Genesis 29

Then Jacob ^[a]went on his journey, and came to the land of the sons of the east.

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

He looked, and ^[b]saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, for from that well they watered the flocks. Now the stone on the mouth of the well 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.

When all the flocks were gathered there, they would then roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place 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.

He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” And they said, “We know him.”

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

And he said to them, “Is it well with him?” And they said, “It is well, and here is Rachel his daughter coming 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.

He said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered. Water the sheep, and go, pasture them.”

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, until all the flocks are gathered, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well; then we 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 Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.

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, and lifted his voice and wept.

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

Jacob told Rachel that he was a ^[c]relative of her father and that he was 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.

So when Laban heard the news of Jacob his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Then he related to 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.

Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” And he 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, “Because you are my ^[d]relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall 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.

And Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful of form and ^[e]face.

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

Now Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”

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 to you than to give her to another man; stay 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 seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days 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.

Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my ^[f]time is completed, that I may go in to her.”

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

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

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

Now in the evening he took his daughter Leah, and brought her to him; and Jacob went in to 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 his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid.

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

So it came about 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 with you? Why then have you deceived me?”

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 said, “It is not ^[g]the practice in our place to ^[h]marry off the younger before the firstborn.

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

Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you shall serve with me for another seven years.”

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

Jacob did so and completed her week, and he gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.

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

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

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

So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and indeed he loved Rachel more than Leah, and he served with ^[i]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 the Lord saw that Leah was ^[j]unloved, and He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.

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

Leah conceived and bore a son and named him ^[k]Reuben, for she said, “Because the Lord has ^[l]seen my affliction; surely now my husband will love me.”

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 bore a son and said, “Because the Lord has ^[m]heard that I am ^[n]unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” So she named him Simeon.

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 bore a son and said, “Now this time my husband will become ^[o]attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore he was named 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.

And she conceived again and bore a son and said, “This time I will ^[p]praise the Lord.” Therefore she named him ^[q]Judah. Then she stopped bearing.

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.