English Standard Version

International Standard Version

1Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.

1Jacob journeyed on and reached the territory that belonged to the people who lived in the east.

2As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep lying beside it, for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well’s mouth was large,

2As he was observing a well that had been dug out on the open range, all of a sudden he noticed three flocks of sheep lying there, because shepherds watered their flocks from that well. There was a very large stone that covered the opening of the well,

3and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well.

3and when all the flocks had been gathered there, they would roll away the stone from the opening of the well, water their flocks, and then return the stone to its place covering the opening of the well.

4Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where do you come from?” They said, “We are from Haran.”

4Jacob asked them, "My brothers, where are you from?" "We're from Haran," they answered.

5He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”

5"Do you happen to know Nahor's son Laban?" he inquired. "We do," they replied.

6He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!”

6So he asked them, "How's he doing?" "Very well," they answered. "As a matter of fact, look over there! That's his daughter Rachel, coming here with his sheep."

7He said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep and go, pasture them.”

7"Look!" Jacob replied. "The sun is still high. It's not yet time for the flocks to be gathered. Let's water the sheep, then let them graze."

8But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”

8But they responded, "We can't do that until all the sheep have been gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the opening of the well. Only then can we water the flock."

9While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.

9While he was still talking with them, Rachel arrived with her father's sheep, since she was a shepherdess.

10Now as soon as Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob came near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.

10When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, accompanied by Laban's sheep, Jacob approached the well, rolled the stone from the opening of the well, and then watered his mother's brother Laban's flock.

11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.

11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to cry out loud.

12And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman, and that he was Rebekah’s son, and she ran and told her father.

12Jacob told Rachel that he was related to her father, since he was Rebekah's son, so she ran and told her father.

13As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things,

13When Laban heard the news about his sister's son Jacob, he ran out to meet him. He embraced him, kissed him, and brought him back to his house. Then Jacob told Laban about everything that had happened.

14and Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month.

14Laban responded, "You certainly are my flesh and blood!" So Jacob stayed with him for about a month.

15Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?”

15Later, Laban asked Jacob, "Should you serve me for free, just because you're my nephew? Let's talk about what your wages should be."

16Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

16Now Laban happened to have two daughters. The older one was named Leah and the younger was named Rachel.

17Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.

17Leah looked rather plain, but Rachel was lovely in form and appearance.

18Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”

18Jacob loved Rachel, so he made this offer to Laban: "I'll serve you for seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter."

19Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.”

19"It's better that I give her to you than to another man," Laban replied, "so stay with me."

20So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.

20Jacob served seven years for Rachel, but it seemed like only a few days because of his love for her.

21Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.”

21Eventually, Jacob told Laban, "Bring me my wife, now that my time of service has been completed, so I can go be with her."

22So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast.

22So Laban gathered all the men who lived in that place and held a wedding festival.

23But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her.

23That night Laban took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob. He had marital relations with her.

24(Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.)

24Laban also gave his servant woman Zilpah to Leah to be her maidservant.

25And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?”

25The next morning, Jacob realized that it was Leah! "What have you done to me?" he demanded of Laban. "Didn't I serve you for seven years in order to marry Rachel? Why did you deceive me?"

26Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.

26But Laban responded, "It's not the practice of our place to give the younger one in marriage before the firstborn.

27Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.”

27Fulfill the week for this daughter, then we'll give you the other one in exchange for serving me another seven years."

28Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.

28So Jacob completed another seven years' work, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.

29(Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.)

29Laban also gave his woman servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maidservant.

30So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years.

30Jacob also married Rachel, since he loved her. He served Laban another full seven years' work for Rachel.

31When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.

31Later, the LORD noticed that Leah was being neglected, so he made her fertile, while Rachel remained childless.

32And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because the LORD has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.”

32Leah conceived, bore a son, and named him Reuben, because she was saying, "The LORD had looked on my torture, so now my husband will love me."

33She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon.

33Later, she conceived again, bore a son, and declared, "Because the LORD heard that I'm neglected, he gave me this one, too." So she named him Simeon.

34Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.

34Later, she conceived again and said, "This time my husband will become attached to me, now that I've borne him three sons." So he named him Levi.

35And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing.

35Then she conceived yet again, bore a son, and said, "This time I'll praise the LORD." So she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing children.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

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