Genesis 29

Then Jacob ^[a]went on his way and came to the land of the people of the East [near Haran].

Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.

As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and three flocks of sheep lying there [resting] beside it because the flocks were watered from that well. Now the stone on the mouth of the well [that covered and protected it] was large,

And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth.

and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well, water the sheep, and [afterward] replace the stone on the mouth of the well.

And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place.

Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from Haran.”

And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.

So he said to them, “Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor [Abraham’s brother]?” And they replied, “We know him.”

And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.

And he asked them, “^[b]Is it well with him?” And they said, “He is doing well; look, here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep!”

And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.

Jacob said, “Look, the sun is still high [overhead]; it is a long time before the flocks need to be gathered [in their folds for the night]. Water the sheep, and go, and return them to their pasture.”

And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them.

But they said, “We cannot [leave] until all the flocks are gathered together, and the shepherds roll the stone from the mouth of the well; then we will water the sheep.”

And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep.

While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.

And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep; for she kept them.

When Jacob saw [his cousin] Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother, and Laban’s sheep, he came up and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered the flock of Laban, his uncle.

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 went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.

Then Jacob kissed Rachel [in greeting], and he raised his voice and wept.

And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.

Jacob told Rachel he was her father’s relative, Rebekah’s son; and she ran and told her father.

And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father.

When Laban heard of the arrival of Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and embraced and kissed him and brought him to his house. Then he told Laban all these things.

And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.

Then Laban said to him, “You are my bone and my flesh.” And Jacob stayed with him a month.

And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.

Then Laban said to Jacob, “Just because you are my relative, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?”

And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?

Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.

Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.

Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, “I will serve you [as a hired workman] for seven years [in return] for [the privilege of marrying] Rachel your younger daughter.”

And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.

Laban said, “It is better that I give her [in marriage] to you than give her to another man. Stay and work with me.”

And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.

So Jacob served [Laban] for seven years for [the right to marry] Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.

Laban’s Treachery

And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.

Finally, Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my time [of service] is completed, so that I may take her to me [as my wife].”

And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.

So Laban gathered together all the men of the place and prepared a [wedding] ^[c]feast [with wine].

And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.

But in the evening he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob ^[d]went in to [consummate the marriage with] her.

And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.

Laban also gave Zilpah his maid to his daughter Leah as a maid.

And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.

But in the morning [when Jacob awoke], it was Leah [who was with him]! And he said to Laban, “What is this that you have done to me? Did I not work for you [for seven years] for Rachel? Why have you deceived and betrayed me [like this]?”

And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?

But Laban only said, “It is not ^[e]the tradition here to give the younger [daughter in marriage] before the older.

And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.

Finish the week [of the wedding feast] for Leah; then we will give you Rachel also, and in return you shall work for me for seven more years.”

Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.

So Jacob complied and fulfilled Leah’s week [of celebration]; then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his [second] wife.

And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.

Laban also gave Bilhah his maid to his daughter Rachel as a maid.

And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.

So Jacob consummated his marriage and lived with Rachel [as his wife], and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and he served with Laban for another seven years.

And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

Now when the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He ^[f]made her able to bear children, but Rachel was barren.

And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.

Leah conceived and gave birth to a son and named him Reuben (See, a son!), for she said, “Because the Lord has seen my humiliation and suffering; now my husband will love me [since I have given him a son].”

And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.

Then she conceived again and gave birth to a son and said, “Because the Lord heard that I am unloved, He has given me this son also.” So she named him Simeon (God hears).

And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the Lord hath heard I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.

She conceived again and gave birth to a son and said, “Now this time my husband will become attached to me [as a companion], for I have given him three sons.” Therefore he was named ^[g]Levi.

And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.

Again she conceived and gave birth to a [fourth] son, and she said, “Now I will praise the Lord.” So she named him ^[h]Judah; then [for a time] she stopped bearing [children].

And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the Lord: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.