Genesis 29

Jacob Meets Rachel

1 So Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the East.2 And he looked, and saw a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks. A large stone was on the wells mouth.3 Now all the flocks would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from the wells mouth, water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the wells mouth.4 And Jacob said to them, My brethren, where are you from? And they said, We are from Haran.5 Then he said to them, Do you know Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.6 So he said to them, Is he well? And they said, He is well. And look, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep.7 Then he said, Look, it is still high day; it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them. 8 But they said, We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they have rolled the stone from the wells mouth; then we water the sheep.9 Now while he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her fathers sheep, for she was a shepherdess.10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mothers brother, and the sheep of Laban his mothers brother, that Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the wells mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mothers brother.11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept.12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her fathers relative and that he was Rebekahs son. So she ran and told her father.13 Then it came to pass, when Laban heard the report about Jacob his sisters son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. So he told Laban all these things.14 And Laban said to him, Surely you are my bone and my flesh. And he stayed with him for a month.

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

15 Then Laban said to Jacob, Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be? 16 Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.17 Leahs eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance.18 Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.19 And Laban said, It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.21 Then Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast.23 Now it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her.24 And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid.25 So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?26 And Laban said, It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.27 Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years.28 Then Jacob did so and fulfilled her week. So he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also.29 And Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as a maid.30 Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban still another seven years.

The Children of Jacob

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.32 So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, The Lord has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.33 Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, Because the Lord has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also. And she called his name Simeon.34 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons. Therefore his name was called Levi.35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, Now I will praise the Lord. Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she stopped bearing.

GENESIS 29

Jacob Arrives //at Laban's Home

1 As Jacob continued on his way to the east, 2 he looked out in a field and saw a well where shepherds took their sheep for water. Three flocks of sheep were lying around the well, which was covered with a large rock.

3 Shepherds would roll the rock away when all their sheep had gathered there. Then after the sheep had been watered, the shepherds would roll the rock back over the mouth of the well.

4 Jacob asked the shepherds, “Where are you from?”
“We're from Haran,” they answered.

5 Then he asked, “Do you know Nahor's grandson Laban?”
“Yes we do,” they replied.

6 “How is he?” Jacob asked.
“He's fine,” they answered. “And here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.”

7 Jacob told them, “Look, the sun is still high up in the sky, and it's too early to bring in the rest of the flocks. Water your sheep and take them back to the pasture.”

8 But they replied, “We can't do that until they all get here, and the rock has been rolled away from the well.”
9 While Jacob was still talking with the men, his cousin Rachel came up with her father's sheep. 10 When Jacob saw her and his uncle's sheep, he rolled the rock away and watered the sheep. 11 He then kissed Rachel and started crying because he was so happy.

12 He told her that he was the son of her aunt Rebekah, and she ran and told her father about him.
13 As soon as Laban heard the news, he ran out to meet Jacob. He hugged and kissed him and brought him to his home, where Jacob told him everything that had happened.

14 Laban said, “You are my nephew, and you are like one of my own family.”

Jacob Marries Leah //and Rachel

15 Laban said to him, “You shouldn't have to work without pay, just because you are a relative of mine. What do you want me to give you?”
16-17 Laban had two daughters. Leah was older than Rachel, but her eyes didn't sparkle, t while Rachel was beautiful and had a good figure.

18 Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he answered, “If you will let me marry Rachel, I'll work seven years for you.”
19 Laban replied, “It's better for me to let you marry Rachel than for someone else to have her. So stay and work for me.”

20 Jacob worked seven years for Laban, but the time seemed like only a few days, because he loved Rachel so much.
21 Jacob said to Laban, “The time is up, and I want to marry Rachel now!” 22 So Laban gave a big feast and invited all their neighbors. 23 But that evening he brought Leah to Jacob, who married her and spent the night with her.

24 Laban also gave Zilpah to Leah as her servant woman.

25 The next morning Jacob found out that he had married Leah, and he asked Laban, “Why did you do this to me? Didn't I work to get Rachel? Why did you trick me?”
26 Laban replied, “In our country the older daughter must get married first.

27 After you spend this weekt with Leah, you may also marry Rachel. But you will have to work for me another seven years.”

28-30 At the end of the week of celebration, Laban let Jacob marry Rachel, and he gave her his servant woman Bilhah. Jacob loved Rachel more than he did Leah, but he had to work another seven years for Laban.
31 The [Lord] knew that Jacob loved Rachel more than he did Leah, and so he gave children to Leah, but not to Rachel. 32 Leah gave birth to a son and named him Reuben.t Then she said, “The [Lord] has taken away my sorrow. Now my husband will love me more than he does Rachel.” 33 She had a second son and named him Simeon, t because she said, “The [Lord] has heard that my husband doesn't love me.” 34 When Leah's third son was born, she said, “Now my husband will hold me close.” So this son was named Levi.t 35 She had one more son and named him Judah, t because she said, “I'll praise the [Lord]!”