Genesis 29
1
And Jacob lifted his feet and went to the land of the sons of the east. 2 And
he looked, and, behold, a well in the field. And, behold, three flocks of sheep
were lying by it; for from that well they watered the flocks, and the stone on
the mouth of the well was great. 3 And all the flocks were usually gathered
there, and they rolled the stone off the mouth of the well and watered the
sheep, and replaced the stone on the mouth of the well, to its place. 4 And Jacob
said to them, My brothers, from where are you? And they said, We are from
Haran. 5 And he said to them, Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?
And they said, We know him. 6 And he said to them, Well-being to him? And they
said, Well-being. And, behold, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep. 7
And he said, Behold, the day is still high; it is not time to gather the
livestock. Water the sheep and go feed them. 8 And they said, We are not able
until all the flocks are gathered and they roll the stone from the mouth of the
well; then we water the sheep. 9 He still was speaking with them, and Rachel
came with the sheep which were her father's; for she was feeding them. 10 And
it happened when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban, brother to his mother,
and the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother, Jacob came near and rolled the
stone from the mouth of the well and watered the sheep of Laban, his mother's
brother. 11 And Jacob kissed Rachel and lifted up his voice and wept. 12 And
Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was the son of
Rebekah. And she ran and told her father. 13 And it happened when Laban heard
the report of Jacob, his sister's son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and
kissed him. And he took him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.
14 And Laban said to him, Truly you are my bone and my flesh. And he lived with
him a month of days. 15 And Laban said to Jacob, are you not my brother? And
should you serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall be your wages? 16 And
Laban had two daughters, the name of the older, Leah, and the name of the
younger, Rachel. 17 And the eyes of Leah were weak, and Rachel was beautiful of
form and beautiful of appearance. 18 And Jacob loved Rachel, and said, I will
serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter. 19 And Laban said, It
is better for me to give her to you than to give her to another man; live with
me. 20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they were in his eyes like
a few days, in his love for her. 21 And Jacob said to Laban, Give my wife, for
my days are completed. And let me go in to her. 22 And Laban gathered all the
men of the place and made a feast. 23 And it happened in the evening, he took
his daughter Leah and brought her to him; and he went in to her. 24 And Laban
gave to her Zilpah, his slave-girl, to his daughter
Leah as a slave. 25 And it happened in the morning; behold! She was Leah. And
he said to Laban, What have you done to me? Did I not serve with you for
Rachel? And why have you tricked me? 26 And Laban said, It is not done this way
in our place, to give the younger before the first-born. 27 Fulfill the week of
this one and we will also give you this other one, for the service which you
will serve with me, yet another seven years. 28 And Jacob did so, and he
fulfilled the week of this one, and he gave to him his daughter Rachel, to him
for a wife. 29 And Laban gave his slave-girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel, to
her for a slave-girl. 30 And he also went in to Rachel, and he also loved
Rachel more than Leah. And he served with him yet another seven years. 31 And
Jehovah saw that Leah was hated. And He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
32 And Leah conceived and bore a son. And she called his name Reuben; for she
said, Surely Jehovah has looked on my affliction, for now my husband will love
me. 33 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, Surely Jehovah has
heard that I am hated and has given this one to me also. And she called his
name Simeon. 34 And she conceived again and bore a son. And she said, Now, this
time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne to him three sons.
So his name was called Levi. 35 And she conceived again and bore a son. And she
said, This time I praise Jehovah. So she called his name Judah. And she
ceased from bearing.