Who was the first wife of Jacob?

Who was the first wife of Jacob? Leah was Jacob’s first wife.

Leah was the elder daughter of Laban and the older sister of Rachel. Jacob initially loved Rachel and agreed to work for Laban for seven years in order to marry her. On the wedding night, however, Laban substituted Leah for Rachel, explaining that local custom did not permit the younger daughter to marry first.

Jacob subsequently married Rachel as well, after agreeing to serve Laban for another seven years. The resulting household became a story of rivalry, affection, and competition over children. Leah was the mother of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah. Rachel was the mother of Joseph and Benjamin.

Leah’s son Judah became an ancestor of the royal line associated with David, while Levi became the ancestor of the Levitical priestly tribe. This is why readers sometimes confuse Leah’s place in the family with Rachel’s favored status: Rachel was Jacob’s beloved wife, but Leah was the first woman he married and the mother of his eldest son, Reuben.