| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Jacob resumed his journey and went to the eastern country. | 1Jacob journeyed on and reached the territory that belonged to the people who lived in the east. |
| 2He looked and saw a well in a field. Three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it because the sheep were watered from this well. A large stone covered the opening of the well. | 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, |
| 3When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the opening of the well and water the sheep. The stone was then placed back on the well's opening. | 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 asked the men at the well, "My brothers! Where are you from?"" We're from Haran," they answered." | 4Jacob asked them, "My brothers, where are you from?" "We're from Haran," they answered. |
| 5Do you know Laban grandson of Nahor?" Jacob asked them. They answered, "We know him."" | 5"Do you happen to know Nahor's son Laban?" he inquired. "We do," they replied. |
| 6Is he well?" Jacob asked." Yes," they said, "and here is his daughter Rachel, coming with his 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." |
| 7Then Jacob said, "Look, it is still broad daylight. It's not time for the animals to be gathered. Water the flock, then go out and let them graze." | 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 replied, "We can't until all the flocks have been gathered and the stone is rolled from the well's opening. Then we will 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. |
| 10As soon as Jacob saw his uncle Laban's daughter Rachel with his sheep, he went up and rolled the stone from the opening and watered his uncle Laban's sheep. | 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 loudly. | 11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to cry out loud. |
| 12He told Rachel that he was her father's relative, Rebekah's son. 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. |
| 13When Laban heard the news about his sister's son Jacob, he ran to meet him, hugged him, and kissed him. Then he took him to his house, and Jacob told him all that had happened. | 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. |
| 14Laban said to him, "Yes, you are my own flesh and blood." After Jacob had stayed with him a month, | 14Laban responded, "You certainly are my flesh and blood!" So Jacob stayed with him for about a month. |
| 15Laban said to him, "Just because you're my relative, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should 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 older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel. | 16Now Laban happened to have two daughters. The older one was named Leah and the younger was named Rachel. |
| 17Leah had ordinary eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful. | 17Leah looked rather plain, but Rachel was lovely in form and appearance. |
| 18Jacob loved Rachel, so he answered Laban, "I'll work for 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 replied, "Better that I give her to you than to some 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 worked seven years for Rachel, and they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love 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, for my time is completed. I want to sleep with her." | 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 invited all the men of the place to a feast. | 22So Laban gathered all the men who lived in that place and held a wedding festival. |
| 23That evening, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her. | 23That night Laban took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob. He had marital relations with her. |
| 24And Laban gave his slave Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her slave. | 24Laban also gave his servant woman Zilpah to Leah to be her maidservant. |
| 25When morning came, there was Leah! So he said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Wasn't it for Rachel that I worked for you? Why 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 answered, "It is not the custom in this place to give the younger daughter in marriage 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 this week of wedding celebration, and we will also give you this younger one in return for working yet another seven years for me." | 27Fulfill the week for this daughter, then we'll give you the other one in exchange for serving me another seven years." |
| 28And Jacob did just that. He finished the week of celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. | 28So Jacob completed another seven years' work, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. |
| 29And Laban gave his slave Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her slave. | 29Laban also gave his woman servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maidservant. |
| 30Jacob slept with Rachel also, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked for Laban 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 unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was unable to conceive. | 31Later, the LORD noticed that Leah was being neglected, so he made her fertile, while Rachel remained childless. |
| 32Leah conceived, gave birth to a son, and named him Reuben, for she said, "The LORD has seen my affliction; surely my husband will love me now." | 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, gave birth to a son, and said, "The LORD heard that I am unloved and has given me this son also." So she named him 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. |
| 34She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, "At last, my husband will become attached to me because I have borne three sons for him." Therefore he was named 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, gave birth to a son, and said, "This time I will praise the LORD." Therefore she named him Judah. Then Leah stopped having children. | 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. |
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