Genesis
Chapter 29
1 Jacob continued his travel and reached the land of the eastern people.
2 He saw a well in the field, with three groups of sheep nearby; they used that well to give water to the sheep, and a large stone covered the well’s opening.
3 All the flocks were brought there. They moved the stone from the well’s opening, gave water to the sheep, and put the stone back over the well’s opening where it was before.
4 Jacob asked them, “My brothers, where are you from?” They replied, “We are from Haran.”
5 He asked them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s son?” They replied, “Yes, we know him.”
6 He asked them, “Is he doing well?” They replied, “He is well,” and look, Rachel, his daughter, is coming with the sheep.
7 He said, “Look, the day is still long; it’s not time to bring the cattle together. Give the sheep water and go feed them.”
8 They said, “We can’t until all the sheep are together and the stone is moved from the well’s opening; then we give the sheep water.”
9 While he was still talking to them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep because she was taking care of them.
10 When Jacob saw Rachel, Laban’s daughter, and Laban’s sheep, he went up, moved the stone from the well, and watered Laban’s sheep.
11 Jacob kissed Rachel, then he cried out loud.
12 Jacob explained to Rachel that he was her dad’s relative and the son of Rebekah, then she quickly went to tell her dad.
13 When Laban heard about his nephew Jacob, he ran to greet him, hugged and kissed him, and took him to his home. Then Jacob told Laban everything.
14 Laban said to him, “You are truly my family, my own flesh and bone.” And he stayed with Laban for a month.
15 Laban said to Jacob, “Just because you are my brother, should you work for me for free? Tell me, what do you want to be paid?”
16 Laban had two daughters: the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel.
17 Leah had soft eyes; but Rachel was very beautiful.
18 Jacob loved Rachel and said, “I will work for you seven years to marry your younger daughter Rachel.”
19 Laban said, “It’s better for me to give her to you than to another man. Stay with me.”
20 Jacob worked seven years for Rachel; they felt like only a few days to him because he loved her so much.
21 Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife because the time is complete, so I can be with her.”
22 Laban brought all the local men together and prepared a big meal.
23 In the evening, he brought his daughter Leah to him, and they were together.
24 Laban gave his daughter Leah his servant Zilpah to be her maid.
25 In the morning, he saw it was Leah. He asked Laban, “What have you done to me? Didn’t I work for you to marry Rachel? Why have you tricked me?”
26 Laban said, “In our country, we don’t allow the younger daughter to marry before the older one.”
27 Finish her seven days, and we will let you marry the other one if you work for me for another seven years.
28 Jacob did this and finished the week; then he also married Rachel, his daughter.
29 Laban gave his daughter Rachel his servant Bilhah to be her maid.
30 He also went to Rachel, loved Rachel more than Leah, and worked for seven more years.
31 When God saw that Leah was not loved, he let her have children, but Rachel could not have children.
32 Leah became pregnant, had a son, and named him Reuben, because she said, “God has seen my troubles; now my husband will love me.”
33 She became pregnant again and gave birth to a son. She said, “God has heard that I was unloved, so He has given me another son.” She named him Simeon.
34 She became pregnant again and had a son. She said, “Now my husband will feel close to me, because I have given birth to three sons for him.” That is why she named him Levi.
35 She became pregnant again and had a son. She said, “Now I will praise God.” So she named him Judah and stopped having children.