Genesis 29

Jacob Arrives in Northwest Mesopotamia

1 Then Jacob continued his journey and came to the land of the people of the East.2 He looked and saw a well in the field and three flocks of sheep lying nearby, because they drank water from this well. A large stone covered the mouth of the well.

3 When all the flocks would gather there, the shepherds would roll the stone away from the well and water the sheep. Then they would put the stone back in its place.

4 Jacob said to the shepherds there, “My brothers, where are you from?”
They answered, “We are from Haran.”

5 Then Jacob asked, “Do you know Laban, grandson of Nahor?”
They answered, “We know him.”

6 Then Jacob asked, “How is he?”
They answered, “He is well. Look, his daughter Rachel is coming now with his sheep.”

7 Jacob said, “But look, it is still the middle of the day. It is not time for the sheep to be gathered for the night, so give them water and let them go back into the pasture.”

8 But they said, “We cannot do that until all the flocks are gathered. Then we will roll away the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep.”
9 While Jacob was talking with the shepherds, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, because it was her job to care for the sheep.10 When Jacob saw Laban’s daughter Rachel and Laban’s sheep, he went to the well and rolled the stone from its mouth and watered Laban’s sheep. Now Laban was the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s mother.11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and cried.

12 He told her that he was from her father’s family and that he was the son of Rebekah. So Rachel ran home and told her father.

13 When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran to meet him. Laban hugged him and kissed him and brought him to his house, where Jacob told Laban everything that had happened.

14 Then Laban said, “You are my own flesh and blood.”

Jacob stayed there a month.

Jacob Is Tricked

15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “You are my relative, but it is not right for you to work for me without pay. What would you like me to pay you?”
16 Now Laban had two daughters. The older was Leah, and the younger was Rachel.17 Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was very beautiful.

18 Jacob loved Rachel, so he said to Laban, “Let me marry your younger daughter Rachel. If you will, I will work seven years for you.”
19 Laban said, “It would be better for her to marry you than someone else, so stay here with me.”

20 So Jacob worked for Laban seven years so he could marry Rachel. But they seemed like just a few days to him because he loved Rachel very much.

21 After seven years Jacob said to Laban, “Give me Rachel so that I may marry her. The time I promised to work for you is over.”
22 So Laban gave a feast for all the people there.23 That evening he brought his daughter Leah to Jacob, and they had sexual relations.24 (Laban gave his slave girl Zilpah to his daughter to be her servant.)

25 In the morning when Jacob saw that he had had sexual relations with Leah, he said to Laban, “What have you done to me? I worked hard for you so that I could marry Rachel! Why did you trick me?”
26 Laban said, “In our country we do not allow the younger daughter to marry before the older daughter.

27 But complete the full week of the marriage ceremony with Leah, and I will give you Rachel to marry also. But you must serve me another seven years.”
28 So Jacob did this, and when he had completed the week with Leah, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife.29 (Laban gave his slave girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.)

30 So Jacob had sexual relations with Rachel also, and Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah. Jacob worked for Laban for another seven years.

Jacob’s Family Grows

31 When the Lord saw that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah, he made it possible for Leah to have children, but not Rachel.32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, 33 Leah became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She named him Simeon 34 Leah became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She named him Levi 35 Then Leah gave birth to another son. She named him Judah, 

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.