Jacob Meets Rachel
1. Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples.
2. There he saw a well in the field, and three flocks of sheep lying beside it because the sheep were watered from that well. And a large stone covered the mouth of the well.
3. When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep; then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.
4. Jacob asked the men at the well, “My brothers, where are you from?” “We are from Haran,” they replied.
5. “Do you know Laban son of Nahor?” he inquired. “We know him,” they answered.
6. “Is he well?” Jacob asked. “He is well,” they said, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.”
7. “Look,” he said, “the sun is still high; it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.”
8. “We can’t,” they replied, “until all the flocks are gathered and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep.”
9. While Jacob was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
10. And when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his uncle Laban, and the sheep of his uncle Laban, he went up and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well and watered the flock of his uncle Laban.
11. Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.
12. And when Jacob told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and the son of Rebekah, she ran and told her father.
13. When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran to meet him, hugged him, and kissed him. Then he brought him to his house, and Jacob told him all that had happened.
Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel
14. Laban said to him, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” And Jacob stayed with him for a month.
15. Then Laban said to Jacob, “Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”
16. Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17. Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was lovely in form and beautiful.
18. And Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
19. Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay with me.”
20. So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her.
21. Then Jacob said to Laban, “Since my time is complete, give me my wife, that I may consummate my marriage to her.”
22. So Laban invited all the men of the place and gave a feast.
23. But in the evening, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob slept with her.
24. And Laban gave his maidservant Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant.
25. When morning came, there was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob said to Laban. “Wasn’t it for Rachel that I served you? Why have you deceived me?”
26. Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one.
27. Complete this week of wedding celebration, and we will give you the younger daughter as well, in return for another seven years of work.”
28. And Jacob did so. He completed the week of celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.
29. Laban gave his maidservant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant.
30. And Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years.
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah
31. When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
32. And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.”
33. She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the LORD heard that I am unloved, He has given me this son also.” So she named him Simeon.
34. Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore he was named Levi.
35. And once again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” Therefore she named him Judah. Then Leah stopped having children.