Genesis 29:35

Gen 29:35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.

Ver. 35. Now will I praise the Lord.] So she had done before, at the birth of her other children: but now she would do it anew, upon the receipt of a new mercy: according to that, "Sing unto the Lord a new song." {Isa 42:10} A good woman she seems to have been; and the better, because not so well beloved of her husband; which she could not but see to be just upon her, for her consenting (with her father) to the sin of deceiving Jacob. Gen 30:1

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

29:35 Leah reconciled herself to the reality that nothing would turn Jacob’s affections toward her. She named her fourth son Judah with the sentiment, “I will praise the Lord.” She seems to have given up on Jacob, taking her consolation from the Lord.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Or, confess.

Hebrew, stood from bearing.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 35. She called his name Judah] יהודה yehudah, a confessor; one who acknowledges God, and acknowledges that all good comes from his hands, and gives him the praise due to his grace and mercy. From this patriarch the Jews have their name, and could it be now rightly applied to them, it would intimate that they were a people that confess God, acknowledge his bounty, and praise him for his grace.

Left bearing.] That is, for a time; for she had several children afterwards. Literally translated, the original תעמד מלדת taamod milledeth - she stood still from bearing, certainly does not convey the same meaning as that in our translation; the one appearing to signify that she ceased entirely from having children; the other, that she only desisted for a time, which was probably occasioned by a temporary suspension of Jacob's company, who appears to have deserted the tent of Leah through the jealous management of Rachel.

The intelligent and pious care of the original inhabitants of the world to call their children by those names which were descriptive of some remarkable event in providence, circumstance of their birth, or domestic occurrence, is worthy, not only of respect, but of imitation. As the name itself continually called to the mind, both of the parents and the child, the circumstance from which it originated, it could not fail to be a lasting blessing to both. How widely different is our custom! Unthinking and ungodly, we impose names upon our offspring as we do upon our cattle; and often the dog, the horse, the monkey, and the parrot, share in common with our children the names which are called Christian! Some of our Christian names, so called, are absurd, others are ridiculous, and a third class impious; these last being taken from the demon gods and goddesses of heathenism. May we hope that the rational and pious custom recommended in the Scriptures shall ever be restored, even among those who profess to believe in, fear, and love God!

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

35. praise] From the Heb. hôdah.

Judah] Heb. Jehudah. This is the regular form of the name in the O.T. The origin of the name is uncertain; but its sound resembles that of the word for “praise.” On Judah, see notes on chap. 38 and Gen_49:8-12.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Juda, "praise or confession." (Calmet) --- Left bearing for a time. (Haydock) --- In the imposition of these names, Lia testified her gratitude to God. (Tirinus)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Now will I praise the Lord more solemnly and continually; for otherwise she did praise and acknowledge God for the former mercies. cir. 1749

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

35. Judah — Which means, one to be praised. Compare Gen_49:8. Thus, in naming these first four sons, Leah breathes the spirit of a pure and noble longing, which fitted her to be the mother of the chosen tribe from which the Christ should spring.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And she conceived again, and bare a son (possibly in the fourth year of marriage, and in Jacob"s eighty-eighth year of age, he having been seventy-seven when he arrived in Haran, and eighty-four when he was united to Laban"s daughters): and she said, Now will I praise the Lord. Well she might; for this was the ancestor of the promised seed (Murphy). There cannot be a doubt that her excellence of character as well as eminence of piety eventually wrought a change upon her husband. (vide Gen_31:4, 14 49:31) Therefore she called his name Judah (i.e. Praise); and left bearing. Literally, stood still, i.e. ceased, from bearing. Not altogether; (Gen_30:16) only for a time, "that she might not be unduly lifted up by her good fortune, or attribute to the fruitfulness of her own womb what the faithfulness of Jehovah, the covenant God, had bestowed upon her" (Keil.).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

She conceived again

"Leah became pregnant again"

bore a son

"gave birth to a son"

she called his name Judah

Translators may also add a footnote that says "The name Judah means 'praise.'" (See: How to Translate Names)

translationWords

praise

Yahweh

Judah

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

הפעם אודה NOW WILL I PRAISE [THE LORD] — because I have assumed more than my share, from now on I should praise God (Genesis Rabbah 71:4).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

'ותהר... אודה את ה, I can only continue to thank the Lord and to praise Him, Who has granted me more than I have requested from Him.

ותעמוד מלדת, at this time she stopped conceiving. This was also due to intervention by G’d, Who wanted the servant maids to also have children for Yaakov.

Radak on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash” (CC BY 4.0); “Rabbi Mike Feuer, Jerusalem Anthology” (CC BY 4.0); and “R. David Kimhi on the first book of Psalms, Translated by R.G. Finch, London, 1919” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.

This time I will praise. After having borne four sons. Because Leah was content with this number, she stopped giving birth.

Ibn Ezra on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0); and “Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.