Key Verse Spotlight
Genesis 35:23 - Meaning and Application
Understand how this verse speaks to what you're facing and how to apply it today
Translation: World English Bible — Catholic Edition
" The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. "
Genesis 35:23
Verse in Context
Understanding the surrounding verses prevents misinterpretation:
21 Israel traveled, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Eder.
22 While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.
23 The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
24 The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.
25 The sons of Bilhah (Rachel’s servant): Dan and Naphtali.
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Leah
-
Reuben Leah is the mother of Reuben.
Source: Genesis 35:23
The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
Read Genesis 35:23 -
Simeon, son of Jacob Leah is the mother of Simeon.
Source: Genesis 35:23
The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
Read Genesis 35:23 -
Levi, son of Jacob Leah is the mother of Levi.
Source: Genesis 35:23
The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
Read Genesis 35:23 -
Judah, son of Jacob Leah is the mother of Judah.
Source: Genesis 35:23
The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
Read Genesis 35:23 -
Issachar Leah is the mother of Issachar.
Source: Genesis 35:23
The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
Read Genesis 35:23 -
Zebulun Leah is the mother of Zebulun.
Source: Genesis 35:23
The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
Read Genesis 35:23 -
Dinah Leah is the mother of Dinah.
Source: Genesis 34:1
Dinah, the daughter of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.
Read Genesis 34:1 -
Jacob Jacob is the husband of Leah.
Source: Genesis 29:23; Genesis 29:25
In the evening, he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to Jacob. He went in to her.
Read Genesis 29:23In the morning, behold, it was Leah! He said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Didn’t I serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?”
Read Genesis 29:25 -
Rachel Leah is the sister of Rachel.
Source: Genesis 29:16
Laban had two daughters. The name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
Read Genesis 29:16
Reuben
-
Jacob Jacob is the father of Reuben.
Source: Genesis 35:22; Genesis 35:23
While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.
Read Genesis 35:22The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
Read Genesis 35:23 -
Leah Leah is the mother of Reuben.
Source: Genesis 35:23
The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
Read Genesis 35:23
Jacob
-
Isaac Isaac is the father of Jacob.
Source: Genesis 25:26
After that, his brother came out, and his hand had hold on Esau’s heel. He was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
Read Genesis 25:26 -
Rebekah Rebekah is the mother of Jacob.
Source: Genesis 25:21; Genesis 25:26
Isaac entreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren. The LORD was entreated by him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
Read Genesis 25:21After that, his brother came out, and his hand had hold on Esau’s heel. He was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
Read Genesis 25:26 -
Esau Esau is the brother of Jacob.
Source: Genesis 25:26
After that, his brother came out, and his hand had hold on Esau’s heel. He was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
Read Genesis 25:26 -
Reuben Jacob is the father of Reuben.
Source: Genesis 35:22; Genesis 35:23
While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.
Read Genesis 35:22The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
Read Genesis 35:23 -
Simeon, son of Jacob Jacob is the father of Simeon.
Source: Genesis 35:22; Genesis 35:23
While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.
Read Genesis 35:22The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
Read Genesis 35:23 -
Levi, son of Jacob Jacob is the father of Levi.
Source: Genesis 35:22; Genesis 35:23
While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.
Read Genesis 35:22The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
Read Genesis 35:23 -
Judah, son of Jacob Jacob is the father of Judah.
Source: Genesis 35:22; Genesis 35:23
While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.
Read Genesis 35:22The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
Read Genesis 35:23 -
Issachar Jacob is the father of Issachar.
Source: Genesis 35:22; Genesis 35:23
While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.
Read Genesis 35:22The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
Read Genesis 35:23 -
Zebulun Jacob is the father of Zebulun.
Source: Genesis 35:22; Genesis 35:23
While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.
Read Genesis 35:22The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
Read Genesis 35:23 -
Joseph, son of Jacob Jacob is the father of Joseph.
Source: Genesis 35:22; Genesis 35:24
While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.
Read Genesis 35:22The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.
Read Genesis 35:24 -
Benjamin Jacob is the father of Benjamin.
Source: Genesis 35:22; Genesis 35:24
While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.
Read Genesis 35:22The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.
Read Genesis 35:24 -
Dan Jacob is the father of Dan.
Source: Genesis 35:22; Genesis 35:25
While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.
Read Genesis 35:22The sons of Bilhah (Rachel’s servant): Dan and Naphtali.
Read Genesis 35:25 -
Naphtali Jacob is the father of Naphtali.
Source: Genesis 35:22; Genesis 35:25
While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.
Read Genesis 35:22The sons of Bilhah (Rachel’s servant): Dan and Naphtali.
Read Genesis 35:25 -
Gad Jacob is the father of Gad.
Source: Genesis 35:22; Genesis 35:26
While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.
Read Genesis 35:22The sons of Zilpah (Leah’s servant): Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan Aram.
Read Genesis 35:26 -
Asher Jacob is the father of Asher.
Source: Genesis 35:22; Genesis 35:26
While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.
Read Genesis 35:22The sons of Zilpah (Leah’s servant): Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan Aram.
Read Genesis 35:26 -
Dinah Jacob is the father of Dinah.
Source: Genesis 34:1
Dinah, the daughter of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.
Read Genesis 34:1 -
Leah Jacob is the husband of Leah.
Source: Genesis 29:23; Genesis 29:25
In the evening, he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to Jacob. He went in to her.
Read Genesis 29:23In the morning, behold, it was Leah! He said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Didn’t I serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?”
Read Genesis 29:25 -
Rachel Jacob is the husband of Rachel.
Source: Genesis 29:28
Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. He gave him Rachel his daughter as wife.
Read Genesis 29:28
Selected relationship data adapted from BibleData, Brady Stephenson (CC BY 4.0). Reviewed, translated and supplemented with Scripture references.
From This Chapter
Genesis 35:1
"God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel, and live there. Make there an altar to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.”"
Genesis 35:2
"Then Jacob said to his household, and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments."
Genesis 35:3
"Let’s arise, and go up to Bethel. I will make there an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me on the way which I went.”"
Genesis 35:4
"They gave to Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the rings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem."
Genesis 35:5
"They traveled, and a terror of God was on the cities that were around them, and they didn’t pursue the sons of Jacob."
Genesis 35:6
"So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him."
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