil and sneaked her into the marraige ceremony. Jacob eventually married both sisters.
And so the rivalry continues...
When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she became
jealous of her sister. So she said to Jacob, "Give me children, or I'll
die!"
Jacob became angry with her and said, "Am I in the place of God, who has kept you
from having children?"
Then she said, "Here is Bilhah, my maidservant. Sleep with her so that she can
bear children for me and that through her I too can build a family."
So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife. Jacob slept with her, and she became
pregnant and bore him a son. Then Rachel said, "God has vindicated me; he has
listened to my plea and given me a son." Because of this, she named him Dan.
Rachel's servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. Then
Rachel said, "I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won."
So she named him Naphtali.
When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she took her maidservant
Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a
son. Then Leah said, "What good fortune!" So she named him Gad.
Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. Then Leah said, "How happy I
am! The women will call me happy." So she named him Asher...
God listened to Leah, and she became pregnant and bore Jacob a fifth son.
Then Leah said, "God has rewarded me for giving my maidservant to my
husband." So she named him Issachar.
Some time later she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.
Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and opened her womb. She
became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, "God has taken away my
disgrace." She named him Joseph, and said, "May the LORD add to me another
son."
Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. Then Leah said, "God has
presented me with a precious gift. This time my husband will treat me with
honor, because I have borne him six sons." So she named him Zebulun.