Genesis 29
1 Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.
Then Jacob went on his journey till he came to the land of the children of the East.
2 He looked and saw a well in the field, and near it lay three flocks of sheep, because the sheep were watered from this well. And a large stone covered the mouth of the well.
And there he saw a water-hole in a field, and by the side of it three flocks of sheep, for there they got water for the sheep: and on the mouth of the water-hole there was a great stone.
3 When all the flocks had been gathered there, the shepherds would roll away the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.
And all the flocks would come together there, and when the stone had been rolled away, they would give the sheep water, and put the stone back again in its place on the mouth of the water-hole.
4 “My brothers,” Jacob asked the shepherds, “where are you from?” “We are from Haran,” they answered.
Then Jacob said to the herdmen, My brothers, where do you come from? And they said, From Haran.
5 “Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked. “We know him,” they replied.
And he said to them, Have you any knowledge of Laban, the son of Nahor? And they said, We have.
6 “Is he well?” Jacob inquired. “Yes,” they answered, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.”
And he said to them, Is he well? And they said, He is well, and here is Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep.
7 “Look,” said Jacob, “it is still broad daylight; it is not yet time to gather the livestock. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.”
Then Jacob said, The sun is still high and it is not time to get the cattle together: get water for the sheep and go and give them their food.
8 But they replied, “We cannot, until all the flocks have been gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep.”
And they said, We are not able to do so till all the flocks have come together and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the water-hole; then we will get water for the sheep.
9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she took care of them.
10 As soon as Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, with Laban’s sheep, he went up and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep.
Then when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, coming with Laban's sheep, he came near, and rolling the stone away from the mouth of the hole, he got water for Laban's flock.
11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.
And weeping for joy, Jacob gave Rachel a kiss.
12 He told Rachel that he was Rebekah’s son, a relative of her father, and she ran and told her father.
And Rachel, hearing from Jacob that he was her father's relation and that he was the son of Rebekah, went running to give her father news of it.
13 When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran out to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, where Jacob told him all that had happened.
And Laban, hearing news of Jacob, his sister's son, came running, and took Jacob in his arms, and kissing him, made him come into his house. And Jacob gave him news of everything.
14 Then Laban declared, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” After Jacob had stayed with him a month,
And Laban said to him, Truly, you are my bone and my flesh. And he kept Jacob with him for the space of a month.
15 Laban said to him, “Just because you are my relative, should you work for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”
Then Laban said to Jacob, Because you are my brother are you to be my servant for nothing? say now, what is your payment to be?
16 Now Laban had two daughters; the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel.
Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17 Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.
And Leah's eyes were clouded, but Rachel was fair in face and form.
18 Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
And Jacob was in love with Rachel; and he said, I will be your servant seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.
19 Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.”
And Laban said, It is better for you to have her than another man: go on living here with me.
20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her.
And Jacob did seven years' work for Rachel; and because of his love for her it seemed to him only a very little time.
21 Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Grant me my wife, for my time is complete, and I want to sleep with her.”
Then Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife so that I may have her, for the days are ended.
22 So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast.
And Laban got together all the men of the place and gave a feast.
23 But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her.
And in the evening he took Leah, his daughter, and gave her to him, and he went in to her.
24 And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant.
And Laban gave Zilpah, his servant-girl, to Leah, to be her waiting-woman.
25 When morning came, there was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob said to Laban. “Wasn’t it for Rachel that I served you? Why have you deceived me?”
And in the morning Jacob saw that it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What have you done to me? was I not working for you so that I might have Rachel? why have you been false to me?
26 Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older.
And Laban said, In our country we do not let the younger daughter be married before the older.
27 Finish this week’s celebration, and we will give you the younger one in return for another seven years of work.”
Let the week of the bride-feast come to its end and then we will give you the other in addition, if you will be my servant for another seven years.
28 And Jacob did just that. He finished the week’s celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.
And Jacob did so; and when the week was ended, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel for his wife.
29 Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant.
And Laban gave Rachel his servant-girl Bilhah to be her waiting-woman.
30 Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years.
Then Jacob took Rachel as his wife, and his love for her was greater than his love for Leah; and he went on working for Laban for another seven years.
31 When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
Now the Lord, seeing that Leah was not loved, gave her a child; while Rachel had no children.
32 And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.”
And Leah was with child, and gave birth to a son to whom she gave the name Reuben: for she said, The Lord has seen my sorrow; now my husband will have love for me.
33 Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has given me this son as well.” So she named him Simeon.
Then she became with child again, and gave birth to a son; and said, Because it has come to the Lord's ears that I am not loved, he has given me this son in addition: and she gave him the name Simeon.
34 Once again Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.
And she was with child again, and gave birth to a son; and said, Now at last my husband will be united to me, because I have given him three sons: so he was named Levi.
35 And once more she conceived and gave birth to a son and said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” So she named him Judah. Then Leah stopped having children.
And she was with child again, and gave birth to a son: and she said, This time I will give praise to the Lord: so he was named Judah; after this she had no more children for a time.
