| [an error occurred while processing this directive] | New International Version |
| 1[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 1Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples. |
| 2[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 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. |
| 3[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 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. |
| 4[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 4Jacob asked the shepherds, "My brothers, where are you from?" "We're from Harran," they replied. |
| 5[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 5He said to them, "Do you know Laban, Nahor's grandson?" "Yes, we know him," they answered. |
| 6[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 6Then Jacob asked them, "Is he well?" "Yes, he is," they said, "and here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep." |
| 7[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 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[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 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." |
| 9[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 9While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherd. |
| 10[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 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. |
| 11[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud. |
| 12[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 12He had told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and a son of Rebekah. So she ran and told her father. |
| 13[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 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. |
| 14[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 14Then Laban said to him, "You are my own flesh and blood." After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, |
| 15[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 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." |
| 16[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 16Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. |
| 17[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 17Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. |
| 18[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 18Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, "I'll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel." |
| 19[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 19Laban said, "It's better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me." |
| 20[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 20So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her. |
| 21[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 21Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her." |
| 22[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 22So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. |
| 23[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 23But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. |
| 24[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 24And Laban gave his servant Zilpah to his daughter as her attendant. |
| 25[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 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?" |
| 26[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 26Laban replied, "It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one. |
| 27[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 27Finish this daughter's bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work." |
| 28[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 28And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. |
| 29[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 29Laban gave his servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her attendant. |
| 30[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 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. |
| 31[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 31When the LORD saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless. |
| 32[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 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." |
| 33[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 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. |
| 34[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 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. |
| 35[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 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. |
| [an error occurred while processing this directive] | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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