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

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.