“Leah had a physical shortcoming of some sort that inclined people to favour her sister over her, which left her feeling awfully unloved, even when she finally did get married, she wanted Jacob to love her and make her happy, thus she named her sons,” Matthew said.
He flipped open his Bible and found the chapter.
“First was Reuben, which means ‘behold, a son’, after whose birth she said ‘surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me’,” Matthew explained. “Then was Simeon, which means ‘hearing’, after whose birth she said ‘because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, He hath therefore given me this son also’. Then was Levi, meaning ‘joined’, following whose birth she said ‘now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons’. But then comes Judah, which means ‘praise’, following whose birth she said ‘now will I praise the LORD’. There is no comment about her husband, for between the births of Levi and Judah Leah realised that Jacob would never make her as happy as she wanted to be. Only God could do that, and so she acknowledged it in the naming of her son, and God blessed her.”
The young woman looked curious.
“David was descended from the tribe of Judah, and David was promised that the Messiah of his people, Jesus, would descend from his line, which is shown at the beginning of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke in the genealogies of both Joseph and Mary,” Matthew explained. “Seeing as Jesus has come, you aren’t likely to get that kind of a blessing from God, but… maybe God wants you to realise that it is not your husband who will make you happy, but Him, before He grants your desire for a husband.”
She looked like she wanted to ask him a question, but then her gaze broke with his and Matthew looked over his shoulder to see a young man who very much had to be her brother, as he possessed the same vivid blue eyes, as well as some similarities in facial sculpture, even though his hair was lighter than hers.
“I’m sorry, I have to go,” she said.
Matthew nodded, watching her go with a bit of disappointment. He did feel like what he’d said had been kind of simplistic, and he wanted her to fully understand what he meant — which probably would be aided by more study on his part — but he also had to admit that he didn’t really want to stop looking at her.
He felt very sorry for her, and considering how beautiful she was, he wondered if she wouldn’t make a good wife for him.
As she disappeared from his sight he shook his head. He was just a year and seven days widowed, the last thing he wanted to do was follow Father’s lead of rushing into marriage, and he doubted a never-married woman would really want to marry a widower with two children anyways.
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