Genesis 29

1  THEN JACOB went [briskly and cheerfully] on his way [400 miles] and came to the land of the people of the East.2  As he looked, he saw a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it, for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well’s mouth was a big one,3  And when all the flocks were gathered there, [the shepherds] would roll the stone from the well’s mouth, water the sheep, and replace the stone on the well’s mouth.4  And Jacob said to them, My brothers, where are you from? And they said, We are from Haran.5  [Jacob] said to them, Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor? And they said, We know him.6  He said to them, Is it well with him? And they said, He is doing well; and behold, here comes his daughter Rachel with [his] sheep!7  He said, The sun is still high; it is a long time yet before the flocks need be gathered [in their folds]. [Why not] water the sheep and return them to their pasture?8  But they said, We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together; then [the shepherds] roll the stone from the well’s mouth and we water the sheep.9  While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she shepherded them.10  When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his uncle, Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth and watered the flock of his uncle Laban.11  Then Jacob kissed Rachel and he wept aloud.12  Jacob told Rachel he was her father’s relative, Rebekah’s son; and she ran and told her father.13  When Laban heard of the arrival of Jacob his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and embraced and kissed him and brought him to his house. And [Jacob] told Laban all these things.14  Then Laban said to him, Surely you are my bone and my flesh. And [Jacob] stayed with him a month.15  Then Laban said to Jacob, Just because you are my relative, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me, what shall 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  Leah’s eyes were weak and dull looking, but Rachel was beautiful and attractive.18  And Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, I will work for you for seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.19  And Laban said, It is better that I give her to you than to another man. Stay and live with me.20  And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.21  Finally, Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my time is completed, so that I may take her to me.22  And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast [with drinking].23  But when night came, he took Leah his daughter and brought her to [Jacob], who had intercourse with her.24  And Laban gave Zilpah his maid to his daughter Leah to be her maid.25  But in the morning [Jacob saw his wife, and] behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, What is this you have done to me? Did I not work for you [all those seven years] for Rachel? Why then have you deceived and cheated and thrown me down [like this]?26  And Laban said, It is not permitted in our country to give the younger [in marriage] before the elder.27  Finish the [wedding feast] week [for Leah]; then we will give you [Rachel] also, and you shall work for me yet seven more years in return.28  So Jacob complied and fulfilled [Leah’s] week; then [Laban] gave him Rachel his daughter as his wife.29  (And Laban gave Bilhah his maid to Rachel his daughter to be her maid.)30  And Jacob lived with Rachel also as his wife, and he loved Rachel more than Leah and served [Laban] another seven years [for her].31  And when the Lord saw that Leah was despised, He made her able to bear children, but Rachel was barren.32  And Leah became pregnant and bore a son and named him Reuben [See, a son!]; for she said, Because the Lord has seen my humiliation and affliction; now my husband will love me.33  [Leah] became pregnant again and bore a son and said, Because the Lord heard that I am despised, He has given me this son also; and she named him Simeon [God hears].34  And she became pregnant again and bore a son and said, Now this time will my husband be a companion to me, for I have borne him three sons. Therefore he was named Levi [companion].35  Again she conceived and bore a son, and she said, Now will I praise the Lord! So she called his name Judah [praise]; then [for a time] she ceased bearing.

Genesis 29

The Marriages of Jacob

1 So Jacob moved ont and came to the land of the eastern people.t2 He sawt in the field a well witht three flocks of sheep lying beside it, because the flocks were watered from that well. Nowt a large stone covered the mouth of the well.

3 When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherdst would roll the stone off the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would put the stone back in its place over the well’s mouth.
4 Jacob asked them, “My brothers, where are you from?” They replied, “We’re from Haran.”5 So he said to them, “Do you know Laban, the grandsont of Nahor?” “We know him,”t they said.6 “Is he well?”t Jacob asked. They replied, “He is well.t Now look, here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.”7 Then Jacobt said, “Since it is still the middle of the day,t it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. You should water the sheep and then go and let them graze some more.”t

8 “We can’t,” they said, “until all the flocks are gathered and the stone is rolled off the mouth of the well. Then we watert the sheep.”
9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was tending them.t10 When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his uncle Laban,t and the sheep of his uncle Laban, het went overt and rolled the stone off the mouth of the well and watered the sheep of his uncle Laban.t11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep loudly.t12 When Jacob explainedt to Rachel that he was a relative of her fathert and the son of Rebekah, she ran and told her father.13 When Laban heard this news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he rushed out to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacobt told Laban how he was related to him.t

14 Then Laban said to him, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.”t So Jacobt stayed with him for a month.t
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Should you workt for me for nothing because you are my relative?t Tell me what your wages should be.”16 (Now Laban had two daughters;t the older one was named Leah, and the younger one Rachel.17 Leah’s eyes were tender,t but Rachel had a lovely figure and beautiful appearance.)t18 Since Jacob had fallen in love witht Rachel, he said, “I’ll serve you seven years in exchange for your younger daughter Rachel.”19 Laban replied, “I’d rather give her to you than to another man.t Stay with me.”

20 So Jacob worked for seven years to acquire Rachel.t But they seemed like only a few days to hims because his love for her was so great.t
21 Finally Jacob saidt to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my time of service is up.t I want to have marital relations with her.”t22 So Laban invited all the peoplet of that place and prepared a feast.23 In the evening he brought his daughter Leahts to Jacob,t and Jacobt had marital relations with her.t

24 (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.)t
25 In the morning Jacob discovered it was Leah!t So Jacobt said to Laban, “What in the world have you done to me!t Didn’t I work for you in exchange for Rachel? Why have you trickeds me?”26 “It is not our custom here,”t Laban replied, “to give the younger daughter in marriaget before the firstborn.

27 Complete my older daughter’s bridal week.ts Then we will give you the younger onet too, in exchange for seven more years of work.”ts
28 Jacob did as Laban said.t When Jacobt completed Leah’s bridal week,t Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.t29 (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.)t

30 Jacobt had marital relationst with Rachel as well. He loved Rachel more than Leah, so he worked for Labant for seven more years.t

The Family of Jacob

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved,t he enabled her to become pregnantt while Rachel remained childless.

32 So Leah became pregnantt and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben,s for she said, “The Lord has looked with pity on my oppressed condition.ts Surely my husband will love me now.”

33 She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, “Because the Lord heard that I was unloved,t he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.s

34 She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, “Now this time my husband will show me affection,t because I have given birth to three sons for him.” That is why he was named Levi.s

35 She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” That is why she named him Judah.s Then she stopped having children.