Genesis 29
1 And Jacob started and went to the land of the east to Laban, the son of Bathuel the Syrian, and the brother of Rebecca, mother of Jacob and Esau.
Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.
2 And he looks, and behold! a well in the plain; and there were there three flocks of sheep resting at it, for out of that well they watered the flocks, but there was a great stone at the mouth of the well.
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.
3 And there were all the flocks gathered, and they used to roll away the stone from the mouth of the well, and water the flocks, and set the stone again in its place on the mouth of the well.
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.
4 And Jacob said to them, Brethren, whence are you? and they said, We are of Charrhan.
“My brothers,” Jacob asked the shepherds, “where are you from?” “We are from Haran,” they answered.
5 And he said to them, Know you Laban, the son of Nachor? and they said, We do know [him].
“Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked. “We know him,” they replied.
6 And he said to them, Is he well? And they said, He is well. And behold Rachel his daughter came with the sheep.
“Is he well?” Jacob inquired. “Yes,” they answered, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.”
7 And Jacob said, it is yet high day, it is not yet time that the flocks be gathered together; water you the flocks, and depart and feed them.
“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.”
8 And they said, We shall not be able, until all the shepherds be gathered together, and they shall roll away the stone from the mouth of the well, then we will water the flocks.
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.”
9 While he was yet speaking to them, behold, Rachel the daughter of Laban came with her father's sheep, for she fed the sheep of her father.
While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
10 And it came to pass when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother, that Jacob came and rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well, and watered the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother.
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.
11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and cried with a loud voice and wept.
Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.
12 And he told Rachel that he was the near relative of her father, and the son of Rebecca; and she ran and reported to her father according to these words.
He told Rachel that he was Rebekah’s son, a relative of her father, and she ran and told her father.
13 And it came to pass when Laban heard the name of Jacob, his sister's son, he ran to meet him, and embraced and kissed him, and brought him into his house; and he told Laban all these sayings.
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.
14 And Laban said to him, You are of my bones and of my flesh; and he was with him a full month.
Then Laban declared, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” After Jacob had stayed with him a month,
15 And Laban said to Jacob, Surely you shall not serve me for nothing, because you are my brother; tell me what your reward is to be.
Laban said to him, “Just because you are my relative, should you work for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”
16 Now Laban had two daughters, the name of the elder was Lea, and the name of the younger, Rachel.
Now Laban had two daughters; the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel.
17 And the eyes of Lea were weak. But Rachel was beautiful in appearance, and exceedingly fair in countenance.
Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.
18 And Jacob loved Rachel, and said, I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.
Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
19 And Laban said to him, [It is] better that I should give her to you, than that I should give her to another man; dwell with me.
Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.”
20 And Jacob served for Rachel seven years, and they were before him as a few days, by reason of his loving her.
So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her.
21 And Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.
Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Grant me my wife, for my time is complete, and I want to sleep with her.”
22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a marriage-feast.
So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast.
23 And it was even, and he took his daughter Lea, and brought her in to Jacob, and Jacob went in to her.
But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her.
24 And Laban gave to his daughter Lea, Zelpha his handmaid, as a handmaid for her.
And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant.
25 And it was morning, and behold it was Lea; and Jacob said to Laban, What is this that you have done to me? did I not serve you for Rachel? and therefore have you deceived me?
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?”
26 And Laban answered, It is not done thus in our country, to give the younger before the elder.
Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older.
27 Fulfil then her sevens, and I will give to you her also in return for your labour, which you labour with me, yet seven other years.
Finish this week’s celebration, and we will give you the younger one in return for another seven years of work.”
28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her sevens; and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to wife.
And Jacob did just that. He finished the week’s celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.
29 And Laban gave to his daughter his handmaid Balla, for a handmaid to her.
Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant.
30 And he went in to Rachel; and he loved Rachel more than Lea; and he served him seven other years.
Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years.
31 And when the Lord God saw that Lea was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
32 And Lea conceived and bore a son to Jacob; and she called his name, Ruben; saying, Because the Lord has looked on my humiliation, and has given me a son, now then my husband will love me.
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.”
33 And she conceived again, and bore a second son to Jacob; and she said, Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given to me this one also; and she called his name, Simeon.
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.
34 And she conceived yet again, and bore a son, and said, In the present time my husband will be with me, for I have born him three sons; therefore she called his name, Levi.
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.
35 And having conceived yet again, she bore a son, and said, Now yet again this time will I give thanks to the Lord; therefore she called his name, Juda; and ceased bearing.
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.
