Genesis Chapter 29
Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel
1 Jacob continued on his trip to the country in the east. 2 Up ahead he saw a well in a pasture where they watered the flocks. Three flocks of sheep were lying by it, and it had a big stone over it. 3 When all the flocks got there, they’d roll the stone off the well, water the sheep, and put it back. 4 Jacob asked them, “Brothers, where are you from?”
“Haran.”
5 “Do you know Laban son of Nahor.”
“Yes.”
6 “How is he?”
“He’s good. That’s his daughter Rachel coming with the sheep.”
7 Jacob said, “It’s still the middle of the day, not time to herd the livestock. Why aren’t you watering the sheep and taking them to pasture?”
8 “We can’t water them till all the flocks get here, and they roll the stone off the well.”
9 While he was still talking to them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep. 10 When Jacob saw her and Laban’s sheep, he went and rolled the stone off the well and watered Laban’s flock. 11 He kissed Rachel and cried out loud. 12 He told her he was Rebekah’s son, a relative of her father. She ran to tell her father.
Gen 29:1-12
13 When Laban heard it, he rushed to meet Jacob, hugged him, kissed him, and took him to his house. Jacob told him what all had happened. 14 Laban said, “For sure, you’re my flesh and bone.” Jacob stayed with him a month.
15 Laban said, “Because you’re my relative doesn’t mean you have to work for nothing. What do you want for pay?”
16 Laban had two daughters, Leah, the older one, and Rachel. 17 Leah had less beautiful eyes, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. 18 Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, “I’ll work for you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
19 Laban said, “It’s better to give her to you than to anybody else. Stay on with me.” 20 Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, but they seemed like just a few days because he loved her so much.
Gen 29:13-20
21 Then Jacob told Laban, “Give me my wife so I can sleep with her. I’ve completed my time.” 22 Laban gathered the men in the place and made a feast. 23 In the evening he brought Leah to him, and Jacob slept with her. 24 Laban also gave his maid Zilpah to Leah as a servant. 25 In the morning, it was Leah! Jacob said to Laban, “What’ve you done to me? Didn’t I work for you for Rachel? Why have you deceived me?”
26 But Laban said, “It’s not the custom here to marry off the younger before the firstborn. 27 Complete the bridal week for this one, and we’ll give you the other one too for another seven years’ work.”
28 Jacob completed her week, and Laban gave him Rachel as a wife. 29 He also gave his servant Bilhah to Rachel as her maid. 30 Jacob slept with Rachel too. He loved her more than Leah and worked for Laban for seven more years.
Gen 29:21-30
Jacob’s Children
31 The LORD saw that Leah wasn’t loved, and opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 Leah had a son she named Reuben, “Because the LORD has ‘seen’ my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.” 33 She had another son, “Because the LORD has ‘heard’ that I’m not loved, he gave me this son too”; so she named him Simeon. 34 She had another son, “This time my husband will be ‘attached’ to me, because I’ve borne him three sons”; so she named him Levi. 35 She became pregnant again and bore Jacob a son and said, “This time I’ll ‘praise’ the LORD”; so she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.
Gen 29:31-35