| King James Bible | New International Version |
| 1Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east. | 1Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples. |
| 2And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth. | 2There he saw a well in the open country, with three flocks of sheep lying near it because the flocks were watered from that well. The stone over the mouth of the well was large. |
| 3And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place. | 3When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone away from the well's mouth and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well. |
| 4And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we. | 4Jacob asked the shepherds, "My brothers, where are you from?" "We're from Harran," they replied. |
| 5And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him. | 5He said to them, "Do you know Laban, Nahor's grandson?" "Yes, we know him," they answered. |
| 6And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep. | 6Then Jacob asked them, "Is he well?" "Yes, he is," they said, "and here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep." |
| 7And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them. | 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." |
| 8And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep. | 8"We can't," they replied, "until all the flocks are gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep." |
| 9And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep: for she kept them. | 9While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherd. |
| 10And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother. | 10When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban's sheep, he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle's sheep. |
| 11And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. | 11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud. |
| 12And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father. | 12He had told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and a son of Rebekah. So she ran and told her father. |
| 13And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things. | 13As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister's son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, and there Jacob told him all these things. |
| 14And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month. | 14Then Laban said to him, "You are my own flesh and blood." After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, |
| 15And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be? | 15Laban said to him, "Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be." |
| 16And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. | 16Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. |
| 17Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. | 17Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. |
| 18And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. | 18Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, "I'll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel." |
| 19And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me. | 19Laban said, "It's better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me." |
| 20And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. | 20So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her. |
| 21And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. | 21Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her." |
| 22And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. | 22So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. |
| 23And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. | 23But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. |
| 24And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid. | 24And Laban gave his servant Zilpah to his daughter as her attendant. |
| 25And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me? | 25When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn't I? Why have you deceived me?" |
| 26And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. | 26Laban replied, "It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one. |
| 27Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. | 27Finish this daughter's bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work." |
| 28And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. | 28And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. |
| 29And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid. | 29Laban gave his servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her attendant. |
| 30And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. | 30Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years. |
| 31And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren. | 31When the LORD saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless. |
| 32And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me. | 32Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, "It is because the LORD has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now." |
| 33And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon. | 33She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "Because the LORD heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too." So she named him Simeon. |
| 34And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi. | 34Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons." So he was named Levi. |
| 35And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing. | 35She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "This time I will praise the LORD." So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children. |
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