< Genesis 29 >
1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the people of the east.
2 He looked and saw a well in the field, and look, three flocks of sheep lying there by it. For out of that well they watered the flocks. The stone on the well's mouth was large.
3 Now all the flocks would be gathered there, and they would roll the stone from the well's mouth, and water the sheep, and put the stone again on the well's mouth in its place.
4 Jacob said to them, "My brothers, where are you from?" They said, "We are from Haran."
5 He said to them, "Do you know Laban, the grandson of Nahor?" They said, "We know him."
6 He said to them, "Is it well with him?" They said, "It is well. See, Rachel, his daughter, is coming with the sheep."
7 He said, "Look, it is still the middle of the day, not time to gather the livestock together. Water the sheep, and go, pasture them."
8 They said, "We can't, until all the flocks are gathered together, and they roll the stone from the well's mouth. Then we water the sheep."
9 While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was tending them.
10 It happened, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother, that Jacob went over and rolled the stone from the well's mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.
11 Jacob kissed Rachel, and wept loudly.
12 Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son. She ran and told her father.
13 It happened, when Laban heard the news of Jacob, his sister's son, that he ran to meet Jacob, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things.
14 Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh." He lived with him for a month.
15 Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my brother, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be?"
16 Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17 Leah looked rather plain, but Rachel was beautiful in form and beautiful in appearance.
18 Jacob loved Rachel. He said, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter."
19 Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you, than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me."
20 Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and it seemed only a few days to him because of his love for her.
21 Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time is completed, so that I may sleep with her."
22 Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and gave a feast.
23 It happened in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to him, and he slept wit her.
24 Laban gave Zilpah his female servant to his daughter Leah as a servant.
25 It happened in the morning that, look, it was Leah. He said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Did I not work for you to have Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?"
26 Laban said, "It is not our custom here to give the younger before the firstborn.
27 Finish the week of this one, and I will give you the other also in exchange for the work which you are to serve with me for another seven years."
28 Then Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. He gave him Rachel his daughter as wife.
29 Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah, his female servant, to be her servant.
30 So he slept with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked with him another seven years.
31 The LORD saw that Leah was unloved, so he made her fertile, but Rachel was barren.
32 Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she named him Reuben. For she said, "Because God has looked at my affliction, and given me a son. For now my husband will love me."
33 She conceived again, and bore a son, and said, "Because God has heard that I am unloved, he has therefore given me this son also." So she named him Simeon.
34 She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, "Now this time my husband will become attached to me, since I have given him three sons." Therefore he was named Levi.
35 She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, "This time will I praise God." Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.
